The KSB said:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/burger-king-doing-burgers_b_5287008#:~:text=Burger King has issued a Required Menu for,Double Cheeseburger, Original Chicken Sandwich and french fries.

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Yeah. Imma check that out

HotMic said:

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Have fun with that decision...

LovelandBuckeye said:

But their punter is rated higher!!11!111!!!!

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Good. They're gonna need him

Ohio State makes the cut for No. 1 WR in 2022
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 Del Valle WR Caleb Burton | Photo via @thecalebburton/@shotsbyzaid on Instagram
The Buckeyes made the Texas native’s Top 12 on Tuesday

Ohio State is on one heck of a run recruiting wide receivers.

The hot streak began in the 2019 class, when the Buckeyes went down to Texas and hauled in a five-star WR by the name of Garrett Wilson. With Brian Hartline at the helm of the position group, Ohio State not only snagged the No. 1 WR in the 2020 class in Julian Fleming, but also five-star WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and another pair of top-100 national recruits in Gee Scott Jr. and Mookie Cooper.

Now, the Buckeyes seem to be on the fast track to once again come away with the No. 1 WR — this time in the 2021 class — as Emeka Egbuka has been pegged an OSU lean for some time now. However, as usual, Ryan Day and his staff can never rest on their laurels in the recruiting game, and so they are already looking ahead to 2022.

They got one step closer with the nation’s top pass-catcher in the junior class on Tuesday, as five-star WR Caleb Burton included Ohio State in his Top 12.


Likely one of Ohio State’s top targets in the 2022 class regardless of position, Burton is the No. 1 WR in the country and the No. 10 overall prospect in the cycle. The Texas native cut his list from nearly 40 offers down to just 12, with the Buckeyes making the cut alongside Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Stanford, Texas and USC.

It was not a surprise to see Brutus’ face alongside the other mascots on Burton’s graphic, as the 6-foot, 165-pound stud receiver has been high on Ohio State for quite some time. Hartline and crew offered Burton back in March, and since then the two parties have been in constant contact. Speaking to Bucknuts back in May, Burton said things have been going great between he and the Buckeyes’ wide receivers coach.

“I send [Hartline] videos of me working out and he critiques them,” Burton told Bucknuts. “Our relationship is going very well. And my dad and gets along well with coach Hartline and likes the work he has done in the past.”

Burton continued to speak highly of Hartline and the rest of the Ohio State staff when discussing his latest Top 12 with 247Sports on Tuesday.

“Obviously the relationship me and Coach Hartline and Coach Day have and their wide receiver room is always ridiculous and it’s nice to have a ex NFL wide receiver coaching you and looking at what he’s done he’s sent a lots players to the league,” Burton said in regards to why OSU made the cut.

Burton would be a massive get for Ohio State, even with all the wide receiver talent already on their roster. Catching 50 passes for 906 yards and 12 touchdowns in his sophomore season, he has drawn rave reviews for his abilities. 247Sports’ Midlands Region Recruiting Analyst Gabe Brooks even compared him to Jerry Jeudy.


It will still be quite a while before we find out Burton’s college destination, as the Del Valle product expects to make his commitment sometime between the end of his junior year and the beginning of his senior year. As things currently stand, expect Ohio State to be in the mix until the very end.

Quick Hits

• According to Bill Kurelic, five-star OT Tristan Leigh is making his ‘best effort’ to visit Ohio State for what has become known as “Buckeye Bash” on Oct. 24. LSU has pulled ahead and appears to be in the drivers seat for Leigh’s commitment, but getting the Virginia native on campus and around the rest of Ryan Day’s stacked 2021 class would likely be Ohio State’s best chance at stealing the talented offensive tackle away from the Tigers before the buzzer.
• Ohio State is also still in the hunt for four-star safety Derrick Davis Jr., but is probably lagging behind Penn State in a two-horse race. Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports spoke with Davis’ father recently, and he said the Buckeyes are still a “major player,” and have conducted a number of Zoom calls with the talented DB. However, at this time it seems that the in-state Nittany Lions are the team to beat.

Continue reading...

Column: Ohio State probably won’t have a thousand-rusher this year, and that’s okay
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Next year might be a different story though.

For generations, the statistical mark used to define a successful season for a running back has been rushing for 1,000 yards. From Jim Otis becoming the first Buckeye to accomplish the feat in 1969 with a nice 1,027 yards to Eddie George’s then-program record 1,927 in 1995 to seven-straight years of Carlos Hyde, Ezekiel Elliott, Mike Weber, and J.K. Dobbins eclipsing the mark, this accomplishment has been used to separate the good from the great.

However, as we are just 18 days away from the start of Ohio State’s 2020 season, we can already say that it is pretty unlikely that an OSU RB will rush for 1,000 yards this season. Obviously, the first factor working against their favor is that the B1G decreased the number of regular season games on the schedule from the traditional 12 to eight. Now, with the Champions Week game and a potential College Football Playoff run, the Buckeyes could play as many as 11 games this season, but even then, it is tough for me to imagine a back going for 1K, barring an injury that results in one runner getting the majority of the carries.

Don’t get me wrong though, if either Master Teague or Trey Sermon do rush for more than 90.91 yards per game over an 11-game season, I will be happy to submit my own article to @OldTakesExposed. But, beyond the reduced games, the biggest barrier between a Buckeye back and the revered mark is the fact that I’m not even sure which runner is most likely to get enough carries to reach 1,000 this year.

In a Zoom press conference today (which Gene went in depth on in today’s Buckeye Bits), Ohio State running back coach Tony Alford said that while Teague has done incredible work rehabbing from his spring Achilles injury, they are still working to up his reps. While he would certainly play if they had a game tomorrow, it’s clear that Teague — who, don’t forget, was a third-team all B1G selection last year — isn’t yet back full-strength.

Sermon is also coming off of his own injury, which ended his final season at Oklahoma last November. Though Sermon (who rushed for 947 yards in 2018 for the Sooners) said that he is 100% recovered from his knee injury, Alford admitted that they were still working to adjust his running style, since his tall, vertical strides might work in the Big 12 where playing defense is actually against the rules, the more physical B1G defenses will punish backs who run that way.

Alford also praised true-freshman Miyan Williams and redshirt-freshman Steele Chambers who are likely to get garbage-time carries, especially until Marcus Crowley is fully recovered from his own knee injury.

So, we’ve got fewer games and a crowded, RB1-less backfield working against a Buckeye back from going for 1,000 yards. Then there’s also the guy who will be handing the ball off to them, Justin Fields, screwing things up for the backs’ quest for 1,000.

Ryan Day was very hesitant to allow their stud signal-caller to run the ball in his first season as the OSU QB, because there was little to no depth behind Fields. While they are pretty young and inexperienced, there is now more, competent depth in the QB room in C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller.


Therefore, it seems likely that Day and his offensive braintrust will explore more of the athletic options that Fields brings to the... well, field. This is likely to hurt the running backs’ raw numbers in two ways; with a stable of insanely talented receivers, Fields is going to have a lot of options to throw to while being protected by arguably the best offensive line in the country. More throws equals fewer carries.

Then, it also means that Fields is probably going to keep the ball on more designed runs than he did last year. In 2019, Ohio State running backs accounted for 35.57 rushes per game, while Fields threw the ball 25.29 times per contest. While I expect the backs to have plenty of blowout carries in second halves this season, it seems likely that Fields will be putting the ball in the air more than he did last year. If I had to guess, I would assume it is closer to the 30-35 times per game range; I could also imagine a situation in which Day calls his name six to eight times on designed keepers, not including scrambles or sacks.

So, let’s add in more throws and more runs for Fields to our growing list of fewer games and multiple backs and it’s looking likely that this will be the first season since 2012 that doesn’t see an Ohio State RB hit 1,000 yards (and yes, Braxton Miller did go for 1,271 yards that season, but he wasn’t a running back, so he doesn’t count in this discussion).

But you know what? Who cares? It doesn’t really matter. Having a cavalcade of options is a good thing for an offense. Sure, the backfield being anchored by someone like Dobbins is always a massive advantage, but with a Heisman-finalist QB like Fields, it’s not necessary.

If Teague and Sermon both end up in the 65-85 yards per game range, with other backs getting 25-40 yards a piece in mop-up duty, that will be more than enough to balance out the Buckeye offense all season. There is plenty of firepower on the OSU offensive to sustain a championship run even without all-world back toting the rock.

But, not to look too far into the future, the question will be whether having a top-line tailback will work in 2021 after Fields, Sermon, and potentially Teague have moved on. With either Stroud or Miller likely entering their first season as a starter next fall, will a running-back-by-committee be OSU’s only option or will someone — perhaps incoming, five-star freshman TreVeyon Henderson — step up to be the the latest bell-cow in a long legacy of OSU backs?

I don’t know, but with the talent accumulated on their roster, chances are that the Buckeyes can win either way.


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!

Continue reading...

Buckeye Bits: Lots of running back talk, updated Heisman odds, more
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Happy Tuesday, everybody. It really is starting to feel like we are now fully in the swing of the college football season. We’ve had Top 10 matchups, massive upsets, the Big 12 continuing to not play a shred of defense, and all the other usual fall happenings. The only thing missing, of course, is Ohio State.

Luckily, we are now less than three weeks away from the Buckeyes’ opening kickoff, and the excitement is palpable.


Let’s hop right into all of today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Polls are stupid, but I'm fine with where Ohio State is currently ranked
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

The AP Poll has surpassed its usefulness with the advent of the College Football Playoff, and now just serves to pump up TV ratings. You shouldn’t care where Ohio State is currently ranked, as it will not matter come December as long as they take care of business.

Buckeyes still viewed as leaders for five-star DE
(Dan Hessler, LGHL)

Ohio State’s 2021 class only has a few spots left to fill, but theres a good chance at least one if not two of those spots will be filled with five-star talents from the West Coast. J.T. Tuimoloau is a name those that follow the Buckeyes’ recruiting are well aware of, and there is no reason to believe he isn’t still leaning towards OSU after announcing his top schools.

Buckeye Clips: NFL Week 4 highlights
(Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Terry McLaurin and Denzel Ward both balled out as usual, and one-time Buckeye Joe Burrow recorded his first NFL win in a game in which he threw for over 300 yards. Check out all the highlights by former Ohio State players in the NFL from this past weekend.

From around the gridiron...


We have slowly been hearing from each position group at Ohio State as camp has progressed, and today that group was Tony Alford and the running backs. One of the more intriguing groups on the team with the absence of J.K. Dobbins and guys like Master Teague and Trey Sermon coming off injuries, it was good to get a glimpse into the room.

Alford began by lauding Teague’s efforts in his rehab from his achilles injury, saying that the RB never wavered in his faith and completely immersed himself in his recovery. Ultimately, he is a bit surprised Teague is ahead of Marcus Crowley health-wise. Aflord went on to say that while they are still building up Teague’s workload, if the team had a game tomorrow he would be playing.


When it comes to Sermon, Alford says he is a different kind of back than the Buckeyes are accustomed too as he is a longer, more upright runner good at coming out the backfield as well as blocking. The position coach says they are working on dropping Sermon’s pad level, but that he has deceptive speed. They loved what they saw on film from his time at Oklahoma, and are excited for what he can do in Ohio State’s offense.


Freshman Miyan Williams is being described as the prototypical ‘muscle hamster’ — a shorter guy with tremendous power and strength. Alford joked that Williams is “two-and-a-half feet tall,” and that his smaller size is actually a benefit as he can get lost behind the big offensive linemen and make it harder for defenses to find him.


Alford said that Teague is probably the leader in the RB room right now, but Sermon has started to speak up more having played the most football of any of the guys. As has seemingly every person to speak for Ohio State thus far, he also praised Justin Fields’ leadership during this offseason.

Teague himself spoke to the media next, and he talked about how important it was to stay disciplined during quarantine as he had to do most of his rehab on his own. He thought he would have been ready to go even if the season began in September as originally planned. Teague also talked about playing behind J.K. Dobbins, and how watching an elite back like Dobbins work will make himself a better player this season.

Teague is also working to forget his performance in the Clemson game, and wants to prove he can step up in big games when Ohio State needs him the most.


Sermon spoke next, and he explained that he chose Ohio State because he fell in love with the culture, the coaches and the players. He claims he is back to 100% after rehabbing from his knee injury, and says right now is the best he’s ever felt.


Sermon says the offense at Ohio State is similar to the one they ran at Oklahoma, and the way the Buckeyes use their running backs appealed to him. Like everyone else, he praised Fields, and having played along Heisman winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, Sermon says he would compare Fields more to Murray.


Switching up from the running back talk, BetOnline.ag released their updated Heisman Trophy odds on Tuesday, and Justin Fields remains near the top of the list at 7/1. The current favorite is Trevor Lawrence (7/2), followed by Kyle Trask (15/4), Mac Jones (4/1) and then Fields. So far, no one player has really been lights out through the first few weeks of the season, and so Fields will definitely still have a chance in this race despite playing fewer games.


That Terry McLaurin fella is pretty darn good.

From everywhere else...


We may see another college football postponement this weekend, but not for COVID this time. Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall in the next few days, and it could have an impact on the LSU-Mizzou game. For now, the game will take place as planned.


The Holy Trinity of Ohio State: The RPAC, Morrill Tower and Ohio Stadium. Glory.


OH MY. What a glorious collab.


Rest In Peace to an absolute legend of the rock community, Eddie Van Halen.


You have no excuses. Get out there and VOTE.


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Buckeye Clips: NFL Week 4 highlights
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Denzel Ward seals the deal for the Browns and Joe Burrow makes NFL rookie history

It’s Tuesday, aka the worst day of the week. Reality sets in as we have realize we must wait two full days until football is on our televisions once again. What are we meant to do tonight? Watch Netflix? (If you do, might I suggest “American Murder: The Family Next Door?” because wow) Read a book? Go to bed at a decent hour? Ugh.

I suppose our only saving grace until Thursday is, well, yours truly, along with the other highly regarded members of sports media. Because what better way to get through these next two football-less days than to recount the times when there was football being played? Lucky for us at LGHL, there’s almost always something to report on Tuesday mornings after the weekend’s slate of NFL games have ceased. Buckeyes across the league continue to make headlines, and we’ve gathered all the highlights for you in our newest series, Buckeye Clips. But before we get into that, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way.

Injuries


After Nick Bosa, Malik Hooker, Parris Campbell and Dre’Mont Jones all suffered significant injuries two weeks ago, the list of injured Buckeyes continues to grow. Five former Ohio State players were inactive for their first games this season on Sunday, including three members of the Buckeyes’ rookie class.

Chase Young missed Washington’s loss to Baltimore on Sunday due to a groin injury he suffered in Week 3. The injury is not believed to be serious, but it’s unknown when he will return to play.

Los Angeles Rams rookie Jordan Fuller missed his team’s win over the New York Giants on Sunday with a shoulder injury he also suffered in Week 3. He is expected to return next week.

Las Vegas Raiders CB Damon Arnette underwent thumb surgery last week after falling awkwardly on it the weekend before. Per Ian Rapoport, the rookie is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.

Marshon Lattimore missed the Saints’ game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday with a hamstring injury, joining Michael Thomas on the sidelines. Thomas is expected to return to the field in Week 5 after missing the last three games due to a high ankle sprain.

A shoulder injury kept Seattle Seahawks running back Carlos Hyde sidelined on Sunday.

Additionally, Gareon Conley (who had ankle surgery during the offseason) and Pat Elflein (thumb) are currently on their teams’ injured reserve lists.

Eli Apple was reactivated by the Carolina Panthers last week after missing the first three games of the season with an ankle injury. However, he only made a brief appearance on special teams on Sunday before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game.

And that’s that on the importance of in-person OTAs.

Now, here are some of the awesome things former Ohio State players did over the weekend.

The Rookies


With Young, Fuller and Arnette on the sidelines, there’s not a whole lot to report in this section. However, former Ohio State football player (!) and current Ohio-based football player (!) Joe Burrow got his first NFL win on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, during which he became the first rookie in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in three straight games. This feat obviously earned him the game ball, but Burrow’s gonna Burrow.


Other miscellaneous news and notes for Buckeye rookies:

• RB J.K. Dobbins had 5 carries for 16 yards and one reception for one yard in the Raven’s win against Washington. Also, this is hilarious:

The Ravens and Washington Football Team are big Buckeye enthusiasts.

• Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton recorded five tackles and two QB hits in his team’s loss against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
• After grabbing his first NFL interception in Week 3, Detroit Lions CB Jeff Okudah seems to have found his stride. The rookie recorded five tackles in his team’s loss against the Saints on Sunday.
• Jonah Jackson started his fourth-straight game at left guard for the Lions.

The Veterans


The Cleveland Browns — yeah, those Cleveland Browns! — won their third straight game of the season on Sunday — against the Cowboys, no less! And the man who sealed the deal? None other than former Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, who intercepted Dak Prescott’s pass intended for Amari Cooper inside the Browns’ 10-yard line with less than two minutes to play. He ended the game with four tackles, one interception and one pass deflection.


On the opposing side, Ezekiel Elliott had 12 carries for 54 yards and eight catches for 71 yards, while Noah Brown had an NFL career-high four catches for 43 yards.

Despite The Washington Football Team suffering their third straight loss to Baltimore on Sunday, Dwayne Haskins and Terry McLaurin each had career-high performances.

Haskins completed 32 of his 45 pass attempts for 314 yards. Before Sunday Haskins had never completed more than 21 passes or thrown for more than 261 yards in his professional career. And while none of those passes were for a touchdown on Sunday, Haskins did score the first rushing touchdown of his career.


Terry McLaurin (did you really think we’d get through one of these without a Terry McLaurin highlight?) led the team in receiving for the fourth week in a row with 10 catches for 118 yards, which was the first time he has had more than seven catches in an NFL game.


Other miscellaneous news and notes for Buckeye veterans:

• Chicago Bears wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. recorded two catches for eleven yards, and three punt returns for 18 yards against the Colts.
• Saints safety Malcom Jenkins had five tackles and one pass breakup in their win against the Lions. He now leads the Saints with 27 total tackles and three pass deflections.
• Chargers DE Joey Bosa recorded one tackle and two QB hits against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, and leads the Chargers in sacks (3).
• Texans CB Bradley Roby had seven tackles and two pass breakups against the Vikings. He now leads the team with three total pass deflects.
• Eagles punter Cam Johnston had six punts for 51.2 yards per punt and three inside 20s. His career average of 47.7 is highest in NFL history.
• Taylor Decker, Michael Jordan, Corey Linsley and Andrew Norwell all started for their respective offensive lines.
• Carolina Panthers WR Curtis Samuel had three receptions for 51 yards and three carries for -1 yard in the Panthers’ win against the Arizona Cardinals.

Continue reading...

Buckeyes still viewed as leaders for five-star DE
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Five-star Eastside Catholic DE J.T. Tuimoloau | Brandon Huffman, 247Sports
Ohio State should like where it is sitting when it comes to arguably the nation’s top prospect in 2021.

Late last week, Ohio State 2021 five-star defensive end target J.T. Tuimoloau (Sammamish, WA/Eastside Catholic) included the Buckeyes in his top seven schools. The announcement itself of the top schools was somewhat surprising, and while the programs he listed were not all that shocking, it did offer a glimpse into a recruitment that has been rather close to the vest.

Despite Tuimoloau keeping quiet on his recruitment, Ohio State has long been viewed as the frontrunner in the race for his services. A large reason for their success with the Washington native has been because of the Buckeyes recent success in sending defensive ends to the NFL Draft, as well as his relationship with OSU defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

247Sports National Recruiting Editor, Brandon Huffman, spoke on Tuimoloau’s recruitment and what he believes is each of his seven finalists chances to land him are. When speaking of Ohio State and Tuimoloau, Huffman had the following to say:


Tuimoloau will likely look to cut his list of seven down to five here shortly. These will be the five official visits that he would take as well, given that the dead period gets lifted eventually.

As was previously mentioned, Tuimoloau has played his recruitment close to the vest, and as a result will likely not reach a decision by the early signing period. Instead, look for the blue-chip prospect to wait until the traditional National Signing Day in February.

Tuimoloau is the No. 2 DE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 2 overall prospect in the nation in 2021.

Quick Hits:

• Ohio State five-star OL target Tristan Leigh showed off some Ohio State gear in a Tweet on Monday. Leigh has been trending towards LSU with Oklahoma and Ohio State seemingly still involved. The Buckeyes chances of landing a commitment from Leigh has dwindled as of late, but could this be a sign that things are heating back up, or is this a simple tease from Leigh?

• Ohio State 2021 four-star DT target Tywone Malone (Oradell, NJ/Bergen Catholic) will no longer be considering the Buckeyes, as the team missed the cut to his final six teams. OSU made his top 14 schools back in May of this year.

Continue reading...

Column: Polls are stupid, but I’m fine with where Ohio State is currently ranked
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
Also, Danny Kanell is still a clown.

Hey, remember all the way back, six or seven years ago in August 2020 when in the both the AP and Coaches preseason polls, the Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked second, hot on the heels of the Clemson Tigers with a healthy number of first place votes to boot?

Fast forward a month and a half and the Buckeyes haven’t taken to the field yet, but they have already dropped out of the rankings all together, then jumped back in, but now seem to be stuck in sixth place?

I don’t think that anybody with a brain needed these past six weeks to convince them that the polls are stupid, but can you believe that for the vast majority of college football history they are what determined the sport’s champion (and in some cases champions)? Really dumb, huh?

But here’s the thing, these days, the polls only matter for entertainment purposes — no, not those entertainment purpose, like actual entertainment purposes. They give fans reasons to pump their chests and/or complain, while also providing pundits like Danny Kanell an opportunity to show just how obtuse and intellectually dishonest they are.


But as we inch closer and closer to OSU finally kicking off their season, it is worth taking a sober look at where they sit in the national title pecking order. According to the most recent national titles odds published by BetOnline.ag on Monday morning, the Buckeyes are back where they were to start the season, just ever so slightly behind Clemson.

While I fully intend to pick Ohio State to win the national title when we unveil our (delayed) preseason predictions later this month, I am totally fine with Dabo’s boys occupying the top spot for the time being.


One of the express reasons that guys like Wyatt Davis, Thayer Munford, Shaun Wade, and (post-cancellation) Justin Fields said that they wanted to come back for another season in Columbus is to make up for what happened against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl last December.

So, while it might be annoying to be stuck behind them yet again — not to mention watching the Bucks on the outside of the top-5 for literally no discernible reason — I am pretty confident in saying that this all gives Ryan Day’s team a little extra motivation when it comes to play and preparation.

The polls will undoubtedly work themselves out after Oct. 24 when the Big Ten season starts, just in time for them to become completely irrelevant again when the College Football Playoff committee begins releasing their rankings a month later.

While the polls are pretty pointless nowadays, the CFP committee is the exact opposite in terms of power, but still pretty close in terms of cluelessness. Their inability to adhere to any type of coherent or consistent criteria has both helped and hurt Ohio State in the past. However, unlike with the polls, the committee actually matters. And thanks to the Big 12 essentially eliminating itself from the playoff discussion already (settle down Oklahoma State), the Buckeyes almost certainly control their own destiny yet again.

Beat the rest of the B1G, as they are expected to do, and OSU will be back in the College Football Playoff with an opportunity to extract a measure of revenge on Clemson... assuming they avoid the ACC landmines and are actually ranked highly enough to make the playoff this year.


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!

Continue reading...

Buckeye Bits: Ohio State remains at No. 6 in AP Poll, more black stripes were lost, more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Happy Monday!


Is it just me or does 19 days feel like an eternity? How am I supposed to survive two more Big Ten-less college football Saturdays? Sigh. On the bright side, it seems as though teams have, for the most part I guess, been keeping coronavirus cases at bay. Considering the Big Ten has the strictest rules and safety precautions of the all the conferences, Ohio State should have similar success. Even still, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are prepared for the worst-case scenario, which, as Day said, is the key to success this season.


Yet another thing a head coach to worry about on top of recruiting and, you know, leading a football team to a national championship. But if anyone can come out on top in all three aspects, it’s Ryan Day.

So, now that I’ve set the tone with some optimism, let’s see what else is happening around the beat.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Ohio State has a BOOMING recruiting weekend

Charles Doss, LGHL

Like I said above, Day can do it all as he picked up his 20th 2021 commitment in three-star offensive tackle and former Louisville commit Zenuae “Zen” Michalski over the weekend.

Column: It’s gonna take Ohio State time to reach peak performance

Matt Tamanini, LGHL

In case you missed it, Matt will be writing a column a day for the remainder of Ohio State’s football season. They will vary in length and topic and are almost guaranteed to spark conversation. Sunday’s column is no exception, as he says what no one else wants to admit via an eloquent metaphor: Ohio State might not be a “finely oiled machine on Oct. 24,” rather they could be an “adequately oiled contraption.”

Column: Don’t be that guy, enjoy this season no matter what happens

Matt Tamanini, LGHL

And we can’t forget about Saturday’s column explaining SB Nation Reacts — sign up here! — while also calling out those who voted that they were not (?) confident (?) in the direction Ryan Day is leading the program.

12-for-12: Ohio State’s Perfect Season - Game 8 vs. Northwestern

Gene Ross, LGHL

Next up in Gene’s 12-for-12 series: 2008 Ohio State vs. Northwestern. Come reminisce with us as we remember Terrelle Pryor, Brian Hartline, Beanie Wells, Brian Robiskie and a 45-10 win against the Wildcats.

From around the gridiron...


Ohio State remains at the No. 6 spot in the AP Poll behind Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Notre Dame for the second week in a row. The Buckeyes also received two first-place votes after receiving four first-place votes last week.

Other Big Ten teams ranked include Penn State (No. 9), Wisconsin (No. 16), Michigan (No. 20), and Minnesota who, despite having yet to play a football game, made its debut in the AP Poll this week at No. 25.

Ohio State also comes in at No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, behind the same five teams mentioned above. The Buckeyes received two first-place votes in the Coaches Poll.


As David Regimbal of Eleven Warriors writes, successful backup plans in regards to coronavirus outbreaks will be absolutely crucial this season if the Buckeyes want in on the college football playoff. And some of those backup plans come in the form of freshmen.

We’re all well aware by now that the wide receiver room is stacked with five- and four-star youngsters (Re: Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Gee Scott Jr.) who will all more than likely contribute heavily this fall. But what about the other position groups? Regimbal lists other standout freshmen who could potentially make a big impact, and who should be ready to go at the drop of a hat.


Ohio State took their practice to the stadium, and even allowed the members of the media inside to watch and, of course, document.

There’s something about seeing the scarlet and gray uniforms inside the ‘Shoe that makes me equal parts ecstatic for the season and terribly upset that we won’t get to be there to watch. Check out Eleven Warriors’ Colin Hass-Hill and Dan Hope’s long-awaited observations of the Buckeyes’ session here.


Plus, more black stripes were lost during Saturday’s ‘Shoe-practice. Offensive lineman Josh Fryar, safety Lathan Ransom and running back Miyan Williams became a few of the last members of the 2020 class to lose their black stripes.


Turns out, having too many talented veteran linebackers is the opposite of a problem. Who knew? But now the question is, how does one utilize all that talent?


Georgia fans: still not over it.

From everywhere else...


Ohio State fans: still not over it, except this one is warranted. RIP Big 12.


Here’s how the rest of college football panned out on Saturday. Again I ask, can we get the Big Ten’s start date pushed to this weekend? Pls.


Wisconsin QB Jack Coan is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Sophomore Graham Mertz will be taking his place until they know more about the severity of Coan’s injury. I don’t know much about Mertz, however he was the No. 1 prospect in Kansas and No. 3 prostyle QB in his class, so I don’t think this is cause for too much panic if your a Badgers fan (especially without Ohio State on the schedule).


We’ll have a montage of video highlights of Buckeyes in the NFL on Tuesday, but here’s how they did on Sunday per Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors. I think we can just accept that Terry McLaurin will be on every single one of these highlight recaps until the season ends.


Remember at the beginning of this when I said (most) teams seem to be keeping the virus at bay? Hahahahahaha


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Ohio State has a BOOMING recruiting weekend
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Floyd Central OT Zen Michalski | Jody Demling, 247Sports
Ryan Day and the Buckeyes picked up another piece to their 2021 recruiting puzzle over the weekend.

Unless you were hiding under a rock all weekend long, you probably know by now that Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes football program locked up another class of 2021 verbal commitment when three-star offensive tackle and one-time University of Louisville pledge Zenuae “Zen” Michalski publicly shut down his recruitment once again.

Deciding to call Columbus his soon-to-be college home over the Cardinals, Penn State, and Florida State, the 6-foot-6, 288-pound Indiana native gives Ohio State their 20th commitment of the 2021 cycle.

Committing to the Buckeyes via his Twitter page nearly a week after making a trip to Columbus to get more familiar with Ohio State University campus, Michalski didn’t get to mingle with his now future coaches, but at the end of day saw enough to know it was the right spot for him on and off the gridiron.

“I am going to be going to Ohio State,” the future Buckeye told Rivals.com. “I am a very young offensive lineman and I haven’t been playing the position that long. I want to go somewhere I can develop the best physically and technically. The coaches are amazing there, and I don’t think I’ve met a better group of people in this whole process. That was a big thing for me.”


Currently looked at as the 48th offensive tackle, and 625th overall prospect in the entire senior class per the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Michalski might not be pegged as a five-star prospect, but has the potential to one day hear his name called in the NFL Draft. Just now growing into his frame and the position, he’s put on over 60 pounds in the last year, turning him into one of the most sought after linemen in the Midwest this fall.

Using his new physic to help lead his Floyd Central High upfront, Zen is a key reason why the 5-2 Highlanders offense attack averages nearly 400 yards per contest this season.

Always looking for line depth on the recruiting trail, Michalski is the third offensive lineman to give Day and crew their word. He joins fellow big guys Donovan Jackson and Ben Christman in the Buckeyes class of 2021.

With all the excitement surrounding Michalski and what he brings to Ohio State, some of his future coaches and teammates took to their Twitter pages to personally welcome the offensive lineman to Buckeye Nation:

Quick Hits

• Class of 2022 five-star wide receiver Caleb Burton will announce his top 12 college programs on Tuesday, and the Buckeyes will almost certainly make the cut. Burton, a Del Valle, Texas native, holds a long list of scholarship offers from the likes of Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma, among many others. Suffering a knee injury last week that will sideline him for the rest of his junior season, Burton is the No. 1 WR in the 2022 class, and is at the top of Brian Hartline’s target board.

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Taosman said:

Dog owners are doing a poor job of cleaning up after their pets on on these "Multi Use Paths". That's my biggest complaint about usage.View attachment 26796

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THAT I can get onboard with.

AKAK said:

R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen

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Loved that band. Saw them many times throughout the years.

On a brighter note, he joins the many drummers from Tap, so he's obviously in good company.

DaddyBigBucks said:

I'm just glad he didn't post current pictures of those two women. Which brings to mind that TTUN is a lot like an old woman who was the hot chick in her small town in 1920.

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To be accurate with the analogy though, she'd have been a hot middle age woman in 1920 who is, like @BB73, still miraculously alive 100 years later.

Half their claimed NC's came before 1920.

BuckStocksHere said:

I still haven’t found anything I like better on breakfast food (eggs) than Cholula. So far it’s perfect for the morning.

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Give the Secret Aardvark (above) a try... It's the best thing I've had on eggs ever.

BuckStocksHere said:

Anyone else have the issue with the wife where she has more of an issue with jalapeño type peppers and I have more of a problem with habanero type? at least I think that’s what it is but not certain I have it correct.. We often find different sauces to be way hotter than the other and laugh at how it can be happening. Strange no?

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My wife thinks catsup is a bit too spicy, so I can't commiserate.

To add to the thread--Cajohn's used to be out of Columbus and has great sauces. They are selling online as a part of this group of providers.

MOTSAG Rising; WVaBuckeye
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

Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by to read this! This is a newer, fun-styled segment that introduces the writers in the #MOTSAGRising movement that is on Twitter. It is a closer look at our origins and our backstories that is needed to better get to know us as a unit.



I am wvabuckeye on Twitter, but my name is Chris. I was born and raised in SE Ohio (not in Joe Burrow country but close) I am a proud NAVY veteran and have been employed by DuPont for over 23 years. I became a Buckeye fan after watching Archie Griffin run for a TD in the pouring rain on my grandmothers TV in the early 70’s!

I am a high school football and basketball official and worked college women’s for about 7 years at the D2 and D3 level. My family always comes first in my life, three kids, one grandson and a niece thats like a daughter who has a son who’s like a grandchild to us. I have been happily married to the love of my life for over 30 years and I do not know how she does all that she does but I am blessed to have her.

I began my blogging journey with The Buckeye Battle Cry in December of 2012 and have been enjoying it ever since! Hopefully MOTSAG will be my last stop. It’s a fun bunch of guys(Except Jeremiah’s big brass spoon) who like to have a good time writing and covering the best damn team in the land!

Thank you for hanging out with us regularly and have fun!





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MOSTAG Rising: Tongaricious
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

Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by to read this! This is a newer, fun-styled segment that introduces the writers in the #MOTSAGRising movement that is on Twitter. It is a closer look at our origins and our backstories that is needed to better get to know us as a unit. I am up first.

I am Tongaricious on Twitter, but my name is Richard. I was born and raised in Guam and I am a little over 15 years into a career in the Air Force. I became a Buckeye fan after watching them thrash Nebraska in their first season after joining the Big Ten and I never looked back.

I enjoy talking about games and I pay close attention to recruiting. I wish I had insider powers and I hope to follow it more closely, but with the lack of sources–I am just a fan and a regular guy. I started out with the Men of the Scarlet and Gray for a few years–I did my interview with Jeremiah in 2015 and I have been a staple for the brand since.

I still enjoy writing and I jumped at the chance to get things back since the season is about to begin. It is crazy that I have been writing for five years and I am glad for every person that has contributed and is still contributing today. I am also glad for every person that I have interacted with over the years. Let us bring it forward as we all prepare to have another awesome season. I am excited to continue the tradition of bringing you awesome content.

#GoBucks




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Ohio State Buckeyes 2020 Schedule
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


Revised BIG Ten schedule 2020. Credit: @BIGfootball (Twitter)

I know we are a week late, but with under a month away from the start of the Big Ten season, I have returned with a preview of the 2020 season. Although the Big Ten will start much later than the ACC, Big 12, and the SEC. October 24th will be the beginning of an odd 2020 season, and if you are like me, I would rather have Buckeye football as opposed to not having none of it in the fall.

In an eight game slate, the schedule as a whole is balanced. Yes, it is an easier than expected path with no prime time games (at Oregon), but as I said earlier, I’d rather have football over having none of it. With the schedule, the Buckeyes should have an easy path to an undefeated regular season, but on the side of caution, I would take it game by game.

I am not casting doubt on the team and I believe they are one of the best teams in the nation, but only they could trip themselves up this season. They have a plethora of weapons on offense and an experienced defensive unit in tow. The icing on the cake? They managed to convince Shaun Wade and Wyatt Davis to return for one last ride for another Championship run. Here is a breakdown of the upcoming season.

Home Games: Nebraska, Rutgers, Indiana and TTUN

The home game slate is highly favorable with the Buckeyes facing a perennial bottom feeder in Rutgers, who brought back Greg Schiano to accelerate the rebuilding process. They also have brought Brendon White in to help as well. He was a star in the making that got lost in the shuffle due to his size and lack of speed, but I feel he fits Schiano’s scheme and will excel in the defense.

They also face two mid-tier teams in Indiana and Nebraska, which should be interesting to watch. Indiana always seems to be game for contests with the Buckeyes, against their former Head Coach Kevin Wilson. For some odd reason, they always give the Buckeyes fits, but this year could be different with the Buckeyes vying for another dominant season.

Nebraska on the other hand has beaten the Buckeyes once in their time in the Big Ten. The last loss was in 2011 and I see an improved offense showing up, but the talent gap is still too large to win the game. The conference big wigs may have gotten the last laugh after Nebraska made some waves by suing and threatening to leave the conference. Let us just say they got the last laugh by giving them the Buckeyes for their first game. Allies turned into enemies for at least the first week of the upcoming season.

To finish the home slate, the TTUN comes to Columbus for another installment of The Game. This one game is always interesting and this year will be no different. In the typical TTUN style, they are already licking their chops and after the “100-point” rumor starting spiraling out of control, certain team captains are trying to turn in around to end the skid. They have suffered some major losses with COVID opt-outs and NFL draft declarations. I am not saying that they don’t have a shot, but to me, if it comes down to getting into the Playoffs with style points? I am putting my trust into Day and Fields to racking the points up in every game and if they need to–they will get it done to ensure their place in the Top-4.

Away Games: Penn State, Maryand, Illinois and Michigan State

For the away games, the first game is at Penn State and without a full-blown White Out–I really think this game won’t be as close. With Micah Parsons still debating a return, the defense will be missing their best player. Their offense that is normally good has talent, but they are unproven. This might be a good one, but with so many questions and the talent on the Buckeyes roster, I expect a close game that’ll turn ugly once the Buckeyes begin to click together. I could be wrong, but my gut feeling is that of a blowout.

Maryland is an up-and-comer team and there is no denying their talent. It is just a matter of getting them to gel together. There is talent in true freshman Rakin Jarrett and he could be a problem. The Buckeyes always seem to struggle against teams like this and I remember the point-filled contest against the Terrapins a few years ago. We will see how much change has occurred, but they are projected to do better than usual.

Illinois, the Battle for Illibuck is one of those contests that have been one-sided over the years. I remember the last loss to this team after Juice Williams took over and willed his team to victory. Lovie Smith has been developing his players and it is evident that they love playing for him, but again, the talent gap is as wide as it is tall. They’ll make it a contest, but they won’t be able to sustain it.

Lastly, at Michigan State is a game that I am afraid of. Sparty always finds a way to be that roadblock late in the season and I still have the image of the kick-air guitar loss burned into my brain. I hope that doesn’t happen and they have lacked an offense that could compete. Defensively, they’ve suffered some losses to the draft and COVID opt outs, but that is hardly an excuse. This game will be gritty and it’ll be close until Fields has his Heisman moments.

To summarize, this schedule is favorable and it should be fun to watch them pack on the points. There are some tough tests ahead, but it is completely doable. I expect an undefeated season with a few heart-racing conclusions to games. I hope you enjoyed the schedule preview and I am happy to be back to doing what I love to do. #GoBucks




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BOOOM! Ohio State flips 2021 OT Zen Michalski from Louisville
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Three-star 2021 OT Zen Michalski | Photo via @ZenuaeM on Twitter
The Buckeyes added another offensive lineman to their loaded 2021 class.

Even in the face of a global pandemic, Ryan Day and his staff have put together the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, and still have their eyes set on that No. 1 spot. Buckeye Nation has had very little reason to worry about the program’s recruiting efforts, although it has seemed like things have quieted down in the last few months. Ohio State got a lot of the heavy lifting done early, but are still a few key pieces a way from a complete class.

Today, they were able to haul in one of those key pieces, as three-star offensive tackle Zen Michalski announced his commitment to Ohio State.


Michalski is an intriguing prospect, and one that rapidly shot up the Buckeyes’ target board in the past few weeks. After receiving an official offer from Ohio State on Sept. 8, it seemed as though momentum had been building between the two parties almost daily. That became even more apparent when Michalski decommitted from Louisville on Sept. 28, signaling to many who follow OSU recruiting that he was likely headed to Columbus.

Despite being just a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, Michalski is a four-star recruit in 247Sports’ own rankings, coming in as the No. 33 OT in the country and No. 3 player in Indiana. His recruitment really seemed to pick up steam once Ohio State got involved, with Florida State and Penn State both throwing their hat in the ring with offers shortly thereafter. With his play at Floyd Central clearly turning some heads, it would not be a surprise to see him achieve four-star status in the Composite Rankings before this cycle is complete.

Here is what 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu had to say of Michalski:


Michalski is the 20th commit in Ohio State’s loaded 2021 class. He becomes the third offensive lineman to join the group, alongside five-star guard Donovan Jackson and four-star guard Ben Christman, but is the first offensive tackle of the bunch. If the 6-foot-6.5, 288-pound blocker does eventually achieve four-star status, he would become the 13th four-star recruit in the class. For now, he is the fourth three-star prospect.

With the commitment from Michalski, the Buckeyes are a mere .08 points behind Alabama for that No. 1 recruiting class. There is still a ways to go in this cycle, and with both schools still chasing a number of five-star commits, this race will likely go on until pen meets paper at the very end.

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12-for-12: Ohio State’s Perfect Season - Game 8 vs. Northwestern
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
The Buckeyes face-off against a ranked Wildcats squad in Evanston as we look all the way back to 2008.

This is 12-for-12: Ohio State’s Perfect Season. Originally, we put this together thinking there would not be an actual football season in 2020, but fortunately that is not the case. So now, this just functions as a fun look at throwback games each week as we prep for Oct. 24.

We have put together a full 12-game schedule for the Buckeyes using one game from each of the last 12 years. The docket is complete with three non-conference opponents, nine Big Ten showdowns, and will also include a three-game postseason with a Big Ten title game and College Football Playoff matchups. We tried to use the best games from each of the 12 years to fill the slots, but some had to be left out to avoid duplicate opponents in the regular season.


We will also be keeping a running total of the regular season’s stat leaders as if all of these games were occurring over one full season. There are many different players that have come through the program during this 12-year span, so only the top three guys in each category will be listed. In the end, we’ll have an interesting concoction of who led the Buckeyes over this 12-game Frankenstein season.

We are going to continue this series even with the announced start date for the actual Big Ten 2020 season, and will move to two Perfect Season pieces a week to try and fit the whole series in before the team’s opener against Nebraska. As we anxiously await the return of Ohio State football, we still have a bunch of games from seasons past to help pass the time.

Game eight on the schedule: Ohio State vs. Northwestern (2008).

Tale of the Tape


In 2008, Ohio State signed who is to this day the highest-rated recruit that has ever come to Columbus in five-star dual-threat QB Terrelle Pryor. Naturally, Pryor would start for the team as a freshman, helping lead the Buckeyes to a 10-3 record and and share of the Big Ten title in the program’s eighth season under Jim Tressel. After defeating Michigan 42-7 to end the regular season, OSU came up just short in the Fiesta Bowl with a 24-21 loss to No. 3 Texas.

Man, Pat Fitzgerald has really been at Northwestern for forever, huh? The 2008 season marked his third year at the helm of the program, and after not receiving a bowl invitation with a 6-6 record the season prior, led the Wildcats to a 9-4 campaign — which included wins over Michigan and No. 20 Minnesota. Northwestern made it to the Alamo Bowl, where they would fall 30-23 in overtime against No. 25 Missouri.

Game Recap


This one started out as a classic Big Ten battle, with both Ohio State and Northwestern looking to establish the run early on. The Buckeyes had the ball first, and after lulling the defense to sleep with the ground game, Terrelle Pryor was able to hit Brian Hartline over the top for a huge 44-yard gain.


That play would set up an easy two-yard rushing TD by Chris “Beanie” Wells, and just like that Ohio State took a 7-0 lead.

Not to be out-done, the Wildcats put together their own stereotypically B1G possession. A 13-play, 67-yard yard drive — which featured just two passing plays and ate up over six minutes of clock — resulted in six points, as QB Mike Kafka punched it in on the goal line for a 1-yard TD, tying the game up at 7-7.


After the two sides traded punts, it was Ohio State with the ball again to begin the second quarter. Pryor completed a 22-yard pass to Rory Nicol on third-and-long to earn a new set of downs, and Wells was able to take it from there. On a play that looked to be destined for a loss, Wells broke a tackle out of the backfield and shot up the middle for what would wind up being a 55-yard TD run as the Buckeyes took a 14-7 lead.


The Ohio State defense had tightened up after that early score by Northwestern. On the second play of the ensuing drive by the home team, Malcolm Jenkins forced a fumble to set up his offense just outside the red zone. The Buckeyes would not be able to capitalize on the short field, however, and would muster only a field goal to make it 17-7 early in the second quarter.


Following another punt by the Wildcats, the scarlet and gray offense started to heat up. A 12-play, 90-yard drive culminated in yet another Ohio State TD, as Pryor completed a pass to Brian Robiskie in the corner of the end zone for a 15-yard score. The Bucks now led 24-7, and they would take that lead into halftime as things looked like they were beginning to slip away from Pat Fitzgerald’s group.


Northwestern began the second half with a field goal to cut the deficit to 24-10, and after forcing Ohio State to punt it looked as though they may have begun to seize a little momentum. However, the offense could not keep things going, and the Wildcats were forced to punt themselves.

The Buckeyes offense then put together perhaps their most impressive drive of the afternoon. A 13-yard rush by Wells was followed up a few plays later by another big 46-yard pass-and-catch from Pryor to Hartline to get OSU down just outside the red zone. A 16-yard run set them up first-and-goal, and Pryor was able to escape a sack and hit Nicol in the end zone to extend the lead to 31-10.


From there, Ohio State seriously took control of the game and never looked back. A pair of sacks forced the Wildcats to punt once more, and another long drive by the Buckeyes ended with points. Pryor completed a big 34-yard TD pass to Robiskie for his third passing score of the day, and the rout was now officially on as the lead grew to 38-10.


If there was any life left for Northwestern in this game, it was taken away on their next drive as Kafka was intercepted by James Laurinaitis. The home team was actually able to get a stop on the ensuing OSU possession, as the backups had now entered the game for Jim Tressel, but would go on to turn it over yet again on their next offensive series on a sack fumble.

Keeping the ball on the ground to kill time, Ohio State’s backups joined the scoring party. Maurice Wells and Daniel Herron slowly worked the ball down the field, and it was Herron who put a bow on the afternoon with a 16-yard rushing TD.


It would be the final scoring play of the afternoon, as the Buckeyes walked out of Evanston with a 45-10 win over Northwestern. Pryor finished the day completing nine of his 14 pass attempts for 197 yards and three TDs, and as a team Ohio State put up 244 total yards rushing, led by Well’s 28 carries for 140 yards and two TDs.

LGHL Season Stat Leaders (OSU 8-0)

Passing

1. Terrelle Pryor: 696 Yds / 6 TD / 1 INT (3 games)
2. Dwayne Haskins: 405 Yds / 3 TD / 1 INT
3. Braxton Miller: 322 Yds / 5 TD / 1 INT (3 games, 2 at QB)

Rushing

1. J.K. Dobbins: 380 Yds / 6.2 Avg / 1 TD (2 games)
2. Daniel Herron: 306 Yds / 4.6 Avg / 2 TD (4 games)
3. Terrelle Pryor: 218 Yds / 4.7 Avg / 1 TD (2 games)

Receiving

1. DeVier Posey: 12 Rec / 206 Yds / 1 TD (2 games)
2. Johnnie Dixon: 7 Rec / 131 Yds / 0 TD (2 games)
3. Terry McLaurin: 4 Rec / 118 Yds / 1 TD

Sacks

1. Chase Young (2), John Simon (3): 3.0
2. Ryan Shazier (2), Nathan Williams (3): 2.0
3. Tyquan Lewis: 1.5

Interceptions

1. Chimdi Chekwa: 2 (3 games)
2. Jeff Okudah: 2 (2 games)
3. Seven tied at one

Up Next


Next on the schedule is the first J.T. Barrett-era game of the Perfect Season, as we take a look back at the clash with Michigan State (2014) in East Lansing that really put Ohio State on the map as a national title contender that year.

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Column: Should Ohio State run up the score as much as possible this season?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Will the Buckeyes need to go all out to convince the committee, or is pouring it on too risky?

Three weeks from tomorrow, the Ohio State Buckeyes will take to the field for the first time in 2020 as they begin a conference-only, eight-game regular season. The coronavirus pandemic has taken college football — which even pre-COVID was the most volatile major American sport — and thrown a gazillion monkey wrenches into its already out-dated and undemocratic processes.

Since winning the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014-15, the Buckeyes have had an up-and-down relationship with the CFP committee, getting in for season which they maybe shouldn’t have, and being left out when they absolutely shouldn’t have been excluded. But with unbalanced schedules, no non-conference opponents, and seasons starting four to six weeks apart, there really is no way to predict how the committee is going to look at the inherently disparate resumes of teams vying for berths in the 2020 playoff field.

So, traditional logic would suggest that coaches and teams should do everything in their power to make a statement each and every time that they have the opportunity to do so; namely, keeping their studs in for as long as possible and running up the damn score.


But in this incredibly weird year, is that the best option for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes? Let’s take a look at the factors that might play in to deciding if OSU should attempt to hang 100 on all of their opponents this fall.

Pro — Run It Up


- ACC teams are scheduled to play 11 games this fall, SEC and Big 12 teams are scheduled for 10, and that’s before conference championship games. So, If Ohio State is to be in contention for the College Football Playoff, they will have played nine games (eight regular season plus the Big Ten Championship game), but will be compared to teams with two or three more data points.

The Buckeyes will inherently be at a disadvantage in terms of resume, so perhaps breaking the scoreboard can make up the difference. So, to compensate for playing 25% fewer games than other Power Five teams, OSU could just pile on the points in order to make a statement.

- Speaking of statements, Ohio State no longer has a marquee non-conference opponent on the schedule and they are avoiding the best B1G West teams in this year’s crossovers, so they are left with just Penn State, TTUN, and the conference title game when it comes to top-line opponents (mileage on the term “top-line” will obviously vary).

So, while Alabama, for example, has LSU, Auburn, Texas A&M and Georgia on the schedule, it might help the Buckeyes’ cause to really show out in as many games as possible, especially against their handful of “quality opponents.”

- Despite the fact that the College Football Playoff Committee touts their reliance on advanced analytics, and that the group includes individuals who understand the sport on a deeper level than the media members who traditionally vote in polls, more times than not, they simply default to the tried-and-not-always-true “eye test.”

So, if the committee needs something flashy to impress them, especially in a season as bizarre as this one, Day and the Buckeyes should give them something flashy.

- The margin for error is likely to be incredibly thin this season. Theoretically, with fewer games, comes fewer losses. So, even though conference title games will guarantee that there’s at most one undefeated team per league, when the committee is splitting hairs on who to put in, it stands to reason that you want to do as much as you can to stack the deck in your favor.

Against — Not to Run It Up


- There are four spots available in the College Football Playoff, and they will almost certainly all be filled by a Power Five team (although I would love to see an AAC team get in this year). With all due respect to the legions of former Ohio State assistants currently coaching at Texas, with Oklahoma’s loss to Kansas State last weekend and the Longhorns struggles with Texas Tech, it is increasingly difficult to imagine that the eventual Big 12 champion will be undefeated come Selection Day.

So, should Ohio State just simply run the table — as I believe they will — they’ll automatically be in the playoff, even if the ACC, Pac-12, and SEC also produce an undefeated champion. Therefore, the focus should simply be on winning, not on by how much.

- Thanks to the B1G’s mismanagement of the season, instead of having a schedule with extra bye weeks built in in order to compensate for potential additional COVID-delays, the Buckeyes will now have to play, and win, nine games in nine weeks to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

While I certainly expect them to do that, there is no need to put players in additional danger of getting injured just to score a few extra brownie points. Day just needs to follow the blueprint that he laid out last season. Get up by five or six touchdowns by mid-third quarter, and then pull the starters and get the young guys enough experience just in case someone does get hurt.

It’s just too risky to have players in the game scoring irrelevant touchdowns when they could potentially suffer season-ending injuries on any play.

- With the advantage of starting later than almost everyone else — and therefore seeing a month+ of games unfold before taking the field — Day and company will have a better understanding of the college football landscape heading into their Oct. 24 season opener against Nebraska. They will know what they are up against, and whether or not they actually need to take the risks required to dial up their offense.

By being backloaded (in comparison to the three major conferences already playing), Day can start the season sticking to the traditional script, i.e. getting Justin Fields and other starters out early in the second half. Then, if they get to mid-November and it looks like they might need some extra umph to convince the committee, they can start pouring it on down the stretch.

Conclusion


I think that Day should find a mix of the two options. Find a few more opportunities to score than you would in a normal season, but don’t do anything that could too drastically jeopardize the team’s ability to achieve its biggest goals.

What do you think? Vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments below.


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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Buckeye Bits: Justin Fields talks about last year’s knee injury, Ryan Day talks roster management, more
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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

Happy Friday, Buckeye Nation. With the calendar turning over to October and a crisp fall breeze in the air, it really does feel like college football season. This week we’ve gotten to hear from a number of Ohio State’s coaches and players, and so the anticipation only continues to rise with each passing day.

The pads are officially on, full-contact practices are ramping up, and we don't have to wait that much longer to see football played in Ohio Stadium.


We are still just about three weeks away from Ohio State kicking off its 2020 campaign, but we’ve got some good games coming up this weekend to keep up occupied in the meantime. Speaking of this Saturday’s slate, let’s hop right into the gambling portion of today’s Buckeye Bits, which we have done each of the last two Fridays.

It has been a solid start for the Bits Bets™ segment, as we are a positive 7-4 through two weeks of picks. We could have gone 5-1 last week if not for a late backdoor cover against UCF, but a 4-2 finish is nothing to scoff at. Let’s hope we keep the money rolling in with today’s picks.

Here are some of my favorite plays this weekend (10/3):

• No. 9 Texas vs. TCU (over 62)
• SMU (PK) vs. No. 25 Memphis
• No. 16 Mississippi State (-17) vs. Arkansas
• No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 13 Texas A&M (under 53.5)
• No. 7 Auburn (+7.5) at No. 4 Georgia

Admittedly, this weekend’s slate is pretty tough, and I'm not overly in love with anything on the board. However, if you’re going to give me a Big 12 o/u of less than 70, I'm gonna hammer the over. Now, let’s get to today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Auburn-Georgia is the star of this week’s college football lines
(Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)

As usual, Brett has a much better insight into this week’s gambling slate than I, as he too is positive against the spread on the season (12-8). Check out what he has to say about all the big games this weekend.

Ohio State’s top remaining defensive target announces Top 7 schools list
(Caleb Houser, LGHL)

One of the Buckeyes’ five-star targets on the West Coast dropped his top schools list on Thursday, and Ohio State expectedly made the cut as the odds-on favorite to land the talented defensive end. Plus, an offensive line target is set to announce his commitment tomorrow, and it appears he is Columbus-bound.

Which teams will miss their “home court advantage” the most this season?
(Connor Lemons, LGHL)

Football isn't the only Ohio State sport coming back this fall, as the Buckeyes are also gearing up to compete on the hardwood sometime in November/December. Today, Connor took a look at which Big Ten programs will suffer the most from a lack of fans this basketball season.

Ohio State 2020 Virtual Season: Week 5 at Penn State
(George Eisner, LGHL)

We are winding down our virtual season here at LGHL as the real season inches closer. This weekend is Ohio State’s biggest test yet, as the virtual Buckeyes will head to Happy Valley to take on Penn State in our latest stream. Join us on Twitch at 3:15 p.m. ET to catch all the action.

From around the gridiron...


Ryan Day met with the media via Zoom on Friday morning to discuss the start of Ohio State’s training camp. He began by explaining that the Buckeyes will begin full-contact practices at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

After lauding the teams depth at running back, specifically naming Steele Chambers. Miyan Williams and walk-on Xavier Johnson as looking good in practice behind the starting duo of Trey Sermon and Master Teague, Day once again spoke highly of Fields’ work ethic throughout this weird and crazy offseason.


In terms of the linebackers shifting around, Day likes what he has seen out of Pete Werner at Will after moving from Sam, and while it thinks the position may better suit his skillset, he isn’t committing to anything just yet.


In terms of NCAA eligibility, Day doesn’t see Ohio State going over 85 scholarships next season. He thinks between seniors graduating and players leaving for the NFL, they should able to stay under that number.


The head coach also talked about how the staff’s lives have been very different as a result of the pandemic, with some coaches not sleeping in their own homes for fear of picking up the virus and spreading it to the team.


A big topic of discussion this offseason has been whether or not Ohio State will move back to a two-safety scheme like they did previously under Kerry Coombs or stick with the one-high safety they used under Jeff Hafley. Day didn’t specify anything, but did say theres a chance that both Marcus Hooker and Josh Proctor could be on the field at the same time.


Following Day to the virtual podium was surprise bonus coverage with Justin Fields. Asked about whether or not he wants to be hit in practice, Fields said he doesn’t plan on getting hit preseason because he doesn’t plan on being hit all that much in the regular season.


Fields said he talked to Wyatt Davis multiple times before he made his decision to return to the program, obviously wanting the offensive lineman to return. He understands the importance of a good O-line for successful QB play.


When asked about his leg injury late last season, Fields admitted that it was something that really bothered him. He said at times it hurt him just walking around campus.


Perhaps the most important part of today’s Zoom call, Fields was joined by his dog Uno.

From around the hardwood...


Chris Holtmann also spoke to the media on Friday afternoon. He talked about a few of his new additions to the roster, and apparently the Buckeyes are hoping to get a waiver approved for Bucknell transfer Jimmy Sotos to play this year.


He also gave some important injury updates to a few guys who missed significant time last season. Justice Sueing appears good to go, but it’s going to be a little while before Musa Jallow and Seth Towns are ready to play.


Our own Connor Lemons hopped on with BT Powerhouse to preview the upcoming Ohio State basketball season. Check it out!

From everywhere else...


Whoever is writing the script for the year 2020 is leaving no stone unturned.


The Marlins have never lost a playoff series in franchise history. Baseball is chaos.


This is football-related but Ohio State posted it right before I submitted this piece so I could not leave it out. Enjoy your weekend, everybody! 22 days until Buckeyes football.


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Ohio State 2020 Virtual Season preview: Week 5 at Penn State
George Eisner via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Follow LandGrantHolyLand on Twitch and tune in Saturday at 3:15 p.m. ET to watch the Buckeyes take on the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley!

The 2020 Ohio State Virtual Season keeps on keeping on this week (follow all the action by following LandGrantHolyLand on Twitch), as the Buckeyes prepare to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road. Last week, Ohio State had their hands full in Iowa City with the Iowa Hawkeyes — as they usually do — but prevailed 27-17 thanks to sharp play from Justin Fields and the Buckeye receiver room in the second half:


Though Penn State currently sports a record of 3-3 in this virtual college football universe, they still graded out as a top ten preseason team. That means their roster is more than equipped to tango with the Buckeyes for the length of their upcoming contest.

This promises to be Ohio State’s toughest in-conference challenge yet this season, so let’s take a look at what to expect on both sides of the ball:

What to Watch: Ohio State Offense vs. Penn State Defense



After Trey Sermon essentially beat Nebraska by himself two weeks ago, Ohio State had trouble getting consistent production on the ground last week against a stingy Iowa defense. Penn State’s defense boasts many similar strengths, though they seem to be more prone to allowing big plays than their Hawkeye counterparts. Look no further than the title image of this article, where you’ll notice Master Teague III trucked two Nittany Lions at the same time!

However, this game will likely have to be won behind the heroics of Justin Fields, and he is more than capable of living up to the task. The virtual Buckeyes have been throwing the ball a bit more often this season than the actual 2019 team did, but we can likely credit that to Fields’ maturity and Ryan Day’s growing confidence in him. Of course, it also helps that Jameson Williams is starting to have a breakout as the team’s go-to slot receiver, while Fields continues to hammer Luke Farrell and Jeremy Ruckert with targets over the middle.

Penn State will likely play Ohio State’s offense tough early, but look for the Buckeyes to slowly break things open as the game wears along.

What to Watch: Penn State Offense vs. Ohio State Defense



Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford returns for his second campaign as a starter this season, and though he may not be the most talented quarterback the Nittany Lions have had recently, he is certainly one of the smartest. Clifford will make very few mistakes, has a great sense of when the pocket begins to break down, and makes a lot of correct throws that will likely result in a high completion percentage for this game. The Ohio State secondary will have to play to the best of their ability to avoid getting chewed up by the balanced attack of the Nittany Lions.

In addition to Clifford’s own mobile ability, the Penn State running game gets a further boost from brilliantly-named running back Journey Brown. Brown has great vision and athleticism, which will allow him to capitalize on what little holes may be there for Penn State to run through. Tuf Borland the rest of the Buckeye defense will have their hands full all day trying to clog the running lanes and keep the Nittany Lions from breaking off big plays.

The key to this game will likely come down to Ohio State’s ability to generate sacks. If Zach Harrison shows up in a big way as he did against Iowa, Penn State will likely be in too many uncomfortable long down situations to advance the ball effectively.

Follow LandGrantHolyLand on Twitch and Tune in Tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. ET to watch Ohio State vs. Iowa!



We’ll get the stream going around 3:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to tune in before the game starts! I’ll be using the time before kickoff to provide updates on those performances as well as other news from around the virtual college football universe.

Go Bucks! We can’t wait to watch with you!

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LordJeffBuck said:

Two months of Ann Arbor was enough for Kyle. Transferred to Western Kentucky.

Click to expand...

That's two months longer than I'd want to be there, so props for the dedication.