Remember When: A Goal-Line Stand in 1954​

A big-time goal-line stand to help secure a 14-point win and a spot in the national championship game in the game before securing the title. Does that sound familiar?

For 99.9% of Ohio State fans, Jack Sawyer's scoop-and-score against Texas to secure a spot in the first 12-team College Football Playoff championship game would come to mind – and deservedly so. But it occurred seven decades ago, too.

After getting shut out by Michigan a season before and only winning one of the last nine matchups in The Game, the Buckeyes got their revenge on Nov. 20, 1954. All that stood between Ohio State and its third perfect season, a Big Ten Title and Rose Bowl berth was the No. 12-ranked team in the country.

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The Wolverines returned the opening kickoff 68 yards. Michigan halfback Dan Cline finished the drive with a seven-yard touchdown on a double reverse on fourth down to give the road team an early 7-0 lead. With Ohio State unable to get anything going offensively, things got worse when senior halfback Bobby Watkins – one part of the two-headed monster OSU had in the backfield along with Howard “Hopalong” Cassidy – suffered an injury early on that forced him to the miss the rest of the game.

Michigan controlled the first 25 minutes of the contest, especially defensively. But then Jack Gibbs intercepted a pass thrown by Michigan's Jim Maddock and returned it 47 yards into the red zone, giving Ohio State the jolt it needed with a momentum-changing play. After Woody Hayes purposely subbed in his best quarterback, Dave Leggett, penalizing the Buckeyes five yards for an illegal substation, Leggett found Fred Kriss for a 16-yard touchdown to tie the score, 7-7. It remained that way until halftime, even though Michigan outgained the Buckeyes 190-42 in the first half.

With the score still tied, Michigan got the ball at OSU’s 14 after a four-yard punt by Ohio State fullback Hubert Bobo, who had a leg injury. A play later, the Wolverines had a 1st-and-goal at the four-yard line and were on the cusp of retaking the lead. That's when OSU had a game-changing goal-line stand.

After three straight runs by Michigan's Danny Cline and Dave Hill down to the half-yard line, the Wolverines decided to leave their offense on the field rather than kicking a field goal to potentially take a 10-7 lead. The Ohio State defense outpowered the Wolverines' offensive line and stopped Michigan from scoring, giving the Buckeyes a goal-line stand they badly needed.

"You can't run over a team like mine for a full 60 minutes," Hayes said after the game.

Twelve plays later, Ohio State capped a 100-yard drive that included Cassady running for 52 yards and ended with a score when Leggett connected with Dave Brubaker for a nine-yard touchdown, giving the Buckeyes their first lead of the game. OSU then forced a turnover with 44 seconds remaining when Cassady intercepted a Michigan pass and returned it 39 yards to OSU's 13. A few plays later, Ohio State's third touchdown of the game clinched a 21-7 comeback win for the Buckeyes.

"In the first half, we were outsmarted, outfought and outplayed," said Hayes. "In the second half, it was the reverse. Cassady's long run and pass interception were the big factors."
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Woody Hayes famously said, "There are three things that can happen when you throw a pass, and two of them are bad," often attributed to his "three yards and a cloud of dust" offensive philosophy.

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Just sayin': Ohio State scored 3 TDs in the game and 2 were on passes......

RB07OSU said:

That didn't even cross my mind and it made me laugh, but now that you mention it his best role could be the personal tutor to #1 eliminating PI's and holds. There are other issues with Iggy on that problem, but not getting his head around is part of the ultimate reason the refs reach for the laundry on the PI's. Maybe Taver can help him out there because his talent and size is without question.

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Well, no shade at the guy personally but every time I see the name Kerry Coombs I feel like Kirk Herbstreit is going to remind us about the rules around Face guarding...

cahosu said:

Much gratitude!!! Waiting for what seems like forever on another site..

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What is the other site?

JL

Bestbuck36 said:

That's fucking ridiculous. There has to be collusion going on in the league. 5th round pick?!?! Bullshit

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Re: Samuel, due $21.7M this year

Just sayin': He might be worth a higher pick if it weren't for his contract (i.e. $21.7M)

Advanced Analytics: After Tre Holloman Got Caught Talking Shit To An Iowa Player For Flopping, Michigan State Went On A 31-6 Run And Won The Big 10 Outright​

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The Big 10 is a unique conference in the sense that they truly celebrate the conference regular season champ. Teams brag about it, even with the unbalanced schedules and not playing the same teams made it lose its luster for me. But Michigan State won it outright last night. They won it outright the moment they beat Iowa last night, but it was a specific moment that they can point to:

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I'm not the best lip reader but every single person has come out and claimed this is a 'the fuck you talking about pussy' or a 'fuck you talking about bitch' moment...... That led a 31-6 run. That's how you make a comeback on the road, even if Iowa sucks. This is the same Tre Holloman who buried the half court shot against Maryland:

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JCOSU86 said:

"continued"? JFC what is that, War and Peace?

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Here's another lengthy Dennis Dodd article (i.e. War and Peace volume 2...). Still a good summary of what transpired (and why) in the ACC deal with Clemson and Free Shoes.

ACC settlement paradox is one of strength and futility, but college sports will eventually tear itself apart​

The ACC has bought itself time by settling with Florida State and Clemson, but the writing is on the wall​

Two things can be true regarding the ACC's settlement this week of the crippling lawsuits brought by Florida State and Clemson: the resolution provides long-desired security and solidarity for a conference that looked to be ripped apart by those schools' saber rattling ... and it also provides a blueprint detailing how college sports could be ripped apart.

In settling the suits, the ACC rather dramatically stratified itself. There are clear dividing lines not unlike society itself (upper, middle and lower class). Without disrespecting anyone, we'll leave it to the reader to figure out those classes. Just understand this is what Florida State and Clemson wanted -- recognition that they are bigger brands and have more invested in football than other member schools.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. One, that economic recognition kept the conference together. Also, it's been done before. In realignment, the Big 12 and Big Ten welcomed new members who agreed to take fractions of a full share to join. The ACC itself took SMU when the school agreed to take no media rights revenue for nine years. Stanford and Cal took 30% shares to be able to play major college football when the Pac-12 fell apart.

In fact, the Pac-12 broke apart, in part, because everyone was receiving equal shares. (Well, that and the doomed Pac-12 Network and league president asleep at the wheel.) Ask USC and UCLA, which simmered for years over that fact.

So what's the big deal in the ACC? If it wasn't already, now the conference has established itself as the clear No. 3 among the Power Four. Any arrangement that keeps the league out of court is a win.

Going forward, 40% of ACC revenue will be distributed between the 14 legacy schools and 60% will be set aside for winning bonuses and those high-achievers in TV ratings.

But look deeper. There is disparity in what is a significant reorganization of revenue. While schools achieving bonuses by winning championships could earn $30 million more in a given year, others will get $7 million less.

Every school in the conference walked into this agreement with their eyes wide open. What they didn't see (or admit) is a troubling future – a different future in a parallel universe.

It is a universe in which only a portion of the 134 FBS schools survive to call themselves FBS schools. A new ecosystem of "haves" is already being created on a national scale.

You should remember the Super League and Project Rudy that were largely dismissed by the power commissioners when the proposals came out last year. Both of their models would reduce the highest level of college football to 70-80 schools with centralized governance. That centralized governance and outside investment would unlock billions that have been tied up in separate conference media rights deals over the years.

Essentially, that would mean less loyalty to the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 and more loyalty to whoever is running that combo of 70-80 schools.

It would also cause a lot of people to alter their career paths. Greg Sankey (SEC commissioner) and Tony Pettiti (Big Ten commissioner) might be out of a job in that model.

The Super League folks were so brash in their roll out, CBS Sports asked one of their members last year about the prospects of the SEC and Big Ten commissioners role in a new college football landscape.

"We'd buy them out," that person said, more than half seriously.

Without saying it, the conferences -- not just the ACC -- are saying it: the breakaway that has long been discussed is taking place before our eyes. There is going to be a day when the likes of Alabama wakes up and asks itself, "Exactly why is Vanderbilt making the same money as us?" Same for Ohio State and, say, Purdue.

In the ACC, FSU, Clemson, Miami and North Carolina are the biggest brands. The new revenue sharing plan is merely a formal recognition. Whether they have a similar wake-up call is not the issue.

This eventual awakening represents the ongoing consolidation of the sport. Realignment has claimed the Pac-12. It has also empowered the 34 schools that make up the SEC and Big Ten. Nothing of consequence happens in college athletics happens without their say-so.

Whether those conferences would cede power for the greater good -- meaning more money -- has yet to be determined.

But that money is becoming available. The Super League would be backed by private equity. Third-party investment in college athletics is already about to blow up in a big way, so dismissing the Super League/Project Rudy because of its funding plan doesn't make sense.

The Big 12 considered a private equity infusion of as much as a $1 billion, CBS Sports first reported last year. The Big Ten is reportedly looking at a private equity investment. Since at least last summer, American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti has been bullish publicly on considering outside investment in his conference.

"I'm encouraged because everybody is out there doing it," Pernetti told CBS Sports of investment opportunities in the sport. "It's great. Not only is investment important but the expertise that comes with that investment is important."

Consider all of it a reflection of media rights revenue economics. Eighty percent of any media rights deal is based on a conference's football value. Inside that, the value of any conference is held by the top three or four teams.

Do the math, for the ACC and the sport. The blueprint then is already in place for roll out (more or less) by about 2030 when the current media rights deals (except the ACC) all expire.
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buckeyeintn said:

I'm really sorry some of you were so miserable watching that game last night. That was a lot more fun than seeing them beat a D-3 school 104-26.
Was it frustrating at times? Definitely. Did it leave me scratching my head at times? Without a doubt. Would it have felt like we blew it if the Bucks lost? Most definitely.
But unless I missed something in my old age, I'm pretty sure we won. And that part felt great.
Enjoy the ride. And look at the bright side - you're not a fan of tcun.

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You're not wrong at all, but there's something about basketball that hits me differently than other sports. Seeing it played in an idiotic manner, even when the outcome is positive, bugs me to the core in a way that watching other sports played stupidly doesn't. The game was entertaining, in the way that watching two mediocre but evenly matched and game boxers can be, but I just don't understand why it's so hard to be able to even discern what they're trying to do, or whether they've ever been coached on how to box out or defend without fouling, when I watch OSU men's basketball. The women at least have a discernible plan and identity, even though they can be boneheaded at times as well and also appear not to have been coached on how to box out. I will say that both teams appear to generally put forth a pretty high level of effort, which I do appreciate.

J:
Spaghetti Warehouse sourdough bread

That list is stupid.

ScriptOhio said:

Marcus Freeman = Dick

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Fify

(This would have worked better for Kelly, but here we are)

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Class: 2029
Position: RB
School: Victorville(CA) Victor Valley
Height: 6ft
Weight: 165lbs

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Class: 2027
School: Santa Ana(CA) Mater Dei
Position: CB
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 165lbs

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For people that hyperfocus on star ratings, you’ll love the recent news for Dunham. In a recent ranking update on the On3 Consensus ranking, Dunham now sits as a five-star player and the No. 19 overall player in the 2026 class.

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In an interview Dunham’s father did with On3 vice president Rodney Dunham recently, he spoke very highly of Notre Dame and their standing with his son. “He wants to go there and of course he’s excited they just played in the National Championship game,” his father told Wiltfong.

“They’ve always been top on my list but now this might bump them up to the top spot,” Dunham himself said after Notre Dame beat Penn State in the semifinal. “Need to start visiting them more in the near future.”

Dunham is considered a consensus four-star recruit by every major recruiting platform, and is nearly a top 50 overall player by each as well. 247Sports is especially high on Dunham, currently ranked as the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 EDGE in the 2026 recruiting class. That ranking also has Dunham pegged as the No. 2 player in the state of North Carolina.

There is a long list of outstanding programs that are pushing for Dunham. The 6-4, 230-pound pass rusher currently holds offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, and Florida State among many, many others.

2025 Buckeye Cruise for Cancer Raises $4.5 Million for Cancer Research​

It was another successful year for the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer.

The 2025 Buckeye Cruise for Cancer, which concluded Wednesday, raised $4.5 million for cancer research at Ohio State’s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.

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The Buckeye Cruise for Cancer has now raised $45 million for cancer research over the last 18 years.
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Former Ohio State Offensive Lineman Jonah Jackson Heading to Chicago Bears in Trade with Los Angeles Rams​

Jonah Jackson is on the move for the second offseason in a row.

After one year with the Los Angeles Rams, the former Ohio State offensive lineman is headed to the Chicago Bears following a trade between the two teams on Tuesday. The Bears sent a sixth-round pick in this year’s NFL draft to Los Angeles in exchange for Jackson.

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Jackson signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Rams last offseason as one of the top offensive linemen on the free-agent market following four years with the Detroit Lions, but his season with the Rams didn’t go as planned. Los Angeles moved Jackson to center from left guard, the position he played at Ohio State and with the Lions, but he ended up starting just four games as he missed time with a shoulder injury and was ultimately benched in favor of rookie center Beaux Limmer.
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Per poster on Rivals:

Originally from Fort Wayne. Moved to Arizona after his sophomore season.

Hamiel's recruitment appears to be picking up steam. In the past week, he's received offers from Alabama, Texas and Ohio State. Two visits scheduled, Penn State and Arizona State.

Certainly looks the part of a D1 safety; big, fast and aggressive.

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More Kansas issues:

Kansas coach Bill Self issues statement after fans send racist and threatening messages to star Zeke Mayo​

KU suffered its third loss at home Saturday, tying for the most in a season under Self​

Kansas guard Zeke Mayo was the subject of threatening and racist messages on social media after the team's 78-73 home loss Saturday to No. 10 Texas Tech, prompting coach Bill Self to issue a late night statement requesting any criticism about the team be directed instead at him.

Mayo posted a sample of the messages on social media in screenshots in which fans called him a racial slur, made veiled threats and incited self-harm, among other things. He posted a few of the messages and also issued an apology for not playing better.

Here's what Self said in a lengthy statement posted just after midnight ET:

The game today was a very good college basketball game. We played a very good team and we got beat. We had some individuals have exceptional individual games, and we had some maybe not play up to the standard they've set for themselves. But, everyone on our team, coaches included, myself, more than anyone, had opportunities to impact the game. A play here or there, that could have been the difference in the game over the course of 40 minutes. Texas Tech made more plays than we did.
We competed. We tried. We came up short and I'm proud of their efforts and I'm also proud of their preparation to be ready for the game. We haven't had the overall year that we had hoped for ourselves, nor the year that many other people have expected, but it hasn't been from a lack of caring. I can do a lot of things better. We all could do a lot of things better. But I'll roll with these guys every day and be proud of it. Any criticism about the team should be directed at me. I'm the head coach.
I'm looking forward to seeing how we bounce back against a terrific Houston team on Monday. Then, after that game, I'll look forward to see how we respond to a terrific Arizona team on Saturday. This is the most important time of the season, and this is the time where we need to be better, but we also need to be focused on basketball and not things being said outside of basketball that have absolutely zero merit.

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Mayo, KU's second-leading scorer on the season, scored just five points on 1 of 7 shooting in the loss to Texas Tech, the team's third home loss on the season. It was the third single-digit scoring effort in the last four outings for Mayo.
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Want

RhodeIslandBuck said:

Isn't he the guy that scored on Jameis' infamous backwards throw/fumble?

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2015 Rose Bowl: Jameis Winston Fumbles on 4th Down and Ducks Score​

Jameis Winston Fumbles on 4th down and Tony Washington returns it for a touchdown in the Rose Bowl
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https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals250-release-roundtable-on-the-2026-rankings

Smith: Claude Mpouma. Mpouma is one of the hottest prospects in the country right now. His latest offers include Ohio State, Penn State and Notre Dame. He transferred to powerhouse Mount Carmel in Chicago which will get him even more exposure as part of a loaded team. Mpouma is raw as a prospects since he hasn’t been playing football long but has all the tools to be a big-time player in college as he continues to put it all together.

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Buckeyeskickbuttocks said:

Pretty sure Kinch would have approved of butt crack pants. Here's to ya, Old friend. :cheers:

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He would have one upped them with a Lego man coming out his ass

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Class: 2028
Position: RB
School: Auburndale(FL) Auburndale
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 185lbs

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Today I thought aboout you Deety. What a nice lady you were. I'll remember you forever.

That's 1 in a row. Get to 5 and we'll talk

Damn, sad to hear. He was the QB during my time at OSU. Too young.