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Google No. 11 Ohio State wallops No. 16 Michigan State - USA TODAY

No. 11 Ohio State wallops No. 16 Michigan State - USA TODAY
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


No. 11 Ohio State wallops No. 16 Michigan State
USA TODAY
Ohio State outgained Michigan State 524-195, and a Buckeyes defense that was smoked by unranked Iowa in the 55-24 loss limited Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke — who threw for 445 yards last week against Penn State — to 131 yards and ...
Ohio State football: Buckeyes gain votes in Land of 10 Power PollLandof10.com
Spartans incur 'meltdown,' bulldozed by BuckeyesThe Detroit News
Ohio State Buckeyes played like a top-four team again: Podcastcleveland.com
CBSSports.com -Lansing State Journal -Toledo Blade
all 960 news articles »


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Google Hoosiers to battle Buckeyes at Dayton - Harnesslink

Hoosiers to battle Buckeyes at Dayton - Harnesslink
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Hoosiers to battle Buckeyes at Dayton
Harnesslink
DAYTON, OH. - With the Hoosier Park live harness racing season about to end and Hollywood Dayton Raceway's season in full swing through December 30, excitement is beginning to build in anticipation of the third annual "Hoosiers vs. Buckeyes Harness ...


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Google Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes offer Shocky Jacques-Louis, third visit coming for Michael...

Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes offer Shocky Jacques-Louis, third visit coming for Michael Tarquin - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes offer Shocky Jacques-Louis, third visit coming for Michael Tarquin
Landof10.com
Well, because Michael Tarquin is pretty serious about his interest in the Buckeyes. Oh, and because this weekend Mother Nature will drop temperatures and freezing rain in Ohio Stadium, and believe it or not, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Tarquin and his ...
Ohio State Offers Former Tennessee Commit Shocky Jacques-Louis While Florida Offensive Tackle Michael Tarquin ...Eleven Warriors

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LGHL Four Buckeyes in double-digits propel Ohio State past Texas Southern, 82-64

Four Buckeyes in double-digits propel Ohio State past Texas Southern, 82-64
Meredith Hein
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_10402319.0.jpg

The Buckeyes move to 3-0 on the season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team continued their early season run with a win over Texas Southern Thursday night, moving to 3-0 and keeping an unbeaten record for first-year head coach Chris Holtmann.

Jae’Sean Tate, Keita Bates-Diop and Micah Potter all scored 17 points, with freshman Musa Jallow adding 13, to give the Buckeyes their third-straight win to open the season. Ohio State finished the game shooting 46 percent from the field, including 32 percent from three-point range. Bates-Diop also led the Buckeyes in rebounding, pulling down a dozen on the night to earn his third-straight double-double.

With the win, the Buckeyes move to 7-0 against teams from the SWAC.

Here’s a recap of the win.


After winning the opening tip, Texas Southern, who was playing without their top-scorer, sophomore guard Demontrae Jefferson, opened up scoring on a quick alley-oop from junior center Trayvon Reed. But after a foul, Ohio State tied things back up from the free throw line. Texas Southern bounced right back with a three-point shot from senior guard Donte Clark.

Jae’Sean Tate quickly hit a two, and a three-point shot by Keita Bates-Diop gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the night.

Things remained 7-7 for a while, until Tate made a layup to put the Buckeyes up two. A three-pointer from Robert Lewis gave the Tigers a one-point lead. Freshman guard Musa Jallow, who earned his first start tonight, answered with a three of his own from the corner to swing things back in favor of Ohio State 12-10--a lead they would not relinquish the entire game. Bates-Diop then split defenders down low for a two-pointer to put the Buckeyes up four. In under eight minutes, the junior forward scored five points, pulled down five rebounds and had one block to dominate Ohio State’s early run as the Tigers were held scoreless for more than five minutes.

Texas Southern, meanwhile, got into foul trouble early, committing six team fouls in the first eight minutes, forcing the Tigers to put two starters on the bench. The Tigers also committed a number of turnovers during their scoring drought which helped pad the Buckeyes’ lead.

Jallow hit his second three of the game midway through the half to put the Buckeyes up seven before junior guard Derrick Bruce broke the Tigers’ five-minute scoring drought. After a foul, Bruce went 2-for-2 from the line to pull the Tigers within two. After a missed three, Jallow moved inside to grab the rebound and dunk to put the Buckeyes up 19-15. Tate then hit a quick two on an assist from junior guard C.J. Jackson before Jackson himself added a three of his own to stretch the Buckeyes’ lead to nine. The Buckeyes continued their run until senior forward Lamont Walker broke the 11-point run by the Buckeyes with a two-pointer with just over five minutes remaining in the half.

A quick two by sophomore center Micah Potter helped to rebound the offense in favor of Ohio State. Kam Williams, who came off the bench, hit his first three of the game to put the Buckeyes up 16. Guard Andrew Dakich, grad transfer from Michigan, hit five quick points as the Buckeyes traded points with the Tigers.

After a series of fouls late in the half, Texas Southern began to chip into the Buckeyes’ lead, narrowing Ohio State’s lead to 11. But a foul by the Tigers on Potter gave the Buckeyes two free throws and a 13-point advantage heading into halftime.

Despite starting off slow, shooting 4-of-12 from the floor, the Buckeyes finished the first half shooting 46 percent as the offense settled in against the Tigers’ zone defense. Ohio State also hit three three-pointers, led by Jallow, who had 10 first-half points. Clark led Texas Southern in scoring with nine points and five rebounds.

Texas Southern shot under 30 percent during the first half. The Tigers made up for it with perfect, 10-for-10 shooting from the free throw line, and wound up being out-fouled by Ohio State by a 10-8 mark. Ohio State out-rebounded the Tigers 22-16, including seven offensive rebounds. Bates-Diop led in the category, with seven first-half rebounds. Ohio State also led the first half with nine assists to the Tigers’ four.

Texas Southern opened the second half with a block of Tate, following the next possession with a dunk by Bruce. The teams traded points before Bates-Diop hit a three-point jumper to put the Buckeyes back up 14 early in the second half. After a 7-0 run by Ohio State, Reed managed two dunks to bring the score to 51-37. Sophomore Andre Wesson hit his first points of the game six minutes into the half on an offensive rebound, but committed a foul giving Clark two free throws on the next possession.

More fouls and free throws and, finally, a layup by senior forward Kevin Scott, who had been held scoreless in the first half, pulled the Tigers within nine as Texas Southern held an 8-0 run. Bates-Diop, who hadn’t had a touch in several minutes, finally hit a three-pointer to end the drought. Lewis answered with a three of his own to narrow the lead back to nine. Five points by Clark brought the Tigers within four before Tate slowed things down with a dunk, assisted by Jackson.

However, a three by Lewis pulled the Tigers within two, bringing the score to 59-57. In a quick transition, Tate found Potter for two points. A block by Jallow on the subsequent possession gave the Buckeyes the ball again with a quick-score opportunity. A foul by Lewis gave two free throws to Potter to give the Buckeyes some breathing room, up six. Bates-Diop and Jackson, after two defensive stops, each scored to bring the Ohio State lead to double digits. An 11-0 run by the Buckeyes helped to seal the deal for the win late in the second half.

Donte Clark led the Tigers in scoring and rebounds with 17 points and 7 rebounds on the night.

Up next, the Buckeyes face the 2-0 Northeastern Huskies Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

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Google Four Buckeyes in double-digits propel Ohio State past Texas Southern, 82-64 - Land-Grant...

Four Buckeyes in double-digits propel Ohio State past Texas Southern, 82-64 - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Four Buckeyes in double-digits propel Ohio State past Texas Southern, 82-64
Land-Grant Holy Land
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team continued their early season run with a win over Texas Southern Thursday night, moving to 3-0 and keeping an unbeaten record for first-year head coach Chris Holtmann. Jae'Sean Tate, Keita Bates-Diop and ...
Kaleb Wesson suspended for Ohio State's game vs. Texas Southern: Buckeyes basketball newscleveland.com
Men's basketball | Buckeyes finish strong after suspending Kaleb WessonThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes handle adversity, turn back upset-minded Texas Southern247Sports
Eleven Warriors -OSU - The Lantern -Scout
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Here We Go Again

Final predictions for how the season ends for this group before a wild couple of weeks coming up?

1. I originally said 63-3 this weekend. I'm going to double-down on that. Yup - 126-6. By the end of the game, Gus Johnson will be cutting in from whatever game he's doing with random comments, like "BLOOD THIRSTY!" and "GIVE IT HERE AND DON'T SAY NOTHIN'!" Fans of whichever game he's announcing will be confused and angry and might cry a little.
2. Jimmeh will try his surprise offense against Ohio State. He's been laying this trap all season. Speight never really got hurt. O'Korn was masterfully playing the part of terrible QB. And Peters will reprise his role as sturdy quarterback. All three will see the field - on the first play. Jimmeh will send them out in a triple-shotgun formation. At first, he'll get a couple of "too many players in the huddle" penalties, because he won't understand that each quarterback counts as one player. So he'll pull out some offensive linemen, and a couple of drives will end with some "ineligible receiver downfield" penalties. Just before half, down 28-0, he'll get it figured out. A couple of sack/fumbles later, though, and Ohio State will go into the half up 42-0. Barrett will be forever known as the quarterback who ran for more touchdowns his senior year against Michigan than passes thrown in that game. He'll come out to start the second half, but Haskins will play most of the second half. With about 10 minutes to go in the game, Joe Burrow will come in and pass for more yards (52) than the other 5 quarterbacks for both teams combined. He'll also convert a 2-point conversion to win 96-0.
3. BTCG - Let's just say that Paul Chryst will learn to fear and fear the sight of Urban Meyer shaking his ass at him. Urban Meyer will start a new wave of booty-shakin' dances after his team scores a touchdown. And Chryst will only be able to cry. Wisconsin will finally score a late touchdown to make it 84-7, and Chryst will try to do his own booty-shakin' dance. But he'll get suspended from ever coaching for another Big Ten team because of it.
4. Ohio State will make it to the playoffs. Remember when JoePa pooped his pants? Imagine that, but twice. Now, instead of JoePa, it's Nick Saban. And it's actually three times. By the end, he has no extra pants, so he'll be wearing football players' pants. Also, Ohio State will win 49-5.
5. National Championship game. Ohio State will get to play Clemson. Dabo Swinney's stupid smile will quickly be turned into whatever you call it when it looks like you just smelled a baby's dirty diaper. He'll be begging for mercy and wishing Ohio State beat his team 31-0 by the end. Ohio State wins 34-0.

Finally, screw Flanders.
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Disgraced Former Penn State DC Jerry Sandusky (convicted child molester)


The latest payments mean the school's overall Sandusky-related costs now exceed a quarter-billion dollars.

Could have built a lot of libraries for that.
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Google Ohio State College Football Playoff analysis: Buckeyes may wind up battling a 2016 version...

Ohio State College Football Playoff analysis: Buckeyes may wind up battling a 2016 version of themselves - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State College Football Playoff analysis: Buckeyes may wind up battling a 2016 version of themselves
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thoughts on where Ohio State, ranked No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, stands as we enter the 11th game of the regular season. 1. The Buckeyes are No. 9, but three of the teams ahead of them are guaranteed to take ...
Ohio State football: Michigan might have 2 shots to sabotage Buckeyes' playoff bidLandof10.com
Buckeyes' bounce-back creates interesting questions, starting with: 'What if?'ESPN (blog)
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and PredictionAthlonSports.com
Scarlet and Game -Cincinnati.com -Toledo Blade
all 373 news articles »


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LGHL Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award

Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Chrisman_Drue.0.jpg

The redshirt freshman punter has yet to have one of his 29 punts this year returned.


Congratulations to @OhioStateFB punter @DChrisman91, who was named today a semifinalist for the @RayGuyAward. He doesn't get to punt a lot, but when he punts, he punts! Read about Drue right here: https://t.co/155kC9pkYK #Ray

— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) November 16, 2017

After punter Cameron Johnston graduated last season, it would have been understandable if Ohio State saw a significant drop from the punter who was tasked to replace the Aussie. Drue Chrisman was the punter tabbed to replace Johnston, and the redshirt freshman from Indiana has more than held his own this year.

Today Chrisman was named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s best punter. Last year Johnston was named a finalist for the award, but fell just sort of winning the honor, which was awarded to Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky, who is once again a semifinalist for the award.

While Chrisman’s stats of 43.8 yards per punt on 29 punts this year are impressive enough on their own, even more noteworthy is none of Chrisman’s punts this year have been returned by an opponent, making Ohio State the only school to have not allowed a punt return in 2017.

It will likely be tough for Chrisman to dethrone Utah’s recent string of dominance when it comes to the Ray Guy Award, with the Utes winning the last three years, and having Wishnowsky in the mix again, this won’t be the last year in which Chrisman is a semifinalist for the award. Ohio State doesn’t punt often, but they make the most of it when they are forced to because of Chrisman’s pinpoint accuracy.


Check out the loud and colorful uniforms Nike is bringing to its new PK80 college basketball tournament https://t.co/srHPPLC0IN

— SB Nation CBB (@SBNationCBB) November 16, 2017

The uniforms Ohio State will be wearing for next weekend’s PK80 in Portland have been revealed. The Buckeyes will play three games in the tournament, opening up with Gonzaga on Thursday night, either Stanford or Florida on Friday, and an opponent to be determined on Sunday.

The PK80 is a tournament designed to celebrate the 80th birthday of Phil Knight, the co--founder of Nike. The 16-team tournament features a number of traditional college basketball powerhouses, including Duke, North Carolina, and Michigan State.

“I think it’s dope, though. It’s something they though of. So we can’t take their idea, but I like it.”

Ohio State defensive tackle Tracy Sprinkle on Miami’s turnover chain via Tim Bielik, Northeast Ohio Media Group


Over the last few weeks, Miami’s turnover chain has taken the college football world by storm. With many schools coming out with alternate uniforms and other items to try and not only inspire players, but also to woo recruits, the turnover chain is just the latest fad in college football.

So could a turnover chain be on the horizon for Ohio State? Don’t bet on it. It isn’t like the Buckeyes don’t have their own system for recognizing players for big players. Ohio State has been using Buckeye Leaf helmet stickers for motivational purposes for nearly 50 years. Unlike at Miami, where the turnover chain often just goes to defensive players, the Buckeye Leaves get everybody involved.

Although it is fun to think about Ohio State having a turnover chain like Miami does. Imagine if they had one last year. Malik Hooker pretty much would have never taken the turnover chain off!

“The real value gets added when you can guard multiple positions as well. I think certainly Keita is exhibit ‘A’ on that. I think you need a point guard that can run your team and run your system and then beyond that it can be pretty interchangeable, really.”

Ohio State men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann on Keita Bates-Diop via Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch


If Keita Bates-Diop continues playing like he has in Ohio State’s first two games of the season, new head coach Chris Holtmann’s first season with the Buckeyes will go a lot smoother than many have anticipated. The junior forward redshirted last season after he missed most of the year due to leg injuries. The loss of Bates-Diop showed on the court, as the Buckeyes struggled for most of the season.

Not only does Bates-Diop give Holtmann’s young squad a lot of veteran leadership, but the redshirt junior has the ability to play multiple positions, which helps a Buckeye team that doesn’t have much depth. It also helps Bates-Diop is putting up some big numbers early on in the season, as he has recorded double-doubles in each of Ohio State’s first two games. If Bates-Diop can continue to play at such a high level, the Buckeyes will surprise a lot of people the rest of the season.

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Google Kaleb Wesson held out of Ohio State's game vs. Texas Southern: Buckeyes basketball news -...

Kaleb Wesson held out of Ohio State's game vs. Texas Southern: Buckeyes basketball news - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kaleb Wesson held out of Ohio State's game vs. Texas Southern: Buckeyes basketball news
cleveland.com
"Ohio State freshman Kaleb Wesson has been suspended for the game vs. Texas Southern tonight for a failure to meet the expectations of the men's basketball program," Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann said in a statement. "This is specifically regarding ...
Kaleb Wesson suspended for Texas Southern game247Sports
How to watch Ohio State vs. Texas Southern: Preview, game time, live streaming onlineLand-Grant Holy Land
Basketball Preview: Texas Southern at Ohio State | Eleven WarriorsEleven Warriors
Sports Chat Place (blog) -OSU - The Lantern
all 13 news articles »


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Google Ohio State players respect Miami's turnover chain, but have no intention of doing that...

Ohio State players respect Miami's turnover chain, but have no intention of doing that themselves - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State players respect Miami's turnover chain, but have no intention of doing that themselves
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Miami has the turnover chain. Ohio State wrestling has the pin chain. But will the Buckeyes' football team ever have something like that? If you ask some of the members of the defensive line, don't count on it. "It's all cool," OSU ...

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LGHL Ohio State should overwhelm Illinois, but the Illini have a few key weapons

Ohio State should overwhelm Illinois, but the Illini have a few key weapons
Chad Peltier
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


867532972.jpg.0.jpg

The Fighting Illini are actually the worst team on Ohio State’s schedule this season, going by the S&P+.

If you liked watching last week’s game against Michigan State, you’re going to love watching Ohio State vs. Illinois.

Illinois is ranked 112th out of 130 FBS teams in the S&P+, making them the worst team that Ohio State will face this year. UNLV is at 98th, and even Rutgers is just 96th.


But even the specific matchups here greatly favor Ohio State. Just as Ohio State beat Michigan State last week by running the ball and continually making plays with its defensive line, the Illini struggle against the run and rank 89th and 123rd in offensive stuff rate and adjusted sack rate, meaning that the defensive line should rack up havoc plays this week.

That said, the Illini have a few weapons, so any sleepwalking or looking ahead to The Game could mean a closer-than-expected matchup.

When Ohio State has the ball


The Illini defense is more average than downright bad going by overall S&P+. But looking into each component, what’s really saving their defensive ranking is that they do a solid job preventing explosive plays, ranking 6th in unadjusted IsoPPP and 21st in plays allowed of 20+ yards.

The problem is that, after adjusting for the quality of opposing offenses, the Illini’s defensive IsoPPP+ ranking falls all the way to 91st. And all of their other opponent-adjusted rankings (overall success rate, rushing, and passing S&P+) are 90th or worse.

Given their rushing success rate (48.1%, 114th) and opportunity rate (42.8%, also 114th), the Buckeyes should find plenty of success on the ground behind Dobbins, Weber, and Barrett. I’d expect a pretty vanilla approach and limited carries for the first stringers, given that the next two weeks will be against much tougher defenses (assuming Ohio State plays in the Big Ten title game, which is highly likely), but the most interesting thing to watch here will be whether the Buckeyes continue last week’s trend of new formations (wide splits for receivers, unbalanced formations) and how the backups perform, if/when they get extended playtime.

Saturday might see rain and wind for the game, increasing the likelihood of a run-heavy day for Ohio State. I’d imagine that the Buckeyes go aggressive early to pile up a big lead they can then sit on and eat clock. Expect most of the passing to continue last week’s horizontal-stretch RPO concepts to running backs, slot receivers, and tight ends, with the occasional first-half deep shot to Dixon, Victor, or Mack. Either way, given the Illini’s passing success rate (42.5%, 88th) and lack of defensive havoc (107th), Ohio State should find plenty of success throwing in J.T.’s last game in The ‘Shoe.

When Illinois has the ball


A decade ago, Juice Williams and the Illini offense upset Ohio State because of OSU interceptions, holding Beanie to 3.4 yards per carry, and Juice Williams’ running. This year’s Illini are a far cry from that group, but they do have a run-first quarterback in freshman Cam Thomas. It’s unclear whether Thomas or sophomore Jeff George Jr. will get the start, but neither one has found much success throwing the ball, ranking 103rd in passing S&P+. Thomas has only completed 40% of his passes with three interceptions, while George Jr. is up to 51.9% as the better pocket passer. Both have negative touchdown-to-interception ratios, for what it’s worth. That’s largely due to an offensive line that is 123rd in adjusted sack rate (going up against Ohio State’s 24th-ranked adj. sack rate defense, with a defensive line that’s 4th in havoc rate).

But there are some silver linings for the passing offense. Freshman wide receiver Ricky Smalling is just the second-most targeted receiver, but leads the team in receiving yards while averaging a healthy 16.7 yards per catch. And tight end Louis Dorsey is actually second on the team behind Smalling in total receiving yards, averaging 18.4 yards per catch. Depending on Damon Arnette’s status, as well as the health of the linebackers, they could give the pass defense some trouble (assuming the quarterbacks have time to throw). I’ll especially be interested in the linebackers’ play after last week when Malik Harrison and Tuf Borland shined, while Worley looked much better playing on the outside.

The Illini run game also has some bright spots. Ranking 66th in overall S&P+, it might be the best part of this year’s team. The young offensive line still allows run stuffs on nearly 21% of runs, but freshman running back Mike Epstein has shown some upside averaging 6.1 yards per carry and a very strong 49.1% opportunity rate. Combine Epstein with quarterback Cam Thomas (7.4 yards per carry, 56.7% opportunity rate), and you’ve got a pretty solid combination of runners. They even managed the third-highest yards per carry average against the Badgers, at 4.06. This will definitely be the most interesting matchup to watch on defense, as any consistency here could keep the game competitive.

Takeaways

  1. The Illini are overmatched in almost every statistical category, but have bright spots in their running offense with Cam Thomas at QB, tight end Louis Dorsey, and freshman receiver Ricky Smalling.
  2. The young Illini offensive line has a very bad matchup with Ohio State’s elite defensive line, ranking 89th and 123rd in offensive stuff rate and adjusted sack rate.
  3. The Illini defense is pretty solid, ranking 69th overall, and doing a great job preventing explosive plays. The interior of their defensive line is pretty strong, which should give a decent test to the offensive line to make holes. The weather might have an effect on the passing game, so expect a lot of horizontal RPOs, and plenty of bash. Look for whether Wilson continues to use last week’s unbalanced formations.
Picks

  • S&P+: Ohio State 43, Illinois 11
  • My pick: Ohio State 49, Illinois 10

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Google Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Buckeyes could land another Florida star; wide receivers...

Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Buckeyes could land another Florida star; wide receivers next up - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Buckeyes could land another Florida star; wide receivers next up
Landof10.com
Have Ohio State football recruiting questions? We've got answers. Join us every Thursday for the Land of 10 Ohio State recruiting mailbag. This week, we talk about a number of things, including how the Buckeyes could land another star from Jacksonville ...
Future Buckeye DB impresses in senior season highlight video247Sports
Anthony Cook, Emory Jones and more: What's the latest with Ohio State's top remaining recruiting targets?The Athletic

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Google Buckeyes release trailer for emotional Senior Day vs. Illinois - Waiting For Next Year

Buckeyes release trailer for emotional Senior Day vs. Illinois - Waiting For Next Year
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes release trailer for emotional Senior Day vs. Illinois
Waiting For Next Year
Long Live The Brotherhood has been the theme for much of the season, but that has become even more apparent in the last couple games when the Ohio State Buckeyes have worn undershirts that say it, which they future proudly while warming up prior to ...
D-tackle Antwuan Jackson to the Buckeyes : 'I'm on my way, soon'247Sports
The Ohio State defense will have their way with the Illinois offenseLand-Grant Holy Land

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LGHL Miami looks to stay undefeated as they host Virginia in Week 12’s national College Football...

Miami looks to stay undefeated as they host Virginia in Week 12’s national College Football action
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_10406541.0.jpg

The Hurricanes have a showdown set with Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, but they still have some work to do before their matchup with the Tigers.

Last week ATS: 8-5-1 (4-2-1 National, 4-3 B1G)

Season ATS: 73-76-4 (32-32-2 National, 41-45-2 B1G)

After getting spoiled with some great matchups the last few weeks, this week’s schedule is pretty underwhelming. It’s essentially how you don’t eat too much close to Thanksgiving knowing of the impending punishment you are going to dish out to the turkey, sides, and dessert. MC&J was still able to find five national games that were worthy of your time on Saturday.

National games:


Virginia v. #3 Miami (FL) (-19.5) - 12:00 PM EST - ABC

Miami is really growing on people. Not only is Miami starting to get respect, especially after beating Virginia Tech and Notre Dame the past two weeks, but the turnover chain has people going out of their mind.

Virginia has been a lot better in Bronco Mendenhall’s second season, and the Cavaliers have already wrapped up bowl eligibility. The Cavaliers have a sneaky good quarterback in Kurt Benkert, who has thrown 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions so far this season.

The Hurricanes will stay undefeated, but I feel like this point spread is a little inflated, especially after last week’s demolition of Notre Dame. The Hurricanes might be in for a bit of a letdown, especially after two high-profile primetime games the past two weeks. Virginia is a solid team, and should be able to keep Saturday’s game within two touchdowns.

Miami 34, Virginia 24

No. 15 UCF (-14) v. Temple - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNU

The Golden Knights are in the driver’s seat of the Group of Five schools right now, but UCF has no margin for error, especially with Memphis sitting right behind them in the CFP rankings. Last week McKenzie Milton had another strong day, throwing for 311 yards and two touchdowns in the 49-24 win over UConn.

Temple has been up and down in their first season after Matt Rhule left for Baylor. The Owls have split their last four games, with the last two being wins over Navy and Cincinnati.

Even though the Owls have been playing better lately, I’m not sure they are quite ready to handle what UCF is going to throw at them. Scott Frost’s squad is tested early, but pulls away in the second half to stay undefeated.

UCF 41, Temple 23

Kentucky v. No. 7 Georgia (-21.5) - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

The Bulldogs don’t have a lot of time to feel sorry for themselves after getting pasted by Auburn last week. Georgia will host a Kentucky team that is 7-3, but could have an argument for being 9-1 after losing to Florida by just a point earlier in the year, and by a field goal to Ole Miss a couple weeks ago.

The Wildcats aren’t going to throw the football unless they absolutely have to. Who could blame Kentucky for wanting to run the football when they have a running back like Benny Snell Jr.; the sophomore from Westerville has already rushed for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.

Kentucky has been pretty good at stopping the run this year, but they’ll have their hands full trying to slow down Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. If the Wildcats can slow the duo and make Jake Fromm do more with his arm, then Kentucky might even have a shot at the upset. I don’t think it’s quite that serious, but the Wildcats will at least give Georgia a game.

Georgia 28, Kentucky 20

Navy v. No. 8 Notre Dame (-18) - 3:30 PM EST - NBC

This game might be over in two hours with how much these two teams like to run the football. Navy is averaging 369.8 yards per game rushing this year, while Notre Dame is averaging 303.2 yards per game rushing. The Fighting Irish will be looking for a little revenge, as the 28-27 loss to the Midshipmen helped contribute to the 4-8 record Notre Dame posted in 2016.

Last week, Navy was even more Navy than usual. The Midshipmen beat SMU 43-40 without completing a pass. Quarterback Malcolm Perry made his first start last week and rushed for 282 yards and four touchdowns in the win over the Mustangs. The bad news for Navy is Perry is dealing with an ankle injury, so his status is up in the air for Saturday’s game.

The good news for Notre Dame is they don’t have to see the turnover chain this week. Miami laid a whoopin’ on the Fighting Irish last week, but Notre Dame should bounce back ahead of their regular season finale against Stanford next week. Running back Josh Adams will have a big game after rushing for just 40 yards last week. Even if Perry plays for Navy, who knows how effective he’ll be. Give me the Golden Domers by three touchdowns here.

Notre Dame 42, Navy 21

UCLA v. No. 11 USC (-16) - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

What a quarterback battle we are in store for on Saturday night. After missing the game against Utah a couple weeks ago, Josh Rosen returned last week and threw for 381 yards and a touchdown in the 44-37 win over Arizona State. Rosen hasn’t gotten much help from his running game, or the UCLA defense, which is why you are seeing such a big spread for this rivalry game.

Sam Darnold had a rocky start to the year, but since the loss to Notre Dame, the sophomore has been excellent. The Trojans have won all three games since their setback to the Fighting Irish, Darnold has thrown for 906 yards, seven touchdowns, and just one interception. Darnold isn’t doing it alone, as running back Ronald Jones II has 552 yards rushing and six rushing touchdowns during that span.

I know USC is a more talented team than UCLA. Jim Mora’s seat is still plenty hot, but I think the Bruins at least put forth a decent effort against the Trojans. Rosen keeps UCLA within shouting distance, but Darnold and Jones II are too much for the Bruins to overcome to pull the upset.

USC 38, UCLA 28

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BTN Big Ten Q&A: Ohio State OT Jamarco Jones on toughest teammate & more

Big Ten Q&A: Ohio State OT Jamarco Jones on toughest teammate & more
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Who was your favorite offensive lineman growing up? Name the one teammate you’d take with you to a brawl? If they were going to call a play for an offensive lineman to run the ball, who gets the call? It's a Q&A with Ohio State OT Jamarco Jones.
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Google Ohio State football: Michigan might have 2 shots to sabotage Buckeyes' playoff bid -...

Ohio State football: Michigan might have 2 shots to sabotage Buckeyes' playoff bid - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Michigan might have 2 shots to sabotage Buckeyes' playoff bid
Landof10.com
All week long, our Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes will address pressing questions on the minds of the Ohio State fan base with our new daily feature. To ask Austin Ward a question, follow along on Twitter and suggest a topic right here.
Ohio State Football: Buckeyes owe themselves a clean victory vs. IllinoisScarlet and Game
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and PredictionAthlonSports.com
Highlights from the Urban Meyer Show: OSU has to win Illibuck247Sports
Waiting For Next Year -cleveland.com -Martins Ferry Times Leader
all 42 news articles »


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LGHL Another blowout win for Ohio State seems likely versus Illinois

Another blowout win for Ohio State seems likely versus Illinois
Colton Denning
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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Podcasting about the Fighting Illini, and how terrible the Illibuck is.

Ohio State has played in a lot of blowout games this season:


Almost every Ohio State game has been a blowout win in 2017 pic.twitter.com/gR6kfhA0Cl

— SB Nation (@SBNation) November 11, 2017

The Buckeyes’ eight wins have been by an average of 35 points, and with Illinois on deck, it wouldn’t be a shock to see that average stay the same, or even increase a bit.

The Illini have a legitimate case for being the worst team Ohio State has played this season (112th in S&P+) and are projected to take a modest 32-point beating. So with Saturday’s game likely to get out of hand quickly, what will we discuss on this episode of The Hangout in the Holyland? The Illibuck, of course.

In a conference full of trophy games, the Illibuck is the only one Ohio State plays for, and boy, is it ugly. On today’s episode, Matt Brown and Colton Denning bury the Illibuck —as well as the “rivalry” with Illinois— and talk about why it’s one of the worst trophies in the conference. The guys also:

  • Rank the trophies that are better. (Shoutout to the $5 Bits of Broken Chair!)
  • Try to find any way that Illinois can pose a threat to Ohio State, and wonder if the Fighting Illini are built for tangible success in modern college football.
  • Discuss Arkansas firing Athletic Director Jeff Long, and whether BERT will be back in the Big Ten soon.
  • Take a look at the rest of Week 12, why you should keep an eye on non-power 5 games, and more!

You can find the podcast on our iTunes page, and we encourage reviews, comments, criticisms, etc. to help us deliver the best possible audio product. The more we hear from you, the better we can make it. We’re also on Soundcloud, and you can subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

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Google Highlights from the Urban Meyer Show: OSU has to win Illibuck - 247Sports

Highlights from the Urban Meyer Show: OSU has to win Illibuck - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Highlights from the Urban Meyer Show: OSU has to win Illibuck
247Sports
It's Thursday which means Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer joins Paul Keels and Jim Lachey on 97.1 The Fan at noon. This week should be a bit different than the last show, after the Buckeyes lost 55-24 to Iowa. Now Meyer can discuss the 48-3 win over ...

and more »


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Most Over & Under Rated Teams Since 1989

Found this in the interweb tubes. This list is for only teams that were ranked at least fifteen times, though there's a separate table for all teams. Higher is better.

Oregon 58½
Kansas State 56
Texas Christian 45
Michigan State 35½
Wisconsin 28
Alabama 22½
Iowa 20½
Virginia Tech -1
Penn State -5
Auburn -7½
Washington -19
Ohio State -25
Syracuse -34½
Clemson -36
Georgia -47
Texas A&M -47
Miami-Florida -55
UCLA -55½
Florida -56½
Tennessee -59
Louisiana State -72½
Michigan -76½
Florida State -87½
Nebraska -91½
Oklahoma -95½
Notre Dame -103½
Southern Cal -107
Texas -118

http://preseason.stassen.com/over-under/teams.html

Google Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and Prediction - AthlonSports.com

Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and Prediction - AthlonSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and Prediction
AthlonSports.com
The Ohio State Buckeyes, fresh off a 48-3 rout of Michigan State, look to continue their winning ways as the team will conclude its home slate of games on Saturday against struggling Illinois. Senior Day in Ohio Stadium is always an emotional affair ...
Ohio State football podcast: There's no sugarcoating Illinois is not the same test Iowa wasLandof10.com
Buckeyes release trailer for emotional Senior Day vs. IllinoisWaiting For Next Year
What To Watch: Texas Southern at Ohio State247Sports
Land-Grant Holy Land -Daily Illini -Eleven Warriors
all 19 news articles »


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LGHL The Ohio State defense will have their way with the Illinois offense

The Ohio State defense will have their way with the Illinois offense
Christopher Jason
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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The Illini quarterback situation is not great.

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith is not sure who is going to start for his football team on Saturday against the Buckeyes, but unfortunately for Smith, it won’t make a difference who he picks.

When re-watching Illinois’ 24-10 loss to Wisconsin, the game wasn’t actually as close as the scoreboard indicated. Smith flip-flopped his two quarterbacks throughout the afternoon, and neither could get anything going against a comparable defense to what they’ll see on Saturday.


On the 41 dropbacks that Jeff George Jr. and Cam Thomas made, they only completed 11 passes. On the 22 incompletions that were thrown, the majority of them were not even close to being completed. The offensive line let up a pressure on 30-percent of the dropbacks and as one can see, it was a complete disaster all afternoon.

Chayce Crouch began the season as the starter before struggling. Crouch struggled so much behind center that he was moved to H-back. Jeff George Jr. took over for Crouch and has completed only 50-percent of his throws to the tune of seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Smith decided to sub in true freshman Cam Thomas, who is a pretty good runner, but will not challenge any secondary through the air. George is the ‘better thrower’ of the two, but that’s not saying much.

  • On Illinois’ first series, George went 0-3 with an interception. On this throw, he showed he does not have the arm strength to hit the 10-yard out. The Wisconsin corner wasn’t fooled by the route, and was able to undercut the route for the easy interception. George had to go somewhere else with the football in that situation.
  • After subbing out George for Thomas, George was put back into the game and overthrew this receiver who created the most separation on the afternoon. George had a clean pocket and a wide-open receiver, but couldn’t hit him.
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  • I want to blame this on miscommunication between Thomas and his receiver, but it’s pretty clear that the outside receiver ran a go route to open up the quick out. The receiver actually got some good separation on the defender, but Thomas overthrew the out by about five yards.
  • When Thomas enters the game, he’s most likely going to run the ball. They typically like to line up in an empty formation and call a designed QB Draw. After racking up 10-plus yards on a zone read, they never went back to it. Thomas flashes, but he’s extremely raw and inconsistent.
  • This is another bad decision by Thomas. This was a slow developing banana route that was easily undercut by the safety. Luckily for Thomas, the safety dropped the interception.
  • It’s tough to see what Thomas saw on this play. There were four defenders in the screen to only two receivers, and neither receiver had a chance to make a play on the football. It’s unfair to put all the blame on the quarterback in a situation like this, but he did throw it into an area where nothing positive would occur.

Overall, it’s going to be total destruction for the Ohio State defense against Illinois. The offense has freshman receiver Ricky Smalling as a playmaker, but he’s most likely going to be blanketed by Denzel Ward. The defensive line is going to get pressure on these quarterbacks early and often, which will result in plenty of mistakes. It’s going to be ugly for Lovie Smith and it’s not going to matter who he chooses to start at quarterback.

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