Ohio State travels to Iowa in Week 10’s Big Ten College Football betting lines
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes will try avoid a letdown after last week’s massive win over Penn State

Last week ATS: 3-9-1 (0-5-1 National, 3-4 B1G)

Season ATS: 58-61-3 (22-25-1 National, 36-36-2 B1G)

If this week’s B1G action wasn’t enough to keep up with, MC&J picked 10 national games this week, which you can find here.

B1G games:


No. 7 Penn State (-8) v. No. 24 Michigan State - 12:00 PM EST - FOX

Don’t overthink this one. Penn State gets back on track after last week’s tough loss to Ohio State. The Nittany Lions have a good core of leaders on both offense and defense that won’t allow them to feel sorry for themselves for too long about how they blew last week’s game.

The only way Penn State loses for the second week in a row is if Michigan State has their own J.T. Barrett at quarterback. The Spartans don’t. Michigan State had been flirting with losing the last couple weeks before taking on Northwestern last week, and the Spartans finally saw their luck run out.

Michigan State has a solid defense, but they have done most of their damage this year against offenses that don’t have much of a clue. Against teams that can actually move the football like Notre Dame and Northwestern, the Spartans haven’t fared as well. Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley will be too much for the Spartans to keep up with.

Penn State 30, Michigan State 14

No. 9 Wisconsin (-13) v. Indiana - 12:00 PM EST - ABC

Heading into this season it looked like Indiana might have one of their better seasons in school history ahead of them. Instead, Tom Allen’s first year as head coach has turned into a nightmare for the Hoosiers. Indiana has lost three straight games by a combined 18 points.

Wisconsin is still undefeated this year, but the Badgers are getting no respect because they haven’t played anybody. It’s a problem when your best win of the year has come against Florida Atlantic. The Badgers have Jonathan Taylor on offense but not much else.

Unlike most years, at least Indiana can play some defense this year. I’m sick of backing the Badgers to cover big spreads only to see them either barely cover like they did against Maryland, or miss them completely, like they did against Illinois and Purdue. Taylor racks up some yards on the ground, but Indiana finds some offense of their own to keep this within two touchdowns.

Wisconsin 27, Indiana 17

Illinois v. Purdue (-14) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

At least Illinois is sorta trying. The Fighting Illini have covered their last two games despite being pretty awful. Quarterback Cam Thomas might be exciting down the road for Illinois, but he is still just a freshman.

Purdue really could be 5-3 right now instead of 3-5. The Boilermakers have lost the last two weeks by a combined three points. Last week Nebraska scored with 14 seconds left to hand the Boilermakers a 25-24 loss in West Lafayette.

I’m worried I might have waited a little too longer to jump on the Illinois cover train. I’ll take my chances that there is one more stop on the route before the Fighting Illini go back to being absolutely terrible again. Purdue might win, but I don’t think they win by more than two touchdowns.

Purdue 31, Illinois 21

Maryland (-2) v. Rutgers - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

After having lost their previous three games, Maryland found themselves down 16-7 last week against Indiana after the first quarter. It would have been easy for the Terrapins to give up, but they fought back and beat the Hoosiers 42-39. Now the Terrapins will be looking to earn another win before a tough final stretch of Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State

Rutgers at least scored points against Michigan this year. The Scarlet Knights kept things respectable last week against the Wolverines in the 35-14 loss. Rutgers is greatly improved this year on defense, but their offense is still a dumpster fire. If Maryland puts up a couple early touchdowns I just don’t see the Scarlet Knights having the firepower to respond.

Maryland 21, Rutgers 13

Northwestern v. Nebraska (-1.5) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Northwestern has been going to overtime for their wins lately. After squeaking by Iowa in overtime two weeks ago, last week the Wildcats needed three overtimes to upset Michigan State. Clayton Thorson had his best game of the season, throwing 356 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a rushing touchdown in the win.

Nebraska needed some late-game heroics of their own last week, as a Tanner Lee 13-yard touchdown pass to Stanley Morgan Jr. with 14 seconds to go gave the Cornhuskers a 25-24 win over Purdue. Lee finished with 431 yards passing and two touchdowns, which easily was his best game during his short time at Nebraska.

This will be Nebraska’s first game at home since getting blown out by Ohio State, so the Cornhuskers will want to put forth a strong performance in front of their fans. Northwestern sees their luck run out as Nebraska moves a little closer to becoming bowl eligible.

Nebraska 31, Northwestern 24

Minnesota v. Michigan (-15.5) - 7:30 PM EST - FOX

You think Michigan’s offense is bad? Just wait until you watch the Golden Gophers. At least the Wolverines are trying to shake things up a bit with Brandon Peters getting his first start at quarterback on Saturday night.

I’m not sure if P.J. Fleck has any plan at all for Minnesota the rest of the year at quarterback. Demry Croft looked good for a little bit against Michigan State, but the sophomore quarterback has looked terrible the last two weeks for the Golden Gophers.

Even though the Wolverines have lost a couple games this year, five of Michigan’s six wins have been by at least 16 points. I’m just not sure how Minnesota is going to find the end zone against the Wolverines here. Michigan wins the Little Brown Jug by at least 17 points.

Michigan 37, Minnesota 14

No. 6 Ohio State (-16) v. Iowa - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN

Had it not been for awful special teams play, along with a lot of terrible officiating, last week’s game against Penn State likely wouldn’t have taken years off the lives of Ohio State fans. J.T. Barrett was near perfect in the win, pretty much assuring his spot in New York City in December for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

The Buckeyes can’t afford to sleep on the Hawkeyes. Not only is Kinnick Stadium a tough place to leave with a win, but the Hawkeyes have a couple players on offense in quarterback Nathan Stanley and running back Akrum Wadley.

Normally I’d grab the points when a team has to hit the road after such an emotional win, but this Ohio State team is different. Not only will the senior leadership of Barrett not allow for a sluggish performance against the Hawkeyes, but the defense will be the biggest difference.

The Hawkeyes have issues on the offensive line with two freshmen starting at the tackle spots, which should allow for Nick Bosa and Sam Hubbard to cause plenty of disruption in the Iowa backfield. The Buckeyes show why many people are expecting them to be a part of the College Football Playoff with a convincing win over a quality opponent on the road.

Ohio State 38, Iowa 17

Continue reading...

Ohio State football: Do Buckeyes need style points to boost College Football Playoff chances? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Do Buckeyes need style points to boost College Football Playoff chances?
Landof10.com
All week long, our Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes will address the pressing questions on the mind of the Ohio State fan base with our new daily feature. To ask Austin Ward a question, follow along on Twitter and pass along a topic right here.
Tim Tebow: Ohio State might dominate Oklahoma if they play again247Sports
Buckeyes #6 in season's first CFP rankingNBC4i.com
OU football: ESPN analyst says Buckeyes much better than SoonersStormin' In Norman
Sporting News -cleveland.com -Saturday Blitz
all 1,257 news articles »

Continue reading...

The Friday List: The top B1G pass-rushing defensive ends
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Tom Dienhart's Friday List is back, and this week he's ranking the Big Ten's top pass-rushing defensive ends.

Continue reading...

I Got Five on it: Halloween is over, but Ohio State still has these leftover tackles for loss to pass out
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Also, is this the week Ohio State executes a kickoff properly?

Can you believe it’s been almost seven years since Ohio State played Iowa on the road? Although the NCAA likes to pretend that the 2010 Buckeyes squad doesn’t exist, you and I know better; and what a crazy game it was.

With the Buckeyes’ Big Ten title hopes on the line, a scrappy Iowa team played the brand of nearly unwatchable football they’ve perfected over the last two decades, and held a 17-13 lead late into the fourth quarter, until boss-ass Terrelle Pryor decided it was time to make some plays:


Terrelle Pryor saves the damn season

Ohio State eventually scored on that drive, held on for a 20-17 win, and haven’t made the trip to Iowa City since.

Fast forward seven years, and Ohio State still has hopes for a Big Ten title and is in the national championship hunt, and Iowa is [checks advanced stats page] still playing unwatchable football. Time really is a flat circle.

With that in mind, here are five things to watch for as Ohio State takes on Iowa:

Can Ohio State avoid a hangover from last week’s emotional win?


On this week’s Hangout in the Holy Land game preview, Matt Brown and I surmised that the only real way Iowa can pull the upset is by getting off to a fast start. If the Hawkeyes force an early turnover or make a big special teams play, it’s not hard to picture this being the classic type of Big Ten slogfest that’s right in their wheelhouse.

Even with last week’s early mistakes, the Buckeyes are one of the best first quarter teams in the country (5th in Q1 S&P+ offense, 4th on defense), and can take what’s sure to be a fired-up Kinnick Stadium crowd out of the game early with a mistake-free start.

Essentially, what I’m really saying here is that the last thing any of us need in our lives right now is wondering how Ohio State got knocked out of the playoff race by Kirk Ferentz; so please, Ohio State, get off to a fast start.

So, what’s the plan on kickoffs?


It’s wild that Ohio State’s biggest problem since the OU debacle has been figuring out how to cover kickoffs/not kicking the ball out of bounds, but I suppose it beats last year’s fatal flaw of not being able to execute the forward pass.

It’s a serious issue though, and one that almost single-handedly lost them the Penn State game. Urban Meyer has apparently had enough, and you can expect some higher-end talent on the kickoff coverage unit tomorrow:


Not sure how great I feel about one of Ohio State’s most important receivers having to cover kicks because the coaches are too upset to admit their strategy of trying to pin opponents deep isn’t working, but here we are.

Former Buckeye specialist and punt god Cameron Johnston had this to say about Meyer’s assertion that the Buckeyes don’t have a kicker capable of producing touchbacks:


Welp. No matter what, it can’t get worse than last week (hopefully), and we’ll see if adding some more talent to the coverage unit fixes the problem.

What if Mike Weber got carries instead of passes in the flat?


Speaking of questionable strategies, let’s review what happened when Ohio State threw the ball to Mike Weber last week:

• Five yard loss
• Incompletion
• Nine yard gain
• Seven yard loss
• Nine yard gain
• Three yard gain

In total, Weber had five catches on six targets for nine yards, which adds up to a robust 1.8 yards per target. I get why Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson wants to use flat passes and bubble screens to punish defenses downfield later in games, but there are probably better ways of doing that than throwing to your power back for a gain of two.



To be fair, it isn’t Weber’s fault that he’s being used like Warrick Dunn. Those swing passes and checkdowns are still an important piece of the offense, but it’ll be interesting to see whether a few more of those go to J.K. Dobbins, who has a better shot of making something out of nothing than Weber.

Expect even more TFL’s from the Ohio State defense


Ohio State racked up an incredible 13 tackles for loss last week, and Iowa’s suspect run blocking is going to give them a chance to match or exceed that total.

The Hawkeyes’ offensive line have made for excellent turnstiles this year, ranking 103 nationally in Stuff Rate (tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage), which doesn’t bode well against a Buckeye defense that is one of the best in the nation at controlling the line of scrimmage (3rd in Defensive Stuff Rate).

Ohio State should be able to force plenty of 2nd/3rd-and-long’s, which means plenty of the rushmen package, and Iowa quarterback Nathan Stanley doing his best 4th quarter Trace McSorely impersonation:


Jordan Fuller is quietly having a monster season


Having a safety lead your defense in tackles is a scary proposition. Either he has a nose for the ball, or the rest of your defense is getting torched and he’s picking up the scraps . Luckily for Ohio State, Jordan Fuller’s case is the former.

The sophomore has been a beast in run support, which was on full display last week with his team-leading eight tackles, including this crucial third down tackle on Saquon Barkley:



Fuller is a different breed of safety than the ballhawks Ohio State has fielded in recent years, but his playmaking ability is just the same.

Against a vanilla Iowa offense, the Buckeyes will probably count on Fuller to make a few more plays at the line of scrimmage, and it’s worth keeping an eye on him just to see how much he means to this defense.

Continue reading...

PREVIEW: Ohio State at Iowa; Buckeyes seek seventh straight win - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


PREVIEW: Ohio State at Iowa; Buckeyes seek seventh straight win
Dayton Daily News
Ohio State walks to the Skull Session before a game against Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. David Jablonski/Staff. COLUMBUS. Who: No. 6 Ohio State (7-1, 5-0) at Iowa (5-3, 2-3). When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Four-down territory: Ohio StateQuad City Times
Brave and Bold: Predictions for Ohio State at Iowa247Sports
Ohio State football tickets 2017: Buy tickets for Buckeyes games (November 2, 2017)Landof10.com
The Daily Collegian Online -News-Herald.com -FiveThirtyEight
all 425 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State basically never loses to Iowa, but that’s true for half of the Big Ten
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes have dominated the Hawkeyes for the last two decades, but they’re not the only ones.

Ahead of Ohio State’s battle with Iowa tomorrow, I tried to think of times the Hawkeyes had managed to upset the Buckeyes in recent memory. But outside of the 2004 drubbing that brought in the Troy Smith era (33-7, Iowa), I couldn’t think of any. I had to double check the record books.

I couldn’t think of any because there haven’t been any. Despite a few close games in recent memory, Iowa has beaten Ohio State exactly once over the last 20 years. Since 1997, the Hawkeyes are 1-10 against the Buckeyes. There are a few more wins in the very early 1990s and late 1980s, but I was born in 1987. I don’t remember any of those, or really, any college football game before say, 1996.

That’s a pretty impressive run, especially since Iowa has had plenty of good squads over the last 20 years. It also got me thinking...since it’s hard to remember big, say, Minnesota, or even Illinois, wins over the Buckeyes.

So I looked everything up. Here’s everyone in the Big Ten’s record against Ohio State over the last 20 years.


A few things here to unpack:

• Ohio State is 70-16 against current Big Ten West opposition over the last 20 years. That’s a pretty good mark, but honestly, I think I expected a little bit better. Purdue’s toughness during the Tressel years kept the margin a little more respectable.
• The team to beat Ohio State the most in my fanhood lifetime isn’t Michigan or Wisconsin. It’s Penn State. While no conference team will ever surpass Michigan as a chief rival, recruiting nemesis or emotional equal, on the field, it’s the Nittany Lions that have been the biggest problem. This feels weird to even type, but it’s true!
• HALF OF THE BIG TEN has beaten the Buckeyes just once, or less, in the last twenty years (Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Nebraska, Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland). That is BONKERS.
• This twenty year mark does include a few clunkers, like the 2011 season (6-7), 1999 (6-6), and a three year run from 1999-2001 where Ohio State didn’t win more than eight games in a season. But if you assume the Buckeyes are going to hit double digit wins this year, they’ve won at least 10 games a season in 15 of the last 20 years. That’s a remarkable run of consistency, considering that’s under Cooper, Tressel, Fick and Meyer. Very few programs in the country have been that good, for that long.

What does this mean for Saturday? Not a ton. Iowa’s got a very good defense, has a record of playing top teams tough at home, and could very well upset the Buckeyes if they play poorly.

But history shows those kinds of perfect storms don’t happen very often. Ohio State has better players than almost everybody else in the Big Ten. They win the vast majority of their Big Ten games. And against a good half the league, they might go decades between losses.

I’m 30 years old and I have no memory of any time Indiana beat Ohio State in football. There are fans today that have no memory of when Minnesota did it. And there are already some out there that don’t remember the last time Iowa won either.

We’ll see how long this continues. But for now, it’s worth at least recognizing and appreciating. This level of consistent dominance is hard to do.

Continue reading...

PREVIEW: Ohio State at Iowa; Buckeyes seek seventh straight win - Hamilton Journal News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


PREVIEW: Ohio State at Iowa; Buckeyes seek seventh straight win
Hamilton Journal News
Ohio State walks to the Skull Session before a game against Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. David Jablonski/Staff. COLUMBUS. Who: No. 6 Ohio State (7-1, 5-0) at Iowa (5-3, 2-3). When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

and more »

Continue reading...

Zurp said:

View attachment 16785

Forget about whether last game knocked him out of the race. Why was he even in the race? 100 yards per game rushing, 55-60 per game receiving. Only 3 games has he gotten to 100. I think someone posted something that shows he loses yards on a pretty high percentage of runs. He's shown a lot that he can't be the guy that the team relies on to sustain drives. If you can't rely on a guy, he probably shouldn't be winning the Heisman.

Click to expand...

Iowa. And that he started out both Michigan and Ohio State with huge plays for TDs.

BM5: QB recruiting calls audible | CFP takes | OSU-Iowa thoughts - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: QB recruiting calls audible | CFP takes | OSU-Iowa thoughts
247Sports
If the Buckeyes win out, will they make the College Football Playoff? * Why J.K. Dobbins didn't play more last week against Penn State. * Predictions for the Buckeyes' game at Iowa tomorrow. All that and more on a 15-minute edition of the Friday ...

and more »

Continue reading...

Ohio State vs. Iowa 2017: Game preview, how to watch, and 6 things to know
Chuck McKeever via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes head to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes.

There's a kind of magic to America's heartland, and in our popular imagination, perhaps no place typifies this like Iowa.

"The children must be crying," Jack Kerouac once wrote of Iowa, "in the land where they let the children cry, and tonight the stars'll be out." In Iowa are cornfields and endlessly hitchhikeable roads; in Iowa James Earl Jones convinced Kevin Costner to build his field so that people might be able to chase the ever-fleeting past for just a little while longer.

The Ohio State Buckeyes head to Iowa this week not to chase the past, but to take one more step toward the future: a bid to the College Football Playoff. It's been a bumpy road, to be sure, but Urban Meyer's squad has reeled off six consecutive wins, including a dramatic and stunning victory against No. 2 Penn State last weekend. They face a much less sexy test this Saturday when they face off against an Iowa team whose specialty seems to be dragging opponents down into the mud to die. (That the Hawkeyes occasionally suffocate first is of little concern to them.)

Kirk Ferentz's team is coming off of a tight 17-10 victory over Minnesota, a throwback Big Ten game if ever there were one. Most times it feels like the Hawkeyes are still playing the football that was played decades ago, with a mostly-uninspired offense playing second fiddle to a beefy defense that knows how to hurt.

But then they do things like throwing the ball to running back Akrum Wadley, who we might hype up as a great H-back were he to play in Urban Meyer's offense. Wadley's running average has been disappointing this season, given his potential, but his receiving stats—19 catches, 14.1 yards per catch, three TDs—are eye-popping for a guy who's nominally supposed to be running between the tackles.

Whatever the Hawkeyes are—a chimera of parts from football's past, present, and future—they pose an interesting matchup for the high-flying Buckeyes.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


Firing on (most) cylinders. The Buckeyes still have plenty of kinks to work out. Special teams has been a roller coaster, penalties have been plentiful, and the play-calling has been conservative at some of the worst times imaginable.

(*Stephen A. Smith voice*) BUT. Just about everything else is humming for Ohio State. J.T. Barrett is playing like he’s on a mission to destroy the world. The defensive line seems to decide weekly that a different member will eat the most in that particular game. The thunder-and-lightning combo of Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins is a terrifying one when it’s balanced well by the coaches. The list goes on.

Outside looking in. The first College Football Playoff rankings came out this week, and Ohio State found themselves sitting at No. 6 on the list, just behind the team that handed them their only defeat of the season, Oklahoma. That makes for pretty good incentive to keep pounding opponents into the ground. An undefeated finish to the season with a win over Wisconsin in the B1G title game should be enough to get the Buckeyes into their third playoff in four years, but beating the tar out of everyone along the way would certainly bolster their résumé.

The Drago factor. Like Rocky's most blatantly propaganda-driven foe, the Buckeyes are both freakishly athletic and ruthlessly efficient. Drago literally killed an opponent in the ring, while Ohio State has done it figuratively: in the contests between the Oklahoma loss and the Penn State win, the Buckeyes scored 266 points while allowing just 56.

They've managed that, in part, by operating the second-most efficient offense in all of college football. The cold, steady drubbings they've dished out to opponents this season have been clinical in their precision. The Buckeyes have a 53.8% success rate on offensive plays, are the No. 1 offense in the country in the opportunity rate category (how often five yards are gained when there are five yards available, the metric that puts the feather in the o-line's cap), and are the second-best in college football at avoiding stuffs at or behind the line of scrimmage. If you're into advanced stats or just ruthless dismantling of opponents, you're probably fanning yourself looking at these numbers.


Iowa’s biggest advantages


The look-ahead trap and the hangover. Two tales as old as time in college football: a powerhouse team leaves it all on the field in dramatic fashion against a talented rival and then sleepwalks through their next game against an inferior opponent; a talented team with ranked opponents and rivals looming on the schedule fails to adequately prepare for the mediocre team they play beforehand. Both scenarios are in play here. The Buckeyes’ fourth quarter against Penn State last weekend took years off of the lives of everyone watching, so what it did to the guys who were actually playing is probably worse. And with hated opponents on the menu in two of the next three contests—Michigan State and Michigan—you could understand everyone involved feeling as though Iowa isn’t a whole lot to worry about. Add in the Buckeyes being the putative favorites to head to the B1G title game against No. 9 Wisconsin and you’ve got a whole lot of potential for looking ahead.

This can’t win the game by itself for the Hawkeyes. Even a sleepwalking Buckeye team has enough juice on both sides of the ball to win an ugly game. But if Iowa can get on the board early and hang close, anything could happen.

Josey Jewell is back. If you haven’t heard of Josey Jewell, you’re not paying close enough attention. Iowa’s star middle linebacker is a Butkus Award finalist who puts up eye-popping numbers as the Hawkeyes’ defensive leader. (Want proof? He has 22 more tackles than the next-highest player on his team.)

Jewell suffered a shoulder injury in Iowa’s win over Illinois a few weeks ago, one which was serious enough to sideline him for the Northwestern game. They ended up losing that one to the Wildcats by a touchdown. He returned against Minnesota last weekend, and his presence made all the difference in another game decided by just a touchdown—his 11 total tackles and two QB hurries led the team in a game short on scoring opportunities.

He’ll have his hands full against the Buckeyes, but playing against Jewell is hardly a prize for them, either. He’s an excellent run stuffer, athletic in pass coverage, and an expert at haranguing QBs.

Dampening the fuse. A few days ago, I broke down one of Iowa’s finest defensive attributes: stifling opposing teams’ explosive play opportunities. Explosive plays (defined more fully here) are a measure of yards gained from each spot on the field, which has a corresponding point value assigned to it. In other words: how often did you execute successful plays, and when you did, just how far downfield did you get?

The stingy Iowa defense isn’t super efficient—teams can and have marched on them—but they also don’t give up a lot of home run plays. Granted, outside of Saquon Barkley, they’ve yet to face a who’s who of college football’s big play guys, but still: even with Barkley in Penn State’s backfield, Iowa only allowed 21 points to the Nittany Lions. That’s mighty impressive.

Summary


F+ Projection: Ohio State 34, Iowa 18

Win probability: Ohio State 82%

How to watch, stream, listen to Iowa v. Ohio State:


Game time: Saturday, Nov. 4, 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Streaming: WatchESPN

Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

Know your enemy: Black Heart Gold Pants

Continue reading...

Ohio State recruiting: The latest on Buckeyes' top-ranked recruiting class - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: The latest on Buckeyes' top-ranked recruiting class
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes had their final huge recruiting weekend of the year when they hosted Penn State and now Ohio State waits for some good news to come rolling in. Here's where things stand with the Buckeyes and their 2018 recruiting class as of Friday, Nov. 3.
Jarren Williams offered by Ohio State BuckeyesA Sea of Blue
Kurelic: Williams, Jones and QB situation; Texas visitor; more247Sports
Ohio State just offered another 2018 QB. What does that mean ...Land-Grant Holy Land
Eleven Warriors
all 13 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State football: Urban Meyer wants more blackouts, breaking down the Buckeyes' QB recruiting - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Urban Meyer wants more blackouts, breaking down the Buckeyes' QB recruiting
Landof10.com
Ohio State football is the No. 1 topic in Wake Up Sloopy every day — but we cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Ohio State football, recruiting, ...
Buckeyes still in wide receiver marketToledo Blade
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Iowa Hawkeyes: Odds, College Football Betting PickBleacher Report
Ohio State football: Meyer, Buckeyes don't celebrate Penn State win for longThe Columbus Dispatch
247Sports
all 165 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State Buckeyes to handle Iowa in trap game -- Bill Livingston (photos) - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes to handle Iowa in trap game -- Bill Livingston (photos)
cleveland.com
Ohio State faces a classic trap game Saturday afternoon when the Buckeyes play Iowa at Nile Kinnick Stadium, one week after leaping back into the College Football Playoff squabble with a stunning one-point comeback victory over Penn State after ...
On the Beat: Ohio State believes it will avoid a letdown against IowaLandof10.com
2-Minute Drill: Ohio State Buckeyes at Iowa HawkeyesThe Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines
Buckeyes still in wide receiver marketToledo Blade
247Sports -AthlonSports.com -Black Heart Gold Pants
all 535 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State's 2018 QB situation just got really interesting
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes have offered a new 2018 QB. Is a shakeup coming?

The Buckeyes head to Iowa this weekend to take on the Hawkeyes in another 3:30 pm match-up. With last week's game surely still fresh in the mind of Buckeye fans after easily one of the greatest comebacks in Ohio State football history, it’s not hard to want to relive that moment time and time again. It's in the past though, and the Buckeyes need to move on and realize with Iowa along with everyone else’s best shot, they just need to take care of business and get to Indianapolis. Easier said than done, but Urban Meyer and his staff should have this squad ready for what’s taking place on the field. In the ever-changing recruiting world though, Meyer and staff look to be just as ready for everyone’s best shot at their 2018 top ranked class.

And here we go. Again...


Let’s just cut to the chase and address the elephant in the room. There’s a serious roller-coaster of emotions going on with the 2018 quarterback recruiting saga for the Buckeyes. With Emory Jones being the lone 2018 QB commit for Ohio State since the summer of 2016, it was thought to be all but sealed that Jones would be in Columbus come next fall and be the signal caller of the class. But with so much that has happened in the past year, you can thank Alabama as the reason for so many changes and at the very least possibilities of change.

Since his pledge to Ohio State, Jones has thought to have been the guy. It was Ohio State’s true top priority and they added him to the fold relatively early considering recruiting timelines. However, with multiple visits to Alabama in the last year, It’s been rumored time and time again that Jones and his pledge were wavering and a possible “flip” to the Crimson Tide could be coming. Jones did visit for the Penn State game last week and took to social media to say he was coming "home,” but ever since his departure, things have continued to progress on the rumor mill and Alabama is still the main source of it. There’s even a thought that Jones could in fact visit again Alabama again this weekend. If so, that should be the writing on the wall, you’d think.

Fast forward a little bit. Yesterday, Ohio State offered a quarterback they have been in constant communication with due to the unrest with Jones and there’s a new sense of feeling that Jarren Williams, another Georgia quarterback, could be the next in line if Jones were to in fact “flip” his commitment. Williams, the nation’s seventh-best dual-threat quarterback, is no new name to Buckeye fans. Williams has long been thought to be the first choice at replacing Jones, and yesterday may have been a serious step in that direction. While he is still currently committed to the Kentucky Wildcats, signs are really starting to point to more shake-up in the QB recruitment for these parties involved.


There’s a couple ways to skin this cat, but it’s easy to see that there’s serious potential for Jones to be gone from this 2018 class and Ohio State’s staff sees this as a real possibility. Knowing this could be the case, they have taken the necessary steps to offer their other priority in Jarren so they are not left on the outside looking in come signing day 2018. It is still possible that Jones ends up a Buckeye, but if he’s looking around more than ever, the Buckeyes have to be prepared and they have done so by making it official that Jarren Williams has an offer. We shall see where this all ends, but you can guarantee this topic isn’t even close to being over.

Continue reading...

Listen: Helwagen on PSU win, Barrett, CFB Playoff rankings - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Listen: Helwagen on PSU win, Barrett, CFB Playoff rankings
247Sports
Edit; Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Ohio State Buckeyes Newsletter; Slot to Ohio State Links. SoundCloud cookie policyCookie policy. Player controls. Share. whbcmix · STEVE HELWAGEN-Ohio State Buckeyes beat writer at Bucknuts.com. Bucknuts.com's ...


Continue reading...

Jeff Ruby: Columbus steakhouse will blow away Ohio State Buckeyes recruits - Cincinnati.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Jeff Ruby: Columbus steakhouse will blow away Ohio State Buckeyes recruits
Cincinnati.com
Restaurateur Jeff Ruby is excited to bring a restaurant to Columbus. Kerry Coombs, Ohio State's cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator and a former UC Bearcats coach who also led Colerain High School to a Division I state title in 2004 and 10 ...


Continue reading...

Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes offer Jarren Williams, so what comes next? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes offer Jarren Williams, so what comes next?
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes and a glimpse at what's coming next.
Jarren Williams offered by Ohio State BuckeyesA Sea of Blue
Ohio State just offered another 2018 QB. What does that mean?Land-Grant Holy Land
Kurelic: Williams, Jones and QB situation; Texas visitor; more247Sports
Eleven Warriors
all 13 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa is hoping more sacks are in his future
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The sophomore has put plenty of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but has just four sacks this season.

“I think I’ve been winning a lot. There’s always room for improvement. I just need to finish plays more, and then I’ll get the recognition I think I deserve. I think I’m playing well. I also think the defense is playing very well.”

-Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Even though his sack total might not exactly show it, Nick Bosa has been a beast on the field for Ohio State this year. The sophomore may have only four sacks on the season, but he is constantly putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Last week against Penn State, Bosa registered nine quarterback pressures according to Pro Football Focus.

In the end all that matters is wins for Ohio State, but Bosa has a little family pride to deal with, as he tries to match what his older brother Joey did at Ohio State. In three years at Ohio State, the older Bosa registered 26 sacks. Nick isn’t likely to match that number, but there are a couple of reasons for that. The younger Bosa not only was recovering from a knee injury when he got to Ohio State, but there also is a lot more depth on the defensive line than when his older brother was in Columbus.

Even though he is just a sophomore, opposing teams are making sure they are accounting for Bosa. Even with the extra attention he is getting, Bosa is still finding his way into the opposing backfields to put pressure on quarterbacks, and that is why he very well could be named an All-American at the end of the year. If Ohio State is able to make it back to the College Football Playoff, the pressure Bosa places on opposing defenses will be a big reason why.

“I think we’re fortunate to have two backs that are good enough to start and be elite players. The freshman has had a great year. Mike is now healthy. If nothing else we’re creating a healthy environment of a competitive team.”

-Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson via Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group


When things are going bad for Ohio State, it seems like the first area of blame is why they didn’t get the ball to a running back enough. In 2015 in the loss to Michigan State, Ezekiel Elliott didn’t get enough carries. Last year in the loss to Penn State, Curtis Samuel was ignored. On Saturday as the Buckeyes were about to go into halftime trailing the Nittany Lions everybody was wondering why J.K. Dobbins wasn’t getting more carries.

At some points it is understandable why Mike Weber is on the field instead of Dobbins. In the fourth quarter, Ohio State was forced to pass the football more, and Weber saw more reps because he is a better pass blocker. Why Dobbins wasn’t in more as the Buckeyes were trying to erase the deficit before halftime is a little more puzzling.

When asked about the split between time on the field for Weber and Dobbins, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson deferred to running backs coach Tony Alford since he is the one who decides who should be out there. This isn’t taking anything away from Weber either, since he is a tremendous running back, it was just odd to see one of Ohio State’s home run threats on the sidelines when they needed him most.

“Thad Matta’s abrupt dismissal from Ohio State this summer opened up one of the best high-major head coaching jobs in the country late in the offseason and vacated a different head coaching job previously occupied by Matta’s replacement.”

-Sports Illustrated


Change is never easy, but in this case it might have been necessary. Ohio State was slipping further and further from the top of the Big Ten, and if it didn’t happen when it did, it’s likely Thad Matta still didn’t have much time left as head coach at Ohio State. For all he did for the program in Columbus, Matta deserved to leave on his own terms, but an exit like that wasn’t quite meant to be.

At least if Chris Holtmann was going to move from Butler to Ohio State, he has already secured a few wins before the Buckeyes have even taken the court. Not only did Holtmann bring four-star forward Kyle Young, who was previously committed to Butler, with him to Columbus, but three-star shooting guard Musa Jallow reclassified from the class of 2018 to 2017.

Ohio State might not find very many wins this year, but next year, and beyond, the rest of the Big Ten should be on notice. The difference from Matta to Holtmann might not show very much on the court this year, as no matter the head coach Ohio State is likely to struggle, but the recruiting trail in the future is where the biggest difference will be seen. Holtmann has seen a little more success lately on the recruiting trail, and that is why the future is again bright for the Buckeyes.

STICK TO SPORTS

• COTA will soon allow for more payment options on their buses.
• Nocterra Brewing will likely be the second brewery to make their home in Powell.
• Ray Ray’s Hog Pit is opening their third location next week, as they become Land-Grant Brewing’s designated food truck.
• This might be the only time when a marriage proposal at a sporting event is acceptable.
• BrewDog is making a beer with water from melting ice caps to troll Donald Trump.

Continue reading...

Photo gallery of 5-stars: Jaelen Gill against Zach Harrison - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Photo gallery of 5-stars: Jaelen Gill against Zach Harrison
247Sports
Ohio State H-back commitment Jaelen Gill and Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy Orange 2019 defensive end Zach Harrison, a huge Buckeye target, went up against each other last Friday night. Harrison and his teammates defeated Westerville (Ohio) South ...


Continue reading...

5 Buckeye takeaways from first College Football Playoff rankings - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


5 Buckeye takeaways from first College Football Playoff rankings
247Sports
The initial College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday and many were surprised, including Ohio State fans. After moving up to No. 3 in both the AP and Coaches Poll, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 6 CFP selection committee. Scroll through ...
Buckeyes #6 in season's first CFP rankingNBC4i.com
OU football: ESPN analyst says Buckeyes much better than SoonersStormin' In Norman
College Football Playoff rankings: Ohio State, Big Ten shouldn't be concerned yetSporting News
Landof10.com -cleveland.com -Lansing State Journal
all 950 news articles »

Continue reading...

Iowa’s defense will give the Buckeye offense another test
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s all about red zone efficiency this week.

This is the classic trap game: big, comeback win over a top-ranked opponent, followed by a road game in a notoriously tough stadium against a team with a stout defense. Sounds like a one-score game into the 4th quarter.


Going by the S&P+, Iowa is Ohio State’s third-best opponent so far this season, but Ohio State has an 82% win probability with a projected 16-point margin.

A few concerns right off the bat: Iowa shuts down explosive plays and are solid on special teams, ranking 18th in kickoff return success rate (which, after last week, is something I have to include in the previews now).

Iowa held Penn State to 21 points and only lost on literally the last play of the game. Besides allowing 41 points to Iowa State (which doesn’t seem crazy now), the Hawkeyes have held all of their other opponents under 21 points, and under 17 in their last four games.

Iowa sets the template for the rest of Ohio State’s regular season: excellent defenses and poor offenses:

• Iowa: 16th in defensive S&P+, 99th in offensive S&P+
• Michigan State: 6th in defensive S&P+, 95th in offensive S&P+
• Michigan: 15th in defensive S&P+, 73rd in offensive S&P+
• (likely) Wisconsin: 7th in defensive S&P+, 33rd in offensive S&P+

When Ohio State has the ball


Iowa’s defense allows opponents to be very efficient running the ball, but always limits big plays, and then forces field goals in the red zone.

Bend-don’t-break defenses can be easily identified by the advanced stats. They always have excellent rankings in overall IsoPPP (limiting explosive plays) and in finishing drives (average points allowed per scoring opportunity inside the 40). That can also be measured by plays of 10+ or 20+ allowed or touchdown percentage allowed in the redzone. And Iowa excels in both categories. In fact, they’re the best bend-don’t-break defense that Ohio State has seen so far:

1. Forces field goals: opponents have a 44% touchdown rate in the redzone (13th), opponents average just 3 points per scoring opportunity (6th)
2. Eliminate explosive plays (9th in IsoPPP), 11th in opponents plays of 20+ yards

Penn State was close here, ranking 17th in IsoPPP and 22nd in finishing drives. The major difference is that Iowa does a lot more bending, but breaks a little less often. While Penn State’s defense is 25th in overall success rate, Iowa is 71st (63rd in success rate+). In rushing S&P+ they rank 97th. And that’s an opponent-adjusted measure, confirmed by similar ratings in opportunity rate (79th), adjusted line yards (109th), and stuff rate (88th). Dobbins, Weber, and Barrett should find a lot of success on the ground, but probably in 5-14 yard gains (which also plays into the Buckeyes’ strengths).

This means that the game will hinge on whether Ohio State can finish drives with touchdowns or if they’ll be forced to kick field goals all afternoon. Penn State is easily the best offense that Iowa has faced this season, and while Iowa holding the Nittany Lions to 21 points is impressive, it was solely due to Penn State’s inability to finish drives — Penn State had an incredible +23% success rate margin, but lost the turnover margin and averaged just 2.5 points per scoring opportunity. (Penn State also somehow ran 54 more plays than Iowa! Iowa had five three-and-outs on 13 total drives, and two scoring drives of just 3 plays each due to explosive plays). Iowa State is essentially the only other good offense the Hawkeyes have seen, and they scored 41 points.

In addition to finishing drives, it will be interesting to see how well Barrett can throw against the Hawkeyes. They rank 31st in passing S&P+ and have one of the best corners in the country in Josh Jackson, whose 15 pass break ups lead the country. Penn State’s Trace McSorley did throw for 284 yards against Iowa, but it took him 48 attempts to get there — the Hawkeyes held McSorley to 5.9 yards per pass (he averaged 6.6 last week against Ohio State).

And it’s not like their success is due to creating negative plays — they rank 90th in adjusted sack rate and 88th in run stuff rate. Defensive end Anthony Nelson is a guy to know (6 sacks, 13.8% success rate — best on the team for defenders with 10+ tackles), and linebacker Josey Jewell leads with 9.5 tackles for loss and 12 total run stuffs. So there’s definitely some very solid talent.

When Iowa has the ball


The two big things to know about Iowa’s offense:

1. Akrum Wadley, their star running back, is explosive, but the Iowa offensive line does a very poor job giving him room to run. The offensive line ranks 103rd in stuff rate, 94th in adjusted line yards, and 123rd in power success rate.
2. Quarterback Nate Stanley is solid. He averages 213 passing yards per game, is 40th in QB rating, and leads the 26th-ranked passing S&P+ attack.

Iowa was 31st in rushing S&P+ last season and 15th in adjusted line yards, while Wadley averaged 6.4 yards per carry with a 43.5% opportunity rate. Wadley was one of two running backs to gain over 1,000 yards. This year, Iowa ranks 77th in rushing S&P+ and 94th in adjusted line yards, and Wadley averages just 4 yards per carry with a 31.7% opportunity rate. That’s a huge step back by the offensive line. That’s especially bad in this matchup, considering Ohio State ranks 3rd in the country in stuff rate. While Iowa allows run stuff on 22.3% of runs, Ohio State’s defense gets a run stuff on 28.5% of runs. Iowa is very balanced in terms of run/pass distribution on standard downs, but that poor run blocking could really hurt the Hawkeyes by leading to a lot of third-and-longs.

So if Iowa is going to pull the upset, Stanley will likely need to carry the load. He has four clear top receivers: Nick Easley (most-targeted, low yards/catch, high catch rate), tight end Noah Fant (leads top targets in yards/catch, explosive), Matt VandeBerg (similar numbers to Fant), and Wadley (high catch rate). Ohio State’s defense did a great job slowing Barkley as a receiving option last week, but running backs and tight ends still present matchup questions for Ohio State’s defense. Chris Worley can’t be everywhere.

One final note: Iowa is a second half offense. They average 56th in first-half offensive S&P+, but 27th in second-half offensive S&P+.

Takeaways

1. Iowa’s defense is the best at bend-don’t-break that the offense will have seen so far, limiting explosive plays (9th in IsoPPP) and forcing field goals (6th in average points allowed per scoring opportunity).
2. Iowa’s defense is poor against the run, though, ranking 97th in rushing S&P+ and the defense as a whole is just 71st in success rate.
3. Iowa’s offensive line has really fallen off, ranking 94th in adjusted line yards and allowing run stuff on 22.3% of runs.
4. Iowa’s quarterback, Nate Stanley, is solid, leading the 26th-ranked passing S&P+ offense.

Picks

• S&P+: Ohio State 34, Iowa 18. 82% win probability
• My Pick: Ohio State 35, Iowa 14

Overall, Ohio State should win this game comfortably despite how solid Iowa’s been in pass defense and in forcing field goals over touchdowns. However, this is a tough road game and a perfect let-down spot, so it wouldn’t be too surprising for this one to be close well into the second half. If Ohio State can still throw well and maximizes their scoring opportunities, then that would say very good things about where the team is at mentally and how they’ll perform against similarly-good defenses the rest of the season.

Continue reading...

Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Buckeyes chase of Jarren Williams, Penn State game reverberation and more - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Buckeyes chase of Jarren Williams, Penn State game reverberation and more
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 whether the Buckeyes can get momentum after a crazy recruiting weekend in Columbus.
Hlastradamus: Doubting Buckeyes would be nutsThe Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines
Buckeyes still in wide receiver marketToledo Blade
Individual Matchup to Watch: Nate Stanley vs. The WorldBlack Heart Gold Pants
ESPN -AthlonSports.com
all 2,061 news articles »

Continue reading...

Hlastradamus: Doubting Buckeyes would be nuts - The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Hlastradamus: Doubting Buckeyes would be nuts
The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines
Heavens to Murgatroyd, that's a high number against the Hawkeyes in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa hasn't lost by that much at home in four years. Of course, Ohio State hasn't played at Kinnick in seven years. The seer knows this will be an unpopular pick in ...
Buckeyes still in wide receiver marketToledo Blade
Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Buckeyes chase of Jarren Williams, Penn State game reverberation and moreLandof10.com
Individual Matchup to Watch: Nate Stanley vs. The WorldBlack Heart Gold Pants
ESPN -AthlonSports.com
all 2,045 news articles »

Continue reading...

Bedlam between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State headlines Week 10’s supersized College Football betting slate
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This week MC&J is expanding to 10 games to accommodate all of Saturday’s great games.

Last week ATS: 3-9-1 (0-5-1 National, 3-4 B1G)

Season ATS: 58-61-3 (22-25-1 National, 36-36-2 B1G)

The last few weeks have been ugly for MC&J. This week’s bigger slate of picks isn’t because we are chasing, but more because there are so many important matchups on tap.

National games:


South Carolina v. No. 1 Georgia (-24) - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

Georgia sits atop the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season, and it is looking like the Bulldogs are going to be heading to Atlanta for a showdown with Alabama for the SEC title in early December.

Will Muschamp has South Carolina playing well in his second season in Columbia, with the Gamecocks sitting at 6-2. Jake Bentley has been solid at quarterback this season, throwing 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Some of the Georgia point spreads lately have been a little inflated for my taste. I was wrong last week when picking against the Bulldogs, but Florida was in even more disarray than I imagined. South Carolina is a little more stable. The Bulldogs win, but it isn’t by more than three touchdowns.

Georgia 34, South Carolina 17

Wake Forest v. No. 3 Notre Dame (-14.5) - 3:30 PM EST - NBC

The Demon Deacons are certainly battle tested as they head into South Bend for Saturday’s matchup with Notre Dame. Over their last three games, Wake Forest has taken on Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Louisville. Quarterback John Wolford has impressed this year, totaling 21 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

Not like they need it, but Notre Dame will have a bit of an advantage on Saturday, as defensive coordinator Mike Elko held the same position at Wake Forest the previous three seasons. Running back Josh Adams is putting together a Heisman worthy season so far, rushing for 1,169 yards and nine touchdowns through eight games.

I like what Wake Forest has done so far this season, but I think the spotlight here might be a little too big. The best way to put a scare into Notre Dame is to slow down their running game, but I just don’t see the Demon Deacons being able to stop Adams and quarterback Brandon Wimbush.

Notre Dame 38, Wake Forest 20

No. 4 Clemson (-7.5) v. No. 20 NC State - 3:30 PM EST - ABC

Last week, NC State was terrible in South Bend against Notre Dame. Not only did the Wolfpack lose 35-14 to the Fighting Irish, but quarterback Ryan Finley threw his first interception of the season.

Following their loss to Syracuse a few weeks ago, Clemson got back to work last week after their bye week with a 24-10 win over Georgia Tech. I’m still not sure if the Tigers are as good as many people think they are though.

I’m calling the upset here. I like Bradley Chubb and the Wolfpack defense to get after Kelly Bryant. NC State rebounds from their loss to Notre Dame in a big way by knocking Clemson out of the College Football Playoff picture.

NC State 24, Clemson 21

No. 15 Iowa State v. West Virginia (-2.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN2

Iowa State continues to be the surprise of the college football season. Last week the Cyclones upset TCU in Ames to secure their fourth win in a row. How much longer will the magic last for Matt Campbell’s team? I’m not convinced it’ll be much longer.

Had it not been for the four interceptions Will Grier threw last week, West Virginia might have beaten Oklahoma State. Even with all the turnovers, the Mountaineers still only lost by 11. Last week was the first time this year in which Grier failed to throw for at least 300 yards.

Iowa State will give it all they got, but it won’t be enough as West Virginia and Grier get back on track after last week’s loss to Oklahoma State.

West Virginia 38, Iowa State 31

No. 21 Stanford v. No. 25 Washington State (-2.5) - 3:30 PM EST - FOX

We saw last week just how important Bryce Love is to Stanford. The Cardinal almost lost to Oregon State last week without Love. It sounds like Love is on track to play this weekend.

The top of the Pac-12 North could be decided in the next two weeks. The Cardinal are tied with Washington at the top, with Washington State sitting a game behind. Next week Stanford hosts Washington, so a couple wins could secure Stanford’s spot in the Pac-12 title game.

I’m not exactly sure what Mike Leach is doing at quarterback. Last week Leach benched Luke Falk in the loss to Arizona, but Falk will get the start this week. I’m just wondering if Leach has his eye on where he might be coaching next year instead of the team he is coaching right now. Love returns from injury and posts some more huge numbers in a Stanford win.

Stanford 34, Washington State 24

No. 5 Oklahoma v. No. 11 Oklahoma State (-3) - 4:00 PM EST - FS1

Bedlam has largely been dominated by Oklahoma since 2000, with the Sooners winning 13 of the 17 games played during that span. This year’s edition of the rivalry will have plenty at stake, with the loser being eliminated from College Football Playoff contention.

This game will be all about the quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph have combined for 56 total touchdowns this year and just eight interceptions. The winner of this game could very well secure themselves a spot in New York City in December as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

There should be plenty of points scored in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon. I like Oklahoma a little more, but that’s mostly because Oklahoma State has made me look like a fool on numerous occasions this year. Of course since I’m picking the Sooners here, I’m sure Oklahoma State is a lock now to win.

Oklahoma 41, Oklahoma State 34

Texas v. No. 8 TCU (-7) - 7:15 PM EST - ESPN

Now that TCU has lost for the first time this season, how many losses will follow? I wasn’t all that impressed with TCU when they were undefeated, and I’m still not. I think Texas can slow down Kenny Hill.

The Longhorns sound like they are starting to get healthier at least. Sam Ehlinger didn’t play last week due to a concussion, but it’s possible he plays this week. Even if he doesn’t, the Longhorns still have Shane Buechele at quarterback. It won’t matter who starts for Texas, as they beat TCU by a field goal either way.

Texas 27, TCU 24

No. 19 LSU v. No. 2 Alabama (-21) - 8:00 PM EST - CBS

The last time a game in this rivalry was decided by more than 21 points was back in 2002. While Alabama has been destroying their opponents this year, at least LSU will have a solid defense to take into the battle with the Crimson Tide.

I feel like after the embarrassing loss to Troy earlier in the year, LSU has found their footing over the past few games. The Tigers will lose their seventh straight to Alabama, but at least they’ll be able to score a couple times against the Crimson Tide.

Alabama 31, LSU 14

No. 13 Virginia Tech (-3) v. No. 10 Miami (FL) - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

Either this week or next week Miami is going to finally lose a game, and I’m thinking they suffer their first loss sooner rather than later. Mark Richt has Miami ahead of schedule as he tries to rebuild the football program, but their luck finally runs out.

Quarterbacks Josh Jackson and Malik Rosier have similar numbers on the season, with both throwing for 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions. I just feel like Miami is so much more beaten up that Virginia Tech right now. The Hokies are the most complete team Miami has played this year, and it’ll show on the scoreboard on Saturday night.

Virginia Tech 31, Miami 21

No. 22 Arizona v. No. 17 USC (-7) - 10:45 PM EST - ESPN

This game has nothing to do with the College Football Playoff picture, but it’s likely going to be a very fun way to end what could be the most entertaining Saturday of the college football season so far.

Quarterback Khalil Tate has burst onto the scene for Arizona, throwing for six touchdowns and adding nearly 900 yards rushing and eight touchdowns over the last four games. It looks like RichRod has found the next mobile quarterback to thrive under his tutelage, following in the footsteps of Pat White and Denard Robinson.

Tate has been awesome over the past four games, but I’m not sold on the rest of the Arizona team. The Wildcats still have a putrid defense, as they have allowed at least 30 points in each conference game this year. Sam Darnold and the rest of the talented USC offense are able to put up some big numbers on the Wildcats and slow Tate enough to win by a couple touchdowns.

USC 42, Arizona 27

Continue reading...

Iowa’s Nate Stanley will keep the Hawkeyes competitive against Ohio State in Week 10
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The quarterback seems to always make the correct play.

Nate Stanley is smart with the football, he takes care of the ball and takes what the defense gives him. Nate Stanley is the prototypical Iowa Hawkeye quarterback.

I mean, look at this play against Iowa State:


Iowa came out in a double tight end set on second-and-ten. The flexed tight end ran the outside linebacker out of the play, while the tight end on the line of scrimmage blocked down on the defensive end. The other two linebackers flowed away from the play due to the play-action, and the tight end released from his block into the flat. Stanley faced pressure but threw the ball accurately to his tight end, who rumbled down the sideline to the end zone.

When re-watching Iowa’s big win over current No. 15 Iowa State, it’s clear Iowa is still very much Iowa.

The Hawkeyes run the ball 56-percent of the time (Ohio State has a 52:48 run:pass ratio). They have a solid run game with Akrum Wadley that sets up play-action. Stanley utilizes his tight ends Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson better than just about any other quarterback. Most importantly, Stanley takes what the defense gives him, finds the open receiver and throws an accurate football — completing a season-best 65.9-percent of his passes vs the Cyclones.

This isn’t the flashiest play of the afternoon, but Stanley showed some poise in the pocket while facing a rush. He stood his ground and delivered a strike to Fant, to move the chains on third down with two minutes remaining.


Stanley drove his team down the field to tie the game and send it to overtime. He relied on his tight ends and Wadley, who took a pass from Stanley and found the end zone on a brilliant individual effort. Stanley then hit his receiver in overtime to win the game and defeat the Cyclones.

The talent discrepancy between the Buckeyes and Iowa is more than evident. However, they’re well-coached and they can play with just about anyone. They defeated No. 15 Iowa State in Ames, IA, lost a heart breaker to Penn State, and fell to Michigan State in East Lansing by a score.

Ohio State’s talent will be the difference in the game, but don’t be surprised if Stanley tests the linebackers and secondary in coverage if he gets the time to do so. If they can control the clock and play sound defense, they should keep it competitive.


Continue reading...