Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes open practice doors for students - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes open practice doors for students
The Columbus Dispatch
About 100 of Ohio State's most-devoted men's basketball fans got one of the best early looks at Chris Holtmann's program of the entire preseason Wednesday evening. For about an hour, students who found their way to Value City Arena were treated to ...
The Ohio State Buckeyes ink four commits on signing day of the ...247Sports
Luther Muhammad signs letter of intent with Ohio StateLand-Grant Holy Land
Men's basketball: Chris Holtmann locks down first nationally recognized recruiting class with Ohio StateOSU - The Lantern
Scout
all 17 news articles »

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Buckeyes, Cadets set for playoff clash - Athens Messenger
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes, Cadets set for playoff clash
Athens Messenger
Nelsonville-York's Colt Yinger (15) runs toward the end zone during a game at Athens. The Buckeyes are 11-0, and travel to New Lexington for a regional semifinal against Fort Frye (10-1). Messenger photo by Louise Fish. NELSONVILLE — The ...


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Wojo's Pigskin Picks: Dantonio in Buckeyes' way again - The Detroit News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Wojo's Pigskin Picks: Dantonio in Buckeyes' way again
The Detroit News
Once again, in the chill of November, bitter rivals from neighboring states will renew old grudges and battle for supremacy of the storied Big Ten. Once again, as the late-autumn winds stir, the behemoths will clash, history will shudder, and ...
Late in season, Buckeyes remain a mysteryToledo Blade
Ohio State football podcast: Buckeyes' leadership will be tested Saturday against SpartansLandof10.com
Michigan State Spartans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes: What you need to knowWDIV Detroit
The State News -MLive.com
all 381 news articles »

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Ohio State football: How many carries will Buckeyes give running backs against Michigan State? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: How many carries will Buckeyes give running backs against Michigan State?
Landof10.com
All week long, our Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes will address 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.

and more »

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Kurelic: Tennessee commit thinking OSU; Meyer goes for DB - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Tennessee commit thinking OSU; Meyer goes for DB
247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a scholarship to Horn relatively early and at one-time Horn named a Top 7 of Ohio State, Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Wake Forest. However, in late August Horn announced a commitment to the ...


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Anyone have any recommendations/experience with smart thermostats of locks? I'm in Florida and can have big differences in room temps depending on sun exposure, so I've read things about the Ecobee being able to adjust.

Any suggestions would be great!

Ohio State recruiting: Chris Olave ready for official visit, Buckeyes impress John Olmstead and more - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Chris Olave ready for official visit, Buckeyes impress John Olmstead and more
Landof10.com
The Mission Hills (San Marcos) star receiver, ranked as a 3-star prospect despite offers from Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Utah and Arizona, among others, is taking his first official visit with the Buckeyes. It's a good opportunity for the now very ...

and more »

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Ohio State has to find a way to get more carries for running back J.K. Dobbins
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It is inexcusable the talented freshman running back has received just 19 carries over the past two weeks.

“We’ll fight hard to get him going. He’s been great, and going forward, yeah, we’ve got to get him carries. Go to. But I don’t think we can force it either. We can’t be stubborn about it. But he’s a special player, special kid, and we’re not trying to take the air out of his ball.”

-Ohio State offensive coordinator on running back J.K. Dobbins via Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group


After Ohio State losses there seems to be a common theme: The running backs don’t get the ball enough. It happened following the 2015 loss to Michigan State when Ezekiel Elliott didn’t get enough carries. Last year after the Penn State loss when Curtis Samuel was largely invisible. Now after Saturday’s loss to Iowa, it is inexcusable J.K. Dobbins only carried the football six times.

Would Ohio State have beaten Iowa had Dobbins saw more than six carries? Unlikely, since Iowa played so well, but it could have at least given the Buckeyes a better shot at keeping the game close. Among freshmen, Dobbins is currently leading the nation with 7.7 yards per carry, making him a threat to take it to the house on every carry.

Some of the reasoning why Dobbins has seen just 19 carries over the past two weeks is because of the style Ohio State plays on offense. With the run-pass option, sometimes defenses key-in on Dobbins, which leaves quarterback J.T. Barrett to think the better option is for him to keep the football. Even with defenses trying to take Dobbins away, at some point you have to trust the youngster to use his elusiveness to make a play.

There isn’t just one person who can be blamed for why Dobbins isn’t getting the football enough. Everyone from Kevin Wilson to running backs coach Tony Alford, to Barrett have a part in this. With the dreams of a College Football Playoff gone, Ohio State should let Dobbins shoulder more of the load the rest of the season, to see what they have in the running back going forward.

“After you force as many turnovers as we did last year, teams are going to make sure they’re securing the ball. They’re going to make that an emphasis.”

-Ohio State linebacker Chris Worley via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Last year it seemed like whenever Ohio State needed a big play on defense they were able to force a turnover. A big reason why the Buckeyes have struggled more on defense this year is that they haven’t been able to force a fumble or interception when needed. This year Ohio State has forced seven interceptions and recovered six fumbles. Through nine games last year, Ohio State had 14 interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

One of the biggest reasons turnovers are down for the Ohio State defense this year is because they don’t have players like Malik Hooker, Gareon Conley, and Marshon Lattimore in the secondary. Hooker’s range and ball skills are rarely seen in the college game, which helped to inflate the turnover numbers. Hooker had three touchdowns on interceptions last year, while this year Ohio State hasn’t returned a single interception for a touchdown, yet.

While head coach Urban Meyer wants the Ohio State defense to recognize they need to force more turnovers, he also doesn’t want his defense to press for them. If the Buckeyes start trying to force more turnovers, they might start missing tackles and allowing even more big plays. Ohio State has the talent to start forcing more turnovers, and this week against a tough Michigan State team, would be a good place to start.

“The first time I put on the Buckeye uniform, it was a little different. I think that’s when it really hit that I was actually an Ohio State Buckeye.”

-Ohio State graduate transfer Andrew Dakich via Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors


There have been plenty of changes in the Ohio State basketball program as the Buckeyes get ready to tip off their regular season tomorrow, but one of the most noticeable changes has been the transfer of Andrew Dakich into the Ohio State program. The reason why Dakich’s move as a graduate transfer to Columbus has been highlighted is because of where he came from.

Dakich was a walk-on at Michigan, but didn’t see a whole lot of time on the court as a member of the Maize and Blue. The son of ESPN announcer Dan Dakich saw the height of his playing time in Ann Arbor come during the 2014-15 season, when he averaged 5.8 minutes per game. Last year, Dakich redshirted so he would be able to preserve his graduate transfer status.

Originally Dakich was considering a transfer to Butler, but when head coach Chris Holtmann moved to Ohio State to take over as head coach following the dismissal of Thad Matta, Dakich decided Columbus was the place for him. Huge minutes aren’t expected for the guard this year, but his veteran leadership should help immensely on a team that is trying to find its footing under their new head coach.

The best part of Dakich moving to Ohio State, it forced him to clean out his closet of all that ugly Michigan gear.

“You know, Adolphus has gotten better. We’re improving in that area, and you just got to remember he’s coming off a year last year where he was a rookie. Now he’s into his second year and I’ve seen the arrow moving in the right direction at this point.”

-Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott on former Ohio State defensive tackle Adolphus Washington via Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle


After an offseason where Adolphus Washington faced some turmoil following a July arrest on a weapons charge, the former Ohio State defensive tackle is finding his way in his second season in the NFL. Washington was acquitted of the weapons charge in late August, and is having a strong season for the improving Buffalo Bills.

Last year Washington was drafted in the third round by the Bills, but he knew he wasn’t going to see a lot of early playing time with Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus ahead of him on the depth chart. With Williams heading into the later stages of his career, and Dareus recently having been traded to Jacksonville, Washington has had a lot of faith placed in him by the Bills.

Under the tutelage of Williams, as well as longtime NFL defensive line coach Mike Waufle, Washington is realizing the potential that led the Bills to take him in last season’s draft. Waufle was able to correct an issue Washington had where he wasn’t being physical enough with blockers. Since the change, Washington has been a different player.

Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs in nearly two decades, but at 5-3 they find themselves in the middle of the playoff hunt in the AFC. They are going to need Washington to continue playing at a high level as the Bills are trying to change a losing culture in Buffalo. The addition of a player who played within a culture of winning under Urban Meyer at Ohio State definitely won’t hurt.

STICK TO SPORTS

• I swear BLunch wasn’t the creation of your favorite B-Leez, but you should still check out the Clintonville breakfast/lunch spot.
• A bunch of Ohio State students have been caught cheating using the social media app “GroupMe”.
• There are a few new entries in the Toy Hall of Fame.
• Whisky Me is a subscription service in the U.K. where whisky is sent monthly in Capri Sun-style pouches. Hopefully a U.S. version is on the way soon.
• Some of Walmart’s Black Friday deals have been announced.

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Late in season, Buckeyes remain a mystery - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Late in season, Buckeyes remain a mystery
Toledo Blade
Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker celebrates stopping Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley in the Buckeyes' win against the Nittany Lions on Oct. 28. The 2017 Buckeyes are the first team in school history to beat a top-3 opponent and lose by 30 or ...
Ohio State football podcast: Buckeyes' leadership will be tested Saturday against SpartansLandof10.com
Ohio-born Spartans head home with plenty to prove against BuckeyesMLive.com
Know Thy Enemy: Sparty vs. Buckeyes for No. 1 atop the Big Ten EastThe State News
WDIV Detroit -Lansing State Journal
all 335 news articles »

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Parris Campbell felt 'helpless' last week; is 'hungry' to return - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Parris Campbell felt 'helpless' last week; is 'hungry' to return
247Sports
The Buckeyes starting H-Back did not travel to Iowa last weekend after two consecutive games where he was, what Meyer called, "dinged up" early in the contests. On Wednesday, Campbell confirmed that he had a head injury (and according to teammate ...


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Michigan State is well-built to upset Ohio State
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Lewerke’s efficiency and their defense’s strong run-stopping are a dangerous combination for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is in a must-win position against Michigan State as the two teams are essentially playing a Big Ten East championship game.

And in a lot of ways, despite the huge Vegas line favoring the Buckeyes, the Spartans are well-built to get the upset.


So how good are the Spartans? The rank just ahead of Ohio State in the College Football Playoff rankings, but still significantly behind in the S&P+. From Bill’s post on the Big Ten race:


So turnovers have played a significant role in the Spartans wins — but that shouldn’t be too comforting for Ohio State fans given their specific strengths and weaknesses.

Vegas favors Ohio State by a 15.5 point margin, which seems absurd on the face of it. But the raw statistics really love Ohio State because the Buckeyes’ best is the best in the country. The problem is that their floor, which we (hopefully) saw last Saturday in Kinnick Stadium, is just top-30, not top-4.

A few other notes:

• Ohio State’s average turnover margin per game has been steadily declining. Ohio State ranks 61st at just +.11/game on the year after ranking 3rd at +1.15/game last year.
• Kickoffs could be an issue, again. Michigan State ranks fifth in the country in kickoff return success rate
• Sometimes the more turnover, the better the end result. Michigan State had an insanely low percentage of returning production (116th and 107th), but appears to be better off for it.

When Ohio State has the ball


Before getting in to the specific matchup, it’s worth noting that Ohio State’s offense was not the problem in the loss to Iowa, but there were certainly some important issues that Iowa’s top-20 defense revealed: responding to defenses that take away intermediate throws, force Barrett to keep in the zone-read run game, and what happens with penalties or after offensive line injuries.

Michigan State’s defense is much-improved from last year, when they ranked 41st in the defensive S&P+ -- they’re up to 9th now, and particularly excel in stopping the run. Where Iowa was ranked poorly in run defense heading in to last week’s game, and stronger against the pass, the Spartans’ strengths are flipped, ranking 6th in rushing S&P+, but 38th in passing S&P+. Like Iowa, they prevent big plays (7th in overall IsoPPP+) but they’re much worse at finishing drives, allowing an average of 4.22 points per opponent scoring opportunity (51st).

Interestingly, while they are one of the best defenses in the country at preventing runs of 5+ yards (6th, or 31.1% of runs), their run defense isn’t built so much on making plays in the backfield, ranking just 43rd in stuff rate. In fact, the defense’s success as a whole isn’t built on making havoc plays, ranking 49th in overall havoc and 71st in defensive line havoc.

So that gives us two big questions:

1. Can Ohio State run on Michigan State? This is the best run defense the Buckeyes will have seen this season. They held Saquon Barkley to 14 carries for 63 yards last week. And if the Spartans win the battle up front, how will the offense respond if forced to rely on the pass? Meyer and Wilson also mentioned ways to increase the running back’s success rate on read-based runs. That suggests we might see more dart runs or RPO variations, as well as potentially some non-read running back runs as well.
2. Can Ohio State exploit the Spartans’ relative weakness against the pass? At 38th in passing S&P+, the Spartans are still a good pass defense, but they allow a relatively high percentage of successful shorter completions. They allowed 368 yards on 50 attempts (7.4 yards per attempt) to Northwestern, then 401 yards (8.4 yards per attempt) last week to Trace McSorley. Opposing offenses have keyed on the Spartans’ pass defense, throwing on 49.9% of standard downs -- which is the 5th-most in the country. All week we’ve talked about J.K. Dobbins getting the ball more — and Urban mentioned that it would be a point of emphasis this week after practice. But we should be prepared for a pass-heavy attack nevertheless, because that’s what is likely to be effective against the Michigan State defense.

When Michigan State has the ball


The Spartans don’t have the most elite offense the Buckeyes’ have seen this year, but they do have one well-positioned to take advantage of Ohio State’s weaknesses — similar to Iowa. The similarities are clear: the Spartans offense ranks 101st in rushing S&P+, but third in the country in passing S&P+ behind Brian Lewerke.

Lewerke’s stats don’t jump off the page immediately: 2,207 passing yards, 6.5 yards per attempt, five interceptions. But his passing success rate is 44.9%, which is 26th in the country, and they’ve faced a number of solid defenses. In the past two games against Northwestern and Penn State, Lewerke has thrown for 845 yards and over 7 yards per attempt. He’s had over 53 attempts three times this year.

Part of the reason for going so pass-heavy has to do with the poor run game. Not only are they 101st in rushing S&P+ overall, but they allow run stuffs on over a quarter of runs, ranking fourth-to-last in the country in stuff rate. Ohio State’s defense ranks 7th in the country in forcing run stuff. So you’d expect the Spartans offense to be completely one dimensional — but that’s also what should have happened last week, as well. But Ohio State’s defense, and linebackers specifically, failed to fill gaps behind the defensive line’s slants, and seemed unsure who had pursuit and coverage responsibilities. Michigan State undoubtedly seeks to take advantage of Ohio State’s defense in a similar way. If the defense allows the Spartans to have a steady run game in addition to a likely-efficient passing day, then it’s likely to be another long afternoon for Greg Schiano’s defense.

Given how much the numbers favor Ohio State’s run defense and don’t favor its pass defense, any schematic or execution issues for the run defense will likely be devastating.

Spartans tight end Matt Sokol is the fourth-most targeted player in the passing game, but he still only has 16 catches and 166 total receiving yards this year, while LJ Scott has 15 catches for 91 yards. Michigan State will likely try to use motions and shifts to create advantageous matchups with tight ends and running backs on Ohio State’s linebackers, as the linebacker corps hasn’t shown much improvement in pass coverage responsibilities since getting exposed against Oklahoma.

Assuming that Ohio State’s run defense corrects the most glaring issues from a week ago and realizes their statistical advantage in run defense, then even a steadily efficient passing game should be slowed in the red zone, where the Spartans average just 3.94 points per scoring opportunity, which is 105th in the country. Field goals should be the name of the game. Expect to see a fair number of third-down conversions, as they rank 3rd in passing downs S&P+ despite being fifth-worst overall in passing downs line yards per carry (which means that nearly all of that late-down success is due Lewerke and not the running backs).

Takeaways

1. The Spartans defense excels against the run, ranking 6th in rushing S&P+. They don’t make a ton of tackles for loss, but they also limit big gains.
2. Their relative defensive weakness is against the pass, ranking 38th, and 48th in passing success rate. The Spartans defense is very similar to Ohio State’s in that it intends to stop the run first, can allow efficient passers, but still rarely allows big pass plays.
3. Brian Lewerke is up there with Baker Mayfield and Trace McSorley in terms of passing threats. But while Lewerke may not be as dynamic as Mayfield or as deep ball-ready as McSorley, he has shown the ability to be efficient, potentially like Richard Lagow and Nate Stanley were. Lewerke leads the third-best passing offense overall and on passing downs.
4. Ohio State should have a huge advantage stopping the Spartans ground game (5th vs. 101st in rushing S&P+), but they should have been able to stop Iowa too, who has similar problems as the Spartans (127th in stuff rate). If this advantage isn’t realized, then the Buckeyes have big problems.
5. There are a number of less-quantifiable factors that could affect the game. Mark Dantonio has taken statistically inferior teams toe-to-tow with Meyer’s, forcing games decided by three points or less in four of the last six years. We’re also not sure where Ohio State’s mindset is now that their playoff hopes are almost assuredly gone.

Picks

• S&P+: Ohio State 33, Michigan State 19. 78.2% win probability
• F/+: Ohio State by 7.9. 67.6% win probability
• Adj. S&P+: Ohio State by 30.3 (!). 96% win probability
• My pick: Ohio State 31, Michigan State 28

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Reliving Holy Buckeye 15 years later - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Reliving Holy Buckeye 15 years later
247Sports
This time it was Purdue and the Buckeyes trailed 6-3 with just under two minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The team was without wide receiver Chris Vance, who was attending his brother's funeral, and star running back Maurice Clarett, who was ...


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Michigan State looks to continue their history of making Ohio State uncomfortable
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Hangout in the Holyland previews Ohio State’s annual trip to the Dantonio Dental practice.

You’d be hard pressed to find a more even series in the last half decade of college football than Ohio State-Michigan State.

Since 2011, the teams have played six times, each winning three games, with the Spartans holding a narrow 130-128 edge in total points. Regardless of the quality of Mark Dantonio’s squad, one thing is certain each year: They’re going play Ohio State closer than any other team in the Big Ten. Don’t expect that to change on Saturday.

On this episode of The Hangout in the Holy Land, Matt Brown and Colton Denning agonize over Saturday’s game, and talk about why Michigan State reminds them of a trip to the dentist, plus many other topics, including:

• Whether this is the first true “make or break” game of the Urban Meyer era.
• Praying Ohio State doesn’t give up a touchdown in the the first 10 seconds of game time for the third week in a row.
• Previewing the huge slate of Week 11 games around college football, and more!

Matt also shares a great story about a random encounter he had with another Ohio State fan, and drops some good news about his upcoming book signings in Ohio and New York City

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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Georgia travels to Auburn in Week 11’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


The Bulldogs will look to stay undefeated at Auburn, while Top 10 clashes between TCU-Oklahoma and Notre Dame-Miami round out the schedule

Last week ATS: 7-10 (6-4 National, 1-6 B1G)

Season ATS: 65-71-3 (28-29-1 National, 37-42-2 B1G)

Another ugly week for MC&J last week. Thankfully there was some success found in the national games to help offset a terrible week of Big Ten picks.

National games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


No. 9 Washington (-6) v. Stanford - Friday 11/10 10:30 PM EST - FS1

Washington has a lot of pressure on them, as they are the Pac-12’s last hope at making the College Football Playoff. The Huskies have shrugged off the loss to Arizona State a few weeks ago, and has looked impressive in wins over UCLA and Oregon the past two weeks.

All Stanford really has is Bryce Love, and even the running back might not be enough to propel the Cardinal to victory. Last week Love had a 52-yard run against Washington State, but aside from the big touchdown run, he only gained 17 yards on his other 15 carries in the loss to the Cougars.

I’m just trying to figure out how Stanford is going to move the football in this one. The Huskies are stout against the run, and they’ll be able to focus on shutting down Love since the Cardinal don’t have much to offer. Washington makes a statement in a tough road game where they need to impress.

Washington 31, Stanford 20

No. 15 Oklahoma State (-7) v. No. 21 Iowa State - 12:00 PM EST - ABC/ESPN2

For once I was on the right side of a Oklahoma State game, so I’m probably pushing my luck expecting to be right two weeks in a row when it comes to the Cowboys. Imagine throwing for 448 yards and five touchdowns and still losing by 10 points. That was Mason Rudolph last Saturday.

I really do feel like Iowa State has peaked. They have put up just 30 points in the last two weeks, and last week they saw their four-game winning streak snapped in the 20-16 loss to West Virginia.

With games against Baylor and Kansas State still on tap, the Cyclones still probably got a couple wins left on their regular season schedule, but they just don’t have the firepower to keep up with Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Cowboys bounce back from their Bedlam loss quickly.

Oklahoma State 45, Iowa State 31

No. 1 Georgia (-3) v. No. 10 Auburn - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

Saturday will be the 121st edition of the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry”. Auburn will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Georgia, and throw a wrench into the College Football Playoff chances.

After feasting on lesser teams for most of the season, Georgia will see the temperature turn up as the head to Auburn. Three of the last four meetings between the schools have been decided by a touchdown or less, and it looks like another close matchup is on tap.

I feel like Auburn might be the right team to hand Georgia their first loss of the season. The Tigers have a strong defense, a solid quarterback in Jarrett Stidham, and an explosive running back in Kerryon Johnson. The crowd at Jordan-Hare will also be rocking after Auburn has played their last three games on the road.

Auburn 24, Georgia 21

Florida State v. No. 4 Clemson (-16) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN

I have no idea how Florida State is going to find points against one of the best defenses in the country. Running back Cam Akers has put together a solid season in his freshman year for the Seminoles, but there hasn’t been much more of note for Florida State since Deondre Francois went down in the season opener.

Clemson puts together their most complete game of the season, and puts the rest of the college football world on notice with an impressive win over Florida State. The pressure the Tigers create forces quarterback James Blackman into a few turnovers, which Clemson turns into easy points as the Tigers add to Jimbo Fisher’s woes.

Clemson 37, Florida State 14

No. 2 Alabama (-14) v. No. 16 Mississippi State - 7:00 PM EST - ESPN

Alabama has won nine straight games against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have scored at least 10 points in just two of those games. Don’t overthink this one. Alabama stays undefeated as their suffocating defense puts the clamps on Nick Fitzgerald and the Mississippi State offense.

Alabama 34, Mississippi State 10

No. 3 Notre Dame (-3.5) v. No. 7 Miami (FL) - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

After Notre Dame struggled through a 4-8 season last year, and numerous false starts of Miami finally being back, this rivalry finally means something again. Instead of “Catholics vs. Convicts”, this year’s edition will go a long way in determining who might be a part of the College Football Playoff.

The biggest deciding factor in this game will be who is better at stopping the run. Miami has struggled at times this year against the run, and if they aren’t at the top of their game, Notre Dame running back Josh Adams will run wild.

On the opposite side of the football, Miami will need quarterback Malik Rosier and running back Travis Homer to find first downs to keep the Miami defense off the field and fresh. After feeling like Miami was a fraud for most of the season, I have finally come around on the Hurricanes. Mark Richt’s team has been great in close games this year, and that run continues on Saturday night.

Miami (FL) 27, Notre Dame 24

No. 6 TCU v. No. 5 Oklahoma (-7) - 8:00 PM EST - FOX

It looked like all was lost earlier in the year when the Sooners lost to Iowa State. Luckily for Lincoln Riley some major chaos has already happened in the college football world, along with Oklahoma taking care of business since then. Last week Baker Mayfield put a serious jolt into his Heisman Trophy campaign with a tremendous performance in a 62-52 win over Oklahoma State.

TCU was able to rebound from a loss to Iowa State two weeks ago with a 24-7 win over Texas. The Horned Frogs have a great defense, but I’m still not completely sold on them. Mayfield won’t put up the numbers he did in Bedlam, but he’ll have a strong enough game to help Oklahoma win comfortably. Kenny Hill and company just don’t have enough to keep pace with the Sooners in Norman.

Oklahoma 38, TCU 24

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50 straight starts at Ohio State? Iron Buckeyes Billy Price, Luke Fickell share their secrets - Austin American-Statesman
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


50 straight starts at Ohio State? Iron Buckeyes Billy Price, Luke Fickell share their secrets
Austin American-Statesman
Down the road in Cincinnati, former Ohio State standout defensive lineman Luke Fickell will be watching and waiting to send him a message of congratulations for breaking a record that has stood since he ran out of eligibility in 1996. Only those two ...


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Dot Commentary: Who is the Big Ten basketball sleeper team?
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network

The Dot Commentary topic shifts to hoops with basketball season set to get underway Friday. So we ask, who is a potential sleeper in the Big Ten?

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Michigan State’s Brian Lewerke will look to take advantage of Ohio State’s leaky secondary
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Is Sparty a pass-first team?!

The Ohio State defense is going to have their hands full. Again.

The 2017 Michigan State offense is unlike any other Spartans’ offense that we’ve seen under Mark Dantonio. In Brian Lewerke’s nine starts this season, he has attempted 50(!) -plus passes three times — including his most recent two games.

In their most recent upset win over Penn State, Lewerke completed 33-of-56 pass attempts for 400 yards and two touchdowns. Nope, those numbers are not a typo. In the game prior, against Northwestern, Lewerke completed 39-of-57 attempts for 445 yards and four touchdowns. Is Mike Leach the new offensive coordinator in East Lansing? What’s going on there?

Strangely enough for a Dantonio-led squad, Michigan State uses the passing game like the run game against teams that they believe they can move the ball on through the air. In those two games, running back LJ Scott only carried the ball 22 times total for 59 yards.

After breaking down the susceptible Ohio State linebackers and safeties on film, one would expect Lewerke to air it out early and often against the Buckeyes. What’s scary is that Lewerke is more talented than Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley and he possesses all the traits to light up the back seven.

Let’s break down Lewerke’s pass-happy win over the Nittany Lions.

• The offensive line started strong, but began to wear down as the game went along. Even though they let up nine pressures, it did come on 65 dropbacks, which certainly puts things into perspective.
• Although WR Felton Davis (#18) is Lewerke’s No. 1 target, he does a good job of spreading the ball around. Early on against Penn State, he was picking apart the seams — which is a serious weakness of the Ohio State secondary.

• Penn State dialed up a few blitzes from the safety spot and off the edge. Lewerke made them pay every single time by quickly identifying the blitz and hitting the hot read.

• Although most of Lewerke’s pass attempts were to the short and intermediate areas of the field, he showed terrific touch and accuracy on his deep ball touchdown. He put it over the corner and just out of the safety’s range — resulting in six.

• When facing pressure, Lewerke does a good job of moving in the pocket to buy extra time, while keeping his eyes downfield. On this play, he feels the pressure coming from the blindside and doesn’t panic. He then lofted the ball to a spot where only his receiver could make a play on the football. With only nine starts under his belt, he possesses pretty good awareness and poise in the pocket.

• Lastly, Lewerke is clutch. Staring at a third down and the defense bringing the heat, the quarterback remained poise in the pocket while he surveyed the field. Then hit rolled out to the right to avoid a rusher and fired the ball to the only place where only his receiver could make a play on the football. This conversion led to the game-tying field goal.

If the back-seven didn’t get it fixed in the film room over the past few days, it’s going to be a long day for the Buckeyes. With the defense susceptible to the pass more than the run, expect Lewerke to air it out and rack up some serious yardage.

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Ohio State football podcast: Buckeyes' leadership will be tested Saturday against Spartans - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football podcast: Buckeyes' leadership will be tested Saturday against Spartans
Landof10.com
On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb looks ahead to the showdown Saturday between Ohio State and Michigan State and explains that it's the Buckeyes' leadership, not talent or scheme, that could define how the rest of the season plays out. Also discussed on ...
Ohio-born Spartans head home with plenty to prove against BuckeyesMLive.com
Know Thy Enemy: Sparty vs. Buckeyes for No. 1 atop the Big Ten EastThe State News
Three Buckeyes selected in Sports Illustrated's latest mock draft; JT Barrett up for another award: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com
Record-Courier -News-Herald.com
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To spread the credit around when due, Seth McFarland hates Fredo too.

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9 Ohio State players on Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This could be another big year for Buckeyes heading to the NFL, and the first stop is the Senior Bowl.

The 2017 Ohio State football season didn’t go exactly as planned. Following their second-loss of the year, the national focus on the Buckeyes has shifted to the postseason, and the never-too-far-behind NFL draft. The first round of invitations for the 2018 Reese’s Senior Bowl have now been sent, and some might have gone to the nine Buckeyes listed on this year’s Watch List.



This year’s potential Senior Bowl stars include, J.T. Barrett, Marcus Baugh, Billy Price and Jamarco Jones on offense. And over on defense, you’ve got Michael Hill, Jalyn Holmes, Tyquan Lewis, Damon Webb and Chris Worley.

The Senior Bowl watch list contains 400 of the best FBS senior players in college football, and will be whittled down to 110 roster spots to fill the North and South squads. Typically, teams are coached by NFL organizations -- last year’s coaches and staff featured Hue Jackson and the Browns against John Fox and the Bears’ staff.

Fortunately, teams are split by region/conference, meaning that whichever Buckeyes end up getting a formal invitation -- and accepting it -- should all be lining up for the same team at least one more time before the end of their college careers. The Senior Bowl marks a great opportunity for players to gain some one-on-one time with coaches, which can create quite the ripple through the draft scouts should someone really stand out and impress.

It won’t just be these nine looking for a chance to take their talents to the pros. There’s another — rather long list — of 10-11 juniors and sophomores who could make the decision to declare early for the draft, and waive the remainder of their college eligibility. Those decisions among players, coaches and their families, likely haven’t been made yet, but having to no longer prep and plan for the CFP, means a few of those guys are starting to consider their options.

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Larry Johnson nominated for Broyles Award; Urban Meyer's son signs to play baseball at Cincinnati: Buckeye Breakfast - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Larry Johnson nominated for Broyles Award; Urban Meyer's son signs to play baseball at Cincinnati: Buckeye Breakfast
cleveland.com
Current OSU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson won while at Oklahoma in 2008, and Jim Heacock won in 2007 when he was the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator. Other notable nominees include Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, Penn State ...


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Can a healthy Keita Bates-Diop carry Ohio State basketball? Buckeyes season preview - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can a healthy Keita Bates-Diop carry Ohio State basketball? Buckeyes season preview
cleveland.com
There's not much else you can do while recovering from surgery as the Ohio State basketball season passes you by. The Buckeyes struggled last year. Bates-Diop sat on the bench. He thought about how he could have made a difference in a season that ...

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50 straight starts at Ohio State? Iron Buckeyes Billy Price, Luke Fickell share their secrets - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


50 straight starts at Ohio State? Iron Buckeyes Billy Price, Luke Fickell share their secrets
Landof10.com
Down the road in Cincinnati, former Ohio State standout defensive lineman Luke Fickell will be watching and waiting to send him a message of congratulations for breaking a record that has stood since he ran out of eligibility in 1996. Only those two ...


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Ohio-born Spartans head home with plenty to prove against Buckeyes - MLive.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio-born Spartans head home with plenty to prove against Buckeyes
MLive.com
His assistant coaching stops include Akron, Youngstown State and Ohio State, where he served as the defensive coordinator under Jim Tressel and helped the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2002. Dantonio then spent three seasons as the head ...
Three Buckeyes selected in Sports Illustrated's latest mock draft; JT Barrett up for another award: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com
Ohio State football: How can Buckeyes break out of big-game offensive funk?Landof10.com
Buckeyes-Spartans series always excitingRecord-Courier
AthlonSports.com -Hillsboro Times Gazette
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Watch: Meyer on Iowa foibles 'you have to be able to adjust' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Meyer on Iowa foibles 'you have to be able to adjust'
247Sports
Getting back to football, Meyer's Buckeyes will host Michigan State Saturday with first place in the Big Ten Eastern Division on the line (noon, FOX). “We have had a good week,” Meyer said. “It is all about practicing and getting ready for a good team.”.
Larry Johnson nominated for Broyles Award; Urban Meyer's son signs to play baseball at Cincinnati: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com
Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer Previews Saturday's Game Against Michigan State, Updates Status of Trevon GrimesEleven Warriors

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