I Got 5 on it: Maryland falls off Rainbow Road
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 Buckeyes finish up their Mushroom Cup series in style against the Terps.

Let’s get this out of the way to start this week’s I Got Five on it: Mario Kart 64 is the greatest video game ever made. I could spend the rest of this article arguing why, but others have already done it better than I can, so I’ll defer to them. All you need to know is that it’s the crown jewel of gaming. If you disagree, feel free to leave a comment and share the article with family and friends, so they can click on it, and also share with others how angry they are about it.

“But Colton, what does Mario Kart 64 have to do with Ohio State Football!?”, you ask. It has everything to do with Ohio State Football, especially during a week in which Ohio State plays a team whose mascot is a giant turtle.


PICTURED: MARYLAND AT OHIO STADIUM, TRYING TO TAKE SHORTCUTS

Maryland represents the last of Ohio State’s games in the Mushroom Cup portion of the Buckeyes’ schedule. If you aren’t aware, the Mushroom Cup is a collection of the easiest races in the game; essentially the cupcake races that warm you up for the harder cups on the schedule. (Rutgers is Moo Moo Farm, obviously.)

Ohio State is probably going to blowout Maryland tomorrow, just like they’ve done to their last three opponents, so let’s have some fun with this. Here are five things to look for tomorrow as the Buckeyes take on the Terps:

J.K. Dobbins doesn’t give a damn about your red shells


Sticking with the Mario Kart theme, here’s a preview of J.K. Dobbins in the open field against the Terrapins’ defense:



I’m not sure if Ohio State even needs to use a star against Maryland, but it’d probably be safer (and more legal) than trying to use any mushroom power-ups they find scattered on the field. Either way, expect Dobbins, Mike Weber, and the rest of the Ohio State ground game to have another big day.

Jalyn Holmes fills in for Dre’Mont Jones again


Jalyn Holmes is my favorite player for Ohio State. The senior from Norfolk, VA. has flown under the radar since he was a freshman in 2014, and has been their most underrated defender the past two seasons. Holmes doesn’t have jaw-dropping stats this year, (six tackles, two passes broken up) but does a little bit of everything. He’s also the most versatile player on the team. (He’s basically The Royal Raceway of Ohio State defenders).

With Dre’Mont Jones out again with a leg injury, Holmes will kick inside for the second straight week and man the defensive tackle spot. At 270 pounds, he isn’t a typical tackle, but has already proved effective there in the vaunted “rushmen” package, and has the speed and quickness to give guards fits inside. He’ll shift back to end next week when Jones returns, but take some time on Saturday to appreciate just how good Holmes is, while he’s kicking ass at a position he isn’t even supposed to be playing.

Chase Young is terrifying, and he’s only going to get better


Holmes’ move inside also means more playing time for Ohio State’s newest terror at defensive end, freshman Chase Young:



We should have known something was up when Young arrived at offseason camp looking like a created player straight out of NCAA Football 2007 (The second best video game of all time). Sure enough, he’s starting to make his mark defensively, notching four tackles —including two for a loss— against Rutgers to go along with his two tackles (0.5 for loss) against UNLV the week before.

Young should see plenty of time again this week, and Holmes’ move to tackle may mean that more of it comes against Maryland’s first string, rather than the clean-up work he got last week. With Nick Bosa, Sam Hubbard, and Tyquan Lewis still earning the majority of snaps, Young won’t crack the starting lineup anytime soon, but he’s quickly becoming a fearsome weapon for the Ohio State defense.

Don’t let Ty Johnson hit an item box


Getting back to Mario Kart, Maryland running back Ty Johnson runs like he has a golden mushroom perpetually at his disposal. Johnson already has four runs of 40-plus yards this season, and is averaging a gaudy 12.3 highlight yards per opportunity.


Poor Michigan

With Maryland down to their third string quarterback, Ohio State shouldn’t have to worry too much about getting beat through the air, but Johnson is as dangerous a runner as they’ll face this season — outside of Saquon Barkley.

UNLV’s Lexington Thomas is similarly explosive, and was able to rip off a couple of big runs on the Buckeyes two weeks ago, so I think it’s fair to assume that Johnson is going to hit the burners a few times. Limiting just how big those runs are will ultimately determine how Ohio State’s defense fares tomorrow.

Excessive juice


Limiting Johnson will also determine how often we see this on the broadcast:



Maryland’s “EXCESSIVE JUICE!” sign is one of the best things in college football this season, and belongs in the College Football Hall of Fame immediately. It also embodies the energy around the program right now. Just like a lightning in another racer’s item box, it’s the last thing you want to keep seeing if you’re their opponent.

After already beating Texas in Austin, I don’t think Maryland’s going to be all that fazed walking into Ohio Stadium tomorrow. It’s important that the Buckeyes get a jump on the Terps early, keep the “EXCESSIVE JUICE!” references to a minimum, and eliminate any possibility of an upset.

Establishing an early lead also means less of Johnson on the ground, and more of Maryland trying to keep up with a third-string quarterback against the Buckeyes’ nasty defensive line. If the Buckeyes can get out to a fast start, this game should be as easy as a drive through Rainbow Road.

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Reshuffling deck: Buckeyes' top 2019 targets - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Reshuffling deck: Buckeyes' top 2019 targets
247Sports
Bucknuts has reshuffled the list of the Buckeyes' top 2019 targets. There is still way over a year until National Signing Day 1019. But the Ohio State staff continues to work hard to finish off their 2018 recruiting class in spectacular style while ...


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Buckeyes vs. Machine: A Matchup of Ohio's Best This Weekend - US Lacrosse Magazine
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes vs. Machine: A Matchup of Ohio's Best This Weekend
US Lacrosse Magazine
"Between the success that both the Buckeyes and Machine have enjoyed this year, lacrosse in Ohio has never been stronger. For us, the fall is all about getting better, and having the chance to compete against the MLL champions and use MLL rules will ...


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Ohio State hockey preview: Who to watch and season projection
Matt Torino via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The preseason No. 19 ranked Buckeyes lost some top players and all their goalies, but look poised to stay competitive in 2017.

Ohio State’s 2017-18 hockey team lost two of its top three scorers, its top scoring defenseman and both of its top two goalies to graduation. And yet the team is still ranked in the preseason top 25 with a chance at having similar success as last year’s team. Based on last year’s shooting percentages, the talent leaving and whatever is going on in net, that may be, let’s say, optimistic. But there is still talent here.

The 2013-14 team lost Max McCormick and Ryan Dzingel and promptly fell to 13-18-3. That team lost a lot, but not significantly more than last year’s NCAA tournament appearing team did. Nick Schilkey, David Gust, Josh Healey and both goalies, Christian Frey and Matt Tomkins, have moved on to the professional ranks. And yet this team is still in the preseason top 25.

That speaks to the job Steve Rohlik has done bucking the Big Ten’s preferred recruiting method; bringing in only top one-(or two-)and-done kids, like Kyle Connor and Zach Werenski, for example. Rohlik has brought in unheralded but older recruits like Schilkey and Mason Jobst, the current leading scorer and captain. Schilkey wasn’t drafted and is now in the AHL while Jobst stands at 5’7, 170lbs. Not exactly a high draft pick’s pedigree you’d see at Minnesota or Michigan.

College hockey is a different beast with no age limit, really, on kids you bring in — 20 year olds, even if marginally less talented, can dominate younger studs. That’s how someone like Jobst can come in as a 21-year-old freshman and have ten more points last year than Clayton Keller (top NHL prospect) as a freshman for BU. Physical maturity, even if you’re not that big, just matters a lot in hockey and greatly evens the playing field between teams that can get the Kellers and Eichels of the world and the teams that have to find other ways to compete.

Look at the players on OSU’s roster now who have been drafted. Tanner Laczynski is a star and will probably be in the professional ranks next year. Dakota Joshua is one of the team’s best players and probable No. 2 center this year, but beyond them, it’s not too inspiring. Miguel Fidler has gained playing time but has 17 points in two years. And the rest have washed out.

And yet the roster is as talented as it’s ever been. Over the last two years, the team hasn’t even had a threat of anyone getting drafted besides Laczynski, who only blew up after getting picked and finding his way to the World Juniors.

The Forwards


It’s a team built on four-year players and they still have a majority of the ones they’ve brought in over the last few years. Jobst is somehow only a junior (at 23) and could easily reach 60 points this year even though he’s probably not going to get any more physically mature.

Matt Weis was a point per game player last season, with 31 in 32 games. Matt Miller could see a breakout this year as he came on toward the end of last year and only shot 7.4%. Laczynski could see a big increase in scoring if he can remain healthy throughout the year, as he only shot 10% last year, a lower number than you’d expect.

Joshua and Fidler will be expected to contribute more, with Schilkey and Gust departing, and they certainly have the talent to fill in that gap. John Wiitala could be a candidate to fill in for some of the lost scoring as he potted 10 without big minutes last year. Kevin Miller could be a similar candidate.

Honestly, the biggest thing this team is going to miss upfront is the puck luck that Schilkey and Gust had last season. Schilkey shot a beyond unsustainable 28.4% (!!!!) and Gust was still at a high 14.5%. Jobst was at 16.5% and Kevin Miller, at low volume, was at 21.2%.

OSU is a team that was outshot last season overall and the only reason they went 21-12-6 was because they shot at a higher percentage than their opponents. In order to keep that up, the players stepping into Schilkey and Gust’s shoes have to be more talented than their opponents, because you can’t bank on that much luck turning your way.

Maybe young players like Sam McCormick can fill that gap or help turn possession more in OSU’s favor. Turning possession would be the most effective and repeatable way to do this, but with OSU facing off with big talent teams in conference and Penn State joining them, it might not be so easy.

The point here is that even if Schilkey and Gust were back, the team probably wouldn’t do as well offensively as they did last season. The shooting percentage of at least Schilkey would come down appreciably because he’s not Alex Ovechkin out there.

All in all, while a lot of the firepower is coming back upfront, don’t expect another offensive juggernaut even if everyone meets expectations. The circumstances of the team being outshot and still scoring as much as they did, without their leading goal scorer returning, are not exactly repeatable.

Maybe freshmen Austin Pooley and Eric Garland’s worst nightmare Eugene Fadyayev (a Ukranian who played his USHL hockey in Wisconsin. Paid by Putin to fix the voting machines? I can’t say for sure) can make up for the loss of Schilkey and Gust and provide a similar impact to Laczynski last year, but neither was a big scorer, as both struggled to average over half a point per game last year in the USHL, despite both being overage (Pooley is 21 and Fadyayev is 19). I wouldn’t expect a big impact from them.

Of all the freshman who could provide an offensive impact, the biggest may come from defenseman Grant Gabriele, who put up 20 points in 34 games on the backend last year. He stands at 6’2 as well, and could be the mini-Healey replacement, sans the headhunting.

The Defense


The team’s best chance to turn possession and actually come out even is based on the experience on the backend.

Junior Sasha Larocque is the steadying presence and seems like his best will be as the stay at home partner for a more mobile defenseman.

Fifth year senior Matt Joyaux is the one to really watch out for, however. Joyaux put up 11 points last season and will presumably get bigger powerplay minutes with Healey graduated.

Ohio native Tommy Parran played a bigger role as the season went on last year, gaining more minutes and putting up four goals and ten points. Fellow Ohio native Gordi Myer, the sophomore out of Toledo, returns as well and looks to improve on his ten points in only 22 games.

Aside from Joyaux and the senior Janik Moser, the defense is young and with room to improve, especially offensively during powerplay time.

Michael Rounds joins Gabriele as a freshman defenseman, though he’s less flashy than his counterpart. He had 12 points in 57 games for the Des Moines Buccaneers (Iowa was infested with pirates somehow I guess).

If they can improve defensively as well, shot suppression could improve too. It’s a mobile, small unit, with only two players over 6’ tall. Mobile defensemen tend to get the puck up the ice and put more pressure on opposing teams, tilting the shot totals more in their favor. That should work in Ohio State’s favor since it’s going to have a shooting percentage dropoff this year. The mobile defense will hopefully keep the puck on the other end and cause a higher percentage of chances to be on the opposing net.

Which may be even more important than I’ve let on because...there are no returning goalies who have played a minute for Ohio State!

The Goalies


This isn’t as dire as I just made it out to be in that previous line. Please forgive me.

New presumed starter Sean Romeo played a year plus with Maine in the deepest conference in America, Hockey East, and put up decent stats as a freshman. He played in 27 games with a mediocre .902 save percentage. You’d hope that’d go up a little with experience and playing in a weaker conference and if it does, both Tomkins and Frey were held at .910 or below last season, so there wouldn’t be a huge dropoff if any at all.

Although, he did allow seven goals on 33 shots to whatever a “Ryerson” is during the preseason this year, so maybe panic. You probably don’t have to worry, but maybe keep this in mind if he comes out flat against Wisconsin.

The Buckeyes are also bringing in two freshman goalies, and you hope one can surprise like Christian Frey did four years ago.

Tommy Nappier comes to OSU from the Omaha Lancers of the USHL where he put up a positively Cam Ward-esque .893 save percentage over 33 games. Not great! He may not be ready for primetime yet, though the system or talent could have played a role as he had a .929 save percentage with the Chicago Steel in ten games before going to Omaha.

The other freshman is Evan Moyse, from Olmsted Falls, Ohio. The 20 year old put up a .910 save percentage for the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the NAHL last year, and was below .900 in the year before that.

Pencil in Romeo, the only one with any experience, to start for now. But if he plays like he did against Ryerson — and you have to go to one of these freshmen who weren’t exactly Dominik Hasek in lower level hockey — the offense could shoot 45% and you’d still have a bad year.

Season outlook


There’s no question the team lost a lot of offensive talent in Schilkey, Gust and Healey. But with Jobst, Weis and Laczynski, among others, returning, there’s no reason this still can’t be an exceptional offensive team.

The defense brings in a possible big talent in Gabriele to go along with a steady, young mobile group.

The biggest question is in goal. Romeo comes in with a pedigree but sure didn’t look good during his preseason game. Neither Nappier and Moyse were spectacular during their lower league careers, either.

But the goalies will probably have to be better than they were last year for the team to make a return appearance to the NCAA Tournament. The team was outshot last year, but you can get away with that if you have veteran scorers shooting high percentages and veteran goalies giving a steadying presence. This OSU team has less of the former and who knows what of the latter.

A slightly less lucky offense and a problematic goal crease could spell trouble. If the offense falls more than expected or the goaltenders end up worse than anticipated, it could be a long season in Columbus.

Things could just as easily turn out the other way, though. The goalies could be steady and a healthy Tanner Laczynski and growing youngsters could keep the offense firing at will.

If I had any idea what would happen, I’d head to Vegas...if betting on college hockey was legal. But right now, I’ll play it safe and slot OSU in for fourth in the conference behind Minnesota, Penn State and conference newcomer Notre Dame in some order.

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Early BH: Peach State poaching | Browns star in 'Analyze This' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Early BH: Peach State poaching | Browns star in 'Analyze This'
247Sports
But the Buckeyes continue to recruit the state of Georgia as hard as ever. We talked to one of our recruiting sources with Peach State ties. “The state of Georgia has just been too important to Ohio State for them to back off at all at this point,” the ...

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BM5: Will Maryland present test for Buckeyes? Okudah coming on - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Will Maryland present test for Buckeyes? Okudah coming on
247Sports
Maryland has been much better than expected this season, but Ohio State is favored by 31 points over the visiting Terrapins on Saturday. Will D.J. Durkin's crew give the Buckeyes a real test, or is OSU simply too talented and deep for the Terps? Jonah ...


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Ohio State vs Maryland: Game preview, prediction and 6 things you should know
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes get the Terrapins for Homecoming weekend.

How do you welcome someone new to the neighborhood? Certainly an introduction is in order — or perhaps a housewarming present? But entering year four of Maryland’s Big 10 football journey, the Buckeyes have yet to deliver a very pleasant gift. Ohio State is 3-0 against the Terps, winning by an average of 36 points per contest. Favored by 30 points entering Saturday, Ohio State is poised to celebrate Homecoming with their first Big Ten home win of the season. But this isn’t the same OSU team that rolled the Terps 62-3 last season. The identity of this Buckeye team remains a real question. The early part of Ohio State’s season has been a tale of two teams: one with unsteady offensive performance and a porous defensive secondary; the other, a lights-out defense complemented by an offense that can turn a slight crease into a 70-yard score.

The borderline Buckeyes showed up to start the season. They are the team that trailed Indiana at the half and a week later were overmatched by Oklahoma. Those Buckeyes allowed 278 yards passing and two scores by Hoosier quarterback Richard Lagow (before limiting a nearly all air-based Indiana attack to 136 yards in the second half). They also allowed Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield to pass for 386 yards and three touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, during those six quarters Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett completed only 51% of his passes — going 29 of 56 for 278 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. Barrett ran 23 times for 79 yards, just 3.4 yards per carry.

But that borderline Buckeye team has not been seen in weeks. Ohio State's passing defense held a run-heavy Army, a bad UNLV squad, and an improving Rutgers to less than 100 yards passing each. Meanwhile, the offense sprung to life. The Buckeyes enter Saturday with their first back-to-back 600-yard offensive performances since 2013. Maryland is a team that knows who they are — resilient as all hell. They take that from coach D.J. Durkin. Durkin got his start in 2001 serving as a graduate assistant for then first-time head coach Urban Meyer, and rejoined Meyer at Florida in 2010. After coaching Michigan’s hard-nosed defense under Jim Harbaugh in 2015, Durkin was offered the Maryland job (Durkin’s 2015 Michigan defense held Maryland to 105 total yards in a 28-0 victory, a dominant win that raised some eyebrows in College Park).

In 2016, Durkin took the reigns of a Maryland program unmoored from winning. The Terps had gone 12 seasons without double digit wins. They had racked up a record of 23 wins and 39 losses over the previous five seasons. And they stood at a 5-11 mark in conference since joining the Big 10 from the ACC in 2014.

The Terps notched three more victories then in 2015, to end with a 6-7 record in Durkin's first season as coach. They also brought in one of the best recruiting classes in Maryland history ranking No. 18 nationally, ahead of Texas, Nebraska, UCLA, Oregon, and Virginia Tech, among others.

After an upset win at Texas to open the 2017 campaign, injuries have not been kind to Maryland. They enter Saturday’s game using their third string quarterback, sophomore Max Bortenschlager. Starter Tyrrell Pigrome and backup Kasim Hill were both lost to season-ending ACL injuries in a span of only six quarters. The Terps only loss on the season came two weeks ago after Hill fell injured against UCF. Marylans went down with him, 38-10. They enter Saturday after pulling off an upset against undefeated Minnesota 31-24 on the road in the first game started by Bortenschlager.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


Barrett’s leadership. Already up 28-0 in the second quarter last week, J.T. Barrett completed a workman-like 13-yard pass to Terry McLaurin. With it he became the all-time leader in Ohio State passing yards, surpassing the 7,457 yard mark set by Art Schlichter in 1981.

With the victory against the Scarlet Knights, Barrett improved to 30-5 as a starter — the fourth 30-game winner in OSU history, joining Schlichter, Cornelius Green, and Bobby Hoying.

Barrett has accounted for 13 passing touchdowns against only a single interception through five games this season. Singled out for criticism with an inability to connect on deep balls, Barrett’s downfield production has improved in recent weeks against lesser competition. The OSU receiving corps has showed depth and flashes of excellence, with seven Buckeyes having hauled in touchdowns and broken 100 yards receiving on the year. Two scores last week were hauled in by wide receiver Johnnie Dixon, who notched his first game with 100 yards receiving as a Buckeye.

Barrett was sharp against Rutgers, finishing 15 of 23 for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He is the engine behind the Buckeyes’ offense. If Barrett can continue his recent form throwing the ball down the field, with receivers like Dixon continuing to develop into playmakers, Ohio State will be a handful for any defensive coordinator to slow down. Expect a big day for Barrett Saturday as he lines up against a Maryland passing defense ranked No. 93 in the country.

Weber, Dobbins duo. Ohio State is tinkering with offensive packages to get running backs Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins on the field at the same time. Eleven Warriors reported Weber was excited about the possibilities of him and Dobbins on the field together, "I feel like it’ll be something scary…We both are pretty similar but different at the same time, and I feel like defenses are not going to be able to handle that if we do it the right way."

After five games, Ohio State has the top ranked rushing offense in the Big Ten and No. 20 ranked rushing offense in the country, averaging 238.8 yards per game. Saturday’s victory against Rutgers provided a roadmap of Ohio State's future rushing attack with Weber, Dobbins, and Barrett each having at least 6 carries. Urban Meyer-coached teams have had only seven players rush for 1000 yards. All of those players breaking a grand on the ground have been Buckeyes. Dobbins is currently on pace to rush for 1000 yards — and don’t sleep on a healthy Weber making a charge for the mark too.

With Weber back healthy from a severe hamstring injury that almost kept him out the entire season, a 'smash and dash' Buckeye ground attack will give headaches to Maryland's front seven.

Another Bosa-led fearsome front. After a road-win against Minnesota, third-string Maryland quarterback Max Bortenschlager will make his second consecutive road start. He does so against an Ohio State defensive front that has been dominant. Excluding the triple option offense of Army, Ohio State has limited every opponent this year to less than 180 yards rushing. That includes holding Indiana to 17 yards on the ground, and Oklahoma to 104 yards, as each turned to the pass to attack the Buckeye defense.

Nick Bosa leads the way as the disrupter-in-chief for the defensive front. Bosa has a team-leading three sacks on the season, and eight tackles for loss. Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis, Dre’Mont Jones, and even true freshman Chase Young have made a habit of making plays in the offensive backfield. This may be the least experienced quarterback the Buckeyes face all season, with Bortenschlager really having only two weeks of practice under his belt with the first team. Nick Bosa and the rest of the badgering Buckeye line may make his first visit to the Shoe an unwelcome one.

Maryland’s biggest advantages


Fearless road warriors. The Terps were a 19-point underdog at No. 23 Texas to open the season — they won by 10 points. The Terps were a 13-point underdog at undefeated Minnesota last week — they won by 7 points. As the saying goes, one should fear the turtle. But it’s more accurate this year to say that the turtle is fearless.

Despite unlucky injury breaks, Maryland has found a way to win as big underdogs on the road. They have been defined by their resilience. When starting quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome went down with an injury against Texas, backup freshman quarterback Kasim Hill stepped in to lead two fourth quarter scoring drives and secure a Maryland victory.

After Hill went down in a 38-10 loss to UCF, third-string Max Bortenschlager went 18-28 for two touchdowns and zero interceptions to upset Minnesota. Don’t expect the Terps to be intimidated when they take the field Saturday — they are getting used to being big road underdogs and walking away as winners.

Ground Attack. The Terps’ rushing offense ranks No. 24 in the nation, averaging 233 yards per game. They are led by Ty Johnson, who has established himself as one of the better running backs in the Big Ten. After rushing for more than 1000 yards last year in his sophomore campaign, Johnson has been a force in 2017. Johnson is ranked No. 8 nationally in all-purpose yards averaging 160 per game, second in the Big Ten, trailing only Penn State’s Saquon Barkley. In his past six games dating back to last season, he’s averaged 10.3 yards per carry. Johnson has had some of his best performances this year away from College Park. Against Texas, he rolled for 132 yards and a touchdown. Against Minnesota, he rumbled for 130 yards and a score. Maryland is 3-0 this season when Johnson rushes for 100 yards. Expect Johnson to test Ohio State’s front-seven Saturday.

Moore than good. While Ty Johnson powers the Terps on the ground, wide receiver DJ Moore is Maryland’s playmaker through the air. Moore leads the Big 10 in receiving touchdowns (5), yards (403), yards per game (100.8) and receptions per game (7.5). Moore has been remarkably consistent through four games, notching a touchdown, seven receptions, and more than 80 yards in every contest. Against Minnesota he hauled in 8 receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. That including three critical receptions on Maryland’s game winning touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.

Moore is having an elite season and will pose a significant challenge for Ohio State’s secondary.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 42, Maryland 16 Win Probability: Ohio State 93%

Down to their third string quarterback, Maryland has shown a kind of grit that few expected in D.J. Durkin’s second year at the helm rebuilding the program. But even if the Terps were at full strength, Ohio State has too many weapons offensively for Maryland to hang around long. The game will be a good test of Ohio State’s run defense against a top-25 ranked unit. And how the Buckeyes handle dynamic Maryland wide receiver DJ Moore will shed light on how far Ohio State has come from early season pass coverage woes. But, at the end of the day, the Buckeyes will roll.

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


Game Time: Saturday, October 7, 4:00 PM on FOX
TV: Big Ten Network
Streaming: FoxSportsGo
Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

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Ohio State recruiting: Latest Updates on Buckeyes' top-ranked 2018 recruiting class - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Latest Updates on Buckeyes' top-ranked 2018 recruiting class
Landof10.com
With 18 commitments, the Buckeyes are looking to add five to seven more of the country's best 2018 prospects, and they seem to have zoomed in on a few players in particular. If they miss on some of the big-name players they're chasing, there could be a ...
Ohio State Buckeyes to rout Maryland Terrapins: Bill Livingston (photos)cleveland.com
Buckeyes' Weber getting back on fieldAkron Beacon Journal
Ohio State Football: 4 Predictions for the Buckeyes in OctoberScarlet and Game
AthlonSports.com -Land-Grant Holy Land -247Sports
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Ohio State Buckeyes to rout Maryland Terrapins: Bill Livingston (photos) - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes to rout Maryland Terrapins: Bill Livingston (photos)
cleveland.com
In a 52-24 loss to the Buckeyes' 2014 national champions, the Terps equaled Rutgers' four-year scoring, but still, it was 62-3 at College Park, Md., last week, and the aggregate for three years is 163-58. You thought the worst reviews any duo could ...
Buckeyes' Weber getting back on fieldAkron Beacon Journal
Where things stand with Tyson Campbell, Ohio State offers another in TennesseeLandof10.com
Ohio State Football: 4 Predictions for the Buckeyes in OctoberScarlet and Game
AthlonSports.com -Land-Grant Holy Land -247Sports
all 97 news articles »

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Ohio State looking to recruit top DB with familiar name
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 formidable Ohio State secondary wants to add another piece.

The Buckeyes return home tomorrow to face the Maryland Terrapins. After a 56-0 victory at Rutgers last week, Urban Meyer and the rest of the Buckeye football program will look to continue their improvements on offense and keep up the pace of their winning ways. With a much-improved Maryland team presenting new challenges, this test will be another opportunity to see if the offense and the entire squad is taking the right steps needed in order to compete for championships in November.

Of the many great things home games bring, one benefit without hesitation is the opportunity to host prized recruits on the sideline and in the stands. With 14 true freshmen already suiting up and seeing playing time, recruits have to love the fact that they can come in right away and contribute. As usual, recruiting for the Buckeyes is a never-ending success, and this weekend should be no different.

A name too familiar


Ohio State’s defensive backfield has been a topic of conversation ever since Urban Meyer took over the helm of the Ohio State program. With success and nothing less, the recipe for Ohio State defensive back recruiting has been to work hard, see time on the field, compete for championships, and see an early round NFL Draft pick calling your name. With a sales pitch that speaks for itself, the Buckeyes are loaded at the position currently and have no signs of stopping their pursuit for top corners and safeties.

Yesterday, that pursuit continued when Ohio State sent out their latest scholarship offer to Woodi Washington (Murfreesboro, Tennessee/Oakland). A name that has to intrigue Buckeye football followers nonetheless, Woodi can back up his historical name with some serious play. A 6'0, 180-pound cornerback, the 2019 prospect already holds nearly double digit offers. With schools after him such as Alabama, Louisville, LSU, Kentucky, Indiana, Oregon, and most recently, Ohio State, it’s not hard to see the caliber of talent Woodi possesses.


With the Buckeyes offering Woodi, the timing is the intriguing aspect, as he is set to visit the Buckeyes this weekend for the Maryland game. With no front runner in this recruitment due to Washington still needing to play this season and next before graduating high school, the Buckeyes certainly have plans of laying a firm foundation this weekend of a strong relationship. As Washington looks onto the field, he’ll be able to see a line of young cornerbacks already in positions to see the field. An easy reason to get excited as a prospect, Ohio State certainly wouldn’t mind another Woodi on the Buckeye gridiron.

What’s the deal here?


The Buckeyes haven’t really seen any bad news on the recruiting front the past few seasons. It seems like every prospect the Buckeyes really want, they end up getting. A byproduct of a national caliber program and incredible coaching staff, it’s great to be a Buckeye football fan. The best part? The current 2018 class seems to be on par with—if not better than—the class of 2017, which as we know broke star ranking records according to 247sports.

In the current 2018 class, Ohio State has done some serious work on their defensive line. As Meyer has said time and time again, “the battle is won in the trenches” and he’s certainly making that a fact with his recruitment of defensive line prospects. With Taron Vincent, Brenton Cox, and Antwuan Jackson (a JUCO product) already in the fold, the Buckeyes mean business and aren’t done yet. One name the Buckeyes would love to add to the fold is Pocatello, Idaho product Tommy Togiai.

Togiai, thought to be a Buckeye or USC lean, has been trending toward Ohio State over the last few weeks, and that has Buckeye fans pretty happy. One important topic to note: Washington Huskies 247sports insider Ruth Robbins made a crystal ball prediction in favor of Ohio State this week. The interesting part? Tommy is slated to visit Washington this weekend. An insider making a prediction in favor of the Buckeyes before the prospect even visits that insider’s school for the weekend certainly has people guessing. Urban Meyer and staff are hoping that guessing leads to Ohio State as the landing spot for the sixth best defensive tackle in the country as they try and fend off USC and yes, Washington.

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Report: Former Buckeye QB/WR Torrance Gibson leaves JUCO - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Report: Former Buckeye QB/WR Torrance Gibson leaves JUCO
247Sports
Questions arose when the former Buckeye was not listed on the depth chart for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's game Thursday night. According to Patrick Ochs of The Sun Herald, a team spokesman confirmed that Gibson “is no longer on the ...
Torrance Gibson, former Ohio State Buckeye, no longer on JUCO football team roster: Reportcleveland.com
Torrance Gibson No Longer with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Football TeamEleven Warriors

all 5 news articles »

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Buckeyes' Holmes ready for any challenge - Hillsboro Times Gazette
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes' Holmes ready for any challenge
Hillsboro Times Gazette
The Ohio State defensive end volunteered to play defensive tackle last weekend at Rutgers after starting defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones was sidelined by a deep cut suffered in a freak accident in the locker room. While Jones was sincere in his offer, ...

and more »

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Report: Former Buckeye QB/WR Torrance Gibson leaves JUCO - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Report: Former Buckeye QB/WR Torrance Gibson leaves JUCO
247Sports
Questions arose when the former Buckeye was not listed on the depth chart for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's game Thursday night. According to Patrick Ochs of The Sun Herald, a team spokesman confirmed that Gibson “is no longer on the ...
Torrance Gibson, former Ohio State Buckeye, no longer on JUCO football team roster: Reportcleveland.com
Torrance Gibson No Longer with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Football TeamEleven Warriors

all 4 news articles »

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Torrance Gibson, former Ohio State Buckeye, no longer on JUCO football team roster: Report - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Torrance Gibson, former Ohio State Buckeye, no longer on JUCO football team roster: Report
cleveland.com
He joined the Buckeyes in 2015, moved to receiver and redshirted. He was then suspended by the university before the 2016 season and then announced a transfer to Cincinnati last winter. Gibson first had to take classes at Cincinnati State to get in ...
Torrance Gibson No Longer with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Football TeamEleven Warriors

all 3 news articles »

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Despite recent success, J.T. Barrett is still facing questions about Ohio State’s passing attack
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Even though Ohio State’s passing attack is better off than last year, that isn’t enough for some.

“I am just really shocked why we keep on talking about it. How many did we complete? It’s like, ‘What’s up?’ I’m asking y’all.”

-Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett on his deep passing via Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group


Can you really blame Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett if he is tired of answering questions about the Buckeye passing game? Aside from the Oklahoma game, Barrett has thrown at least two touchdown passes in every game this year. Over the last two games, Barrett has thrown eight touchdown passes, so there is no question the Ohio State passing attack is making strides.

The competition Ohio State has faced since the Oklahoma game hasn’t been the greatest, but it has been just what Barrett and the Buckeye wide receivers have needed to gain some confidence heading into their tougher Big Ten contests. All isn’t perfect with Ohio State’s passing game, but they are a lot better off than they were a year ago.

One reason Ohio State’s passing attack is improved is because of two guys who aren’t on the field. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day are having a lot more success than Ed Warinner and Tim Beck did last year, because they have a better understanding of how to use Barrett when it comes to throwing the football and are willing to make adjustments.

Ohio State has been completing more deep passes in practice according to Barrett, which gives them more of a reason to use it during the game. The same can’t be said of last year’s team, where they had issues with it in practice. The improvement is starting to show, and if the Buckeyes can continue to progress, they’ll be right where they want to be when it matters the most.

“Book is one of those guys we never had to worry about going hard. He’s a pleaser. He wants to do everything right. Sometimes you paralyze yourself because you overanalyze everything instead of just playing 4-to-6 (seconds).”

-Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer on linebacker Dante Booker via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


After missing last season due to a knee injury suffered in the season opener against Bowling Green, expectations were high for linebacker Dante Booker. Through the first few games of the 2017 season, Booker was largely invisible on defense. Last week against Rutgers, Booker started to show some of the potential he possesses.

Against the Scarlet Knights, Booker registered two tackles for loss, and an interception in the first quarter. Head coach Urban Meyer thinks Booker might have been pressing a little too much the first few games of the year. Meyer knows the outstanding things Booker can do on the field, so the Buckeyes never lost confidence in the linebacker even though he struggled early on.

While Booker says he was affected by trying to do too much, his passion and intensity for the game has never been higher. Early on in the season Booker was frustrated with his performance, but he tried not to let it show so as not to affect his teammates. Ohio State is going to need Booker at his best, with games against Penn State, Iowa, and Michigan still on tap for the Buckeyes.


It looked like Tracy Sprinkle’s Ohio State career might end before it even had a chance to really begin. In 2014, Sprinkle was dismissed from the Ohio State football team after being arrested at the Grown and Sexy Lounge in Lorain, Ohio. After pleading no contest to a lesser charge, and passing a drug test, Meyer reinstated Sprinkle.

Even though he was welcomed back on the team, Sprinkle was on thin ice. The defensive lineman didn’t see the field during the 2014 season, but he was working hard in practice, trying to regain the trust of his teammates and coaches. Sprinkle started working his way back up the depth chart, getting some snaps in 2015 before impressing enough to be named a starter prior to the 2016 season.

Sprinkle’s time as starter didn’t last long though, as he too was injured in the season opener against Bowling Green, ending his season. At least Sprinkle knew if could come back from getting kicked off the team, he knew he could come back from the knee injury, and that is exactly what he has done.

The senior has impressed so far this season, and it’s possible the defensive tackle could have a future at the professional level. What is most impressive about Sprinkle is no matter how many times he gets knocked down, he keeps coming back stronger than before. Sprinkle’s hard work on and off the field hasn’t gone unrecognized either, as he was voted a team captain. Everything is shaping up for Sprinkle’s story at Ohio State to have a happy ending after what was a very difficult start.

“I am telling you right now, he is playing exceptional. He is at a high level, doesn’t make mistakes, he organizes things up front for all these guys. He gives Bowen and Jordan comfort to compete, because they are never not going to know what is going on.”

-Ohio State offensive line coach Greg Studrawa on center Billy Price via James Grega, Eleven Warriors


Ohio State has been one of the best rushing teams in the country so far this year, and a major reason for the success has been the play of the left side of the Buckeye offensive line, which is made up of Michael Jordan, Jamarco Jones, and Billy Price. The play of the left side is especially impressive considering over the summer Jones had his wisdom teeth removed and an appendectomy, which led to him losing 25 pounds.

The key of the offensive line is with Billy Price at center. After shifting over from guard following last season, Price is doing everything the Ohio State offense needs him to do. Price not only is playing at a high level, but he is also leading the offensive line. The confidence and strong play of Price has been contagious. If the offensive line continues to play this well, Ohio State’s running game will only improve, especially with the return of a healthy Mike Weber.

STICK TO SPORTS

• With Ohio State becoming an Apple Digital Flagship University, starting in fall 2018, incoming freshmen will receive an iPad Pro.
• The nominees for the 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class have been announced.
• Netflix is raising its prices next month.
• October has quite a collection of eclectic food festivals around the country.
• Austin Rogers is Jeopardy!’s newest star.

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Watch: Studrawa demands more from OSU offensive line - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Studrawa demands more from OSU offensive line
247Sports
The Ohio State offense has feasted on four outmanned opponents to average 49.3 points and 618.5 yards in its four wins. Unfortunately, it was famine for the Buckeyes when they faced then-No. 5 Oklahoma. OSU amassed 350 yards total offense in that tough ...


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Maryland’s Ty Johnson and D.J. Moore will be an interesting test for the Ohio State defense
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Terps may be down to their 3rd QB, but at least he has two top athletes to test the Ohio State defense

Maryland has had an up-and-down year so far. The good: beating Texas and going 3-1. The bad: losing two QBs to season-ending injuries and losing to UCF.

The defense has been much improved from last season, where they ranked 127th and 80th in rushing and passing S&P+ -- they’re now 58th overall. As you can see in the table below, returning 77% of their defensive production from last year has had a measurable impact on the defense. The offense may be down to their third QB in Max Bortenschlager, but they have two solid skill players in receiver D.J. Moore and running back Ty Johnson.

When Ohio State has the ball

• A couple of quick notes about Ohio State’s offensive progression through the first five games. First, the offense’s S&P+ percentile performance has improved each game since Oklahoma, from 37%, 81%, 95%, and to 96% last week against Rutgers. Second, Ohio State’s passing offense is now 25th in success rate and 31st in IsoPPP, meaning that it has been both efficient and explosive, without adjusting for opposing defenses. That in itself is a huge jump — Ohio State was 95th and 105th in these two unadjusted stats last year, and 29th and 66th in 2015. Third, Ohio State’s 41st ranking in rushing IsoPPP (again, opponent unadjusted) is better than last year’s at 84th. Ohio State was 43rd in unadjusted-IsoPPP in 2015 with Zeke. What all of this suggests is that Kevin Wilson and J.K. Dobbins really have had tangible effects on passing efficiency and in creating explosive running plays.
• You can also see J.T. Barrett’s progression throwing intermediate and deep passes in the table below from CFB Film Room. Sure, Army, UNLV, and Rutgers are worse teams than Indiana and Oklahoma overall, but 1) Rutgers might have a pretty decent defense, and 2) You have to be able to complete those passes against lesser opponents before you can do it against stouter defenses — and as last year’s passing IsoPPP showed, that’s not a given.

• OK, now to Maryland’s defense. The Terps have allowed 41 points to Texas (in a win) and 38 to Central Florida (in a loss). They’re much improved against the run, going from 127th in overall rushing S&P+ and 128th in adj. line yards to 50th in success rate and 16th in opportunity rate. They don’t get many stops behind the line (58th in stuff rate) and the successful plays they allow can be pretty big (73rd in rushing IsoPPP), but they do limit the number of 5+ yard gains overall (16th). The IsoPPP ranking is a little deceptive, because they’ve only allowed 11 runs of 10+ yards in four games (7th) — it’s just that two of those were 40+ yard runs. But I still expect at least a few 20+ yard runs from Ohio State, because the best rushing offense they’ve faced was either from Minnesota or UCF — and those are not good rushing teams.
• The Maryland pass defense is better at preventing big plays than limiting efficient passes, ranking 95th and 31st in success rate and IsoPPP. You can expect a similar gameplan to what we’ve seen the last few weeks — some explosive runs from Dobbins, some work for Weber and Barrett, and a pretty efficient passing performance. In fact, Maryland’s pass defense numbers are pretty close to Army’s, where Barrett threw for 270 yards at 8.2 yards per attempt. Other teams have followed that lead against Maryland, making their defense rank 96th in standard downs run rate, with runs on just 54.8% of standard downs.
• Ohio State’s receivers’ numbers are a little distorted because the first team offense has only been on the field for about half of each of the last two games. But the receiving corps really is running about 7-deep if you include Marcus Baugh in there, and some general tendencies are starting to emerge. The most-targeted receiver is K.J. Hill at 16% followed closely by Parris Campbell at 15.4%. Johnnie Dixon and Parris Campbell have emerged as the two explosive options, with Campbell as the yards-after-catch explosive target, and Dixon as the deep-ball target. Dixon is the seventh-most targeted receiver with just 13 this year, but is second on the team in receiving yards (228) because he averages an insane 28.5 yards per catch, which actually leads the country right now. I’d expect all of them to get a good amount of work against Maryland.

When Maryland has the ball

• Maryland’s offense is in a weird place. As you probably know by now, the Terps are down to their third-string quarterback, Max Bortenschlager, who was 18/28 for 154 yards against Minnesota last week. The Terps are 53rd overall in offensive S&P+ and 56th in passing success rate, which is much better than you’d expect for a team that’s already been forced to start three different quarterbacks this year. So far, Bortenschlager has been solid, but there’s been a huge dip in yards per attempt (Hill and Pigrome averaged over 10 yards per attempt, Bortenschlager averages 4.1 on more attempts than the other two combined). He also gets sacked much more frequently -- 11.1% of the time with 7 total sacks compared to just one for the other two QBs. Ohio State is 9th in overall havoc rate and 5th in defensive line havoc rate, so expect some sacks unless Maryland is able to get quick, short passes going.
• Ohio State’s secondary has been a major concern this season, and hasn’t really been tested for the past three weeks like Ohio State’s passing offense has. They might have improved, but it’s a little more difficult to tell. They’re up to 69th in passing success rate and 32nd in IsoPPP. Maryland has exactly two receiving threats: D.J. Moore (403 total yards), who accounts for an insane 48.2% of the passing game’s targets, and Taivon Jacobs (178 yards), at 25.3%. No other receiver has more than 11% of targets or over 43 receiving yards. That makes things easier for the secondary.
• You can also expect plenty of tackles for loss. Maryland ranks 100th in stuff rate (21.9%), while Ohio State ranks 16th. However, Maryland has some of the weirdest running stats you’re going to see: 100th in stuff rate and 72nd in success rate, but 8th in IsoPPP and 14th in opportunity rate. A lot of that has to do with running back Ty Johnson, who currently averages 8.9 yards per carry and 12.3 highlight yards per opportunity with a 45.7% opportunity rate. But there’s a big drop-off between him and running back Lorenzo Harrison III, who averages just 4.4, 3.3, and 39.1% in those categories — but who has the same number of carries. So when Johnson is on the field, the Terps are explosive, and he’s much more efficient as well. But overall, the offensive line is going to allow a fair number of run stuffs, while Johnson will create big plays whenever he gets an opportunity. Containing Johnson will be the number one key for Ohio State’s defense.

The 3 most important stats

1. Number of explosive runs allowed on defense. Ty Johnson is the real deal at running back, averaging 12.3 highlight yards per opportunity. Containing him will be the primary challenge for the defense.
2. Defensive passing success rate. Bortenschlager was productive enough to beat a pretty talented Minnesota team last week despite being the third QB to start for the Terps this year. The secondary hasn’t been tested since Oklahoma and might not again this week, but it’s worth watching nonetheless.
3. Offensive passing success rate. The offense has improved gradually since Oklahoma, and Maryland’s defense should be weaker against the pass.

Picks


I’ve started keeping track of how well the statistical projections are performing relative to the actual margins of victory.

• S&P+: Ohio State 42, Maryland 16. 93.5% win expectancy
• F/+: Ohio State by 22.3. 90.1% win expectancy
• Adj. S&P+: Ohio State by 33.9. 97.5% win expectancy
• Power Rank: Ohio State by 14.2. 85% win expectancy
• My Pick: Ohio State 48, Maryland 13

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B1G Number Crunching
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

We're putting numbers through the old cruncher today, with a big assist from @BTNStatsGuys! A few stats for each team to help you sound like an expert:

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To have a chance at the playoff, Ohio State would have to beat Wisconsin and Penn State, so that's not a worry.

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Who writes this shit? We don't even play Wisconsin...

A ranked West Virginia-TCU clash highlights Week 6’s national 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 battle between the Mountaineers and Horned Frogs is one of two games between ranked teams, with Louisville-NC State on Thursday night being the other.

Last week ATS: 6-5 (3-2 National, 3-3 B1G)

Season ATS: 40-33-1 (14-11 National, 26-22-1 B1G)

Last week may not have been as fruitful as the week before, but it’s hard to be mad at a positive result. Hopefully this week will be able to put a little more distance on .500.

National games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


No. 17 Louisville (-4.5) v. No. 24 NC State - Thursday 10/5 8:00 PM EST - ESPN

After their loss to Clemson a few weeks ago, Louisville got a chance to get their feet back under them with a couple layups. The Cardinals beat Kent State and Murray State, but now the competition ramps back up as they travel to Raleigh. Louisville will be trying to break a streak of recent dominance by the Wolfpack, with NC State winning six of the last seven games against the Cardinals.

Had it not been for a season-opening loss to South Carolina, the Wolfpack would likely find themselves ranked higher than the Cardinals right now. Ryan Finley still hasn’t thrown an interception this year, and that streak could continue since Louisville safety Jaire Alexander’s status is up in the air for this game.

I know picking against Lamar Jackson is a dangerous proposition, but the Wolfpack have a number of playmakers on defense who could slow Jackson down, most notably defensive end Bradley Chubb. North Carolina State keeps rolling, while another Louisville loss could only add to the rumblings Bobby Petrino could trigger his buyout after this year is over with the recent changes in the athletic department at Louisville.

NC State 28, Louisville 24

No. 5 Georgia (-18) v. Vanderbilt - 12:00 PM EST - ESPN

Georgia continues to keep rolling along, and with each win they put themselves in a better position to earn a spot in the SEC Championship Game against what will likely end up being a scary Alabama squad. Last week, the Bulldogs beat Tennessee so badly that I was surprised the Volunteers didn’t fire Butch Jones at halftime.

Vanderbilt has to wonder when they’ll catch a break. After a 3-0 start, the Commodores have had to square off against Alabama, Florida, and now Georgia. Kyle Shurmur has thrown 11 touchdowns and just one interception this year, but he’ll need a lot of help on offense if Vanderbilt has designs on beating Georgia for the second straight year.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about Georgia the rest of the season, but I’m wondering if they might be playing a little too good right now. Somewhere there is going to be a struggle, and I get the feeling this week might be when it happens. The Bulldogs won’t get upset here, but they get a tougher fight than many might be expecting.

Georgia 31, Vanderbilt 21

No. 23 West Virginia v. No. 8 TCU (-13.5) - 3:30 PM EST - FOX

Can we just cancel the Big 12? Nothing ever makes sense in this conference, and it is easily the conference I have the most trouble picking. A few weeks ago I thought TCU would get rolled by Oklahoma State, and that obviously didn’t happen. This week I just assume that whatever I pick is going to be terribly wrong, so I wouldn’t blame you for picking the opposite.

West Virginia is still a relative unknown. The Mountaineers have stability at quarterback with Florida transfer Will Grier, but it’s hard to gauge how good West Virginia is since they’ve played some pretty terrible teams so far. The season opener against Virginia Tech was a tough contest, but since then, the Mountaineers have feasted on East Carolina, Delaware State, and Kansas. I can smell the dumpster juice just looking at that portion of West Virginia’s schedule.

TCU was very impressive two weeks ago in Stillwater against Oklahoma State. Kenny Hill looks like he has rebounded from last year’s inconsistent season, while the defense for the Horned Frogs has been strong, at least when it comes to Big 12 defensive standards.

As I said before, the Big 12 is a crapshoot. I think the safest play here is to take the points, even though we don’t know exactly what we are getting quite yet with West Virginia. I could see this being a two touchdown game late, and a touchdown from Grier gets the Mountaineers a late cover.

TCU 45, West Virginia 38

No. 13 Miami (FL) (-3.5) v. Florida State - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN

It almost feels like somebody doesn’t want Miami and Florida State to play this year. After having their game a few weeks ago pushed back due to Hurricane Irma, now another disturbance in the gulf could bring some gnarly weather to Tallahassee. Last year’s game nearly was impacted by Hurricane Matthew, and I remember a few games in the past which have been played in heavy rain, most notably in 2003 where Miami wide receiver Roscoe Parrish was obliterated by a Florida State defender.

Miami has looked good so far this year, but I’ll refrain from saying they are “BACK” until they are able to navigate Florida State. The Seminoles have won seven straight against the Hurricanes, with four of those last six wins coming by less than a touchdown. Miami is going to need running back Mark Walton Jr. to be fully healthy if they want to finally take down Florida State.

Florida State’s season feels like it was ruined soon after it began, following the injury to quarterback Deondre Francois. Freshman James Blackman won his first start last week against Florida State, but it came right down to the wire. The Seminoles are going to need even more out of safety Derwin James if Florida State is going to slow down Walton and quarterback Malik Rosier.

Even without Francois, Florida State still has plenty of talent which can give Miami fits. Also, the Seminoles have the Hurricanes’ number recently, which is hard to ignore. Doak Campbell Stadium is going to be rocking for this game, and the Seminoles put forth a huge effort to earn the win.

Florida State 30, Miami (FL) 27

No. 11 Washington State (-2.5) v. Oregon - 8:00 PM EST - FOX

Washington State had one of their biggest wins in school history last week when they outlasted USC on Friday night. Now the Cougars hit the road for the first time this year as they travel to Eugene to face a beaten up Oregon team. Last week’s win over the Trojans has Washington State fans wondering if the College Football Playoff could in the future for Mike Leach and the Cougars.

Despite being 4-1 in Willie Taggert’s first year with the school, the Ducks are really hurting right now. Quarterback Justin Herbert broke his collarbone last week against Cal, and running back Royce Freeman is questionable with an arm injury. True freshman Braxton Burmeister could be in line for his first start at quarterback, which would have Hercules Mata’afa and the rest of the Washington State defense licking their chops.

Normally I would see this as a prime letdown spot for Washington State after the win against USC, but Oregon is just way too injured right now. Luke Falk adds to his lofty career totals as the Cougars navigate their first road test of the season.

Washington State 48, Oregon 31

Stanford (-6) v. No. 20 Utah - 10:15 PM EST - FS1

One of the stories of the first month of the college football season has been Stanford running back Bryce Love. The junior rushed for 301 yards last week against Arizona State, and has nearly 1,100 rushing yards through five games this year. Love has rushed for at least 160 yards in each game this season.

Utah is still undefeated after beating Arizona two weeks ago, but they might have taken a loss with the injury to quarterback Tyler Huntley. At least if Huntley can’t play against the Cardinals, Utah has Troy Williams, who started all 13 games last year, to take the snaps.

Love can’t run like this all year, can he? My money is on no, as I see the running back coming down to earth a bit against a Utah defense that is giving up less than 100 yards per game on the ground this year. Even with Utah’s questions at quarterback, give me the ranked home team as an underdog.

Utah 24, Stanford 21

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Is Maryland the 4th most talented team in the Big Ten?
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Come yell at us for this hot take on our latest podcast.

Recruiting in the Big Ten has drastically changed over the last five years. Coaches like Urban Meyer, Jim Harbaugh, and James Franklin have brought a different flavor to the conference, and the results of their strong recruiting speaks for itself. It isn’t a question that Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State are the three most talented teams, but who’s next in line? Maryland, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Now, before you get upset and tell us that recruiting rankings are overrated because A.J. Hawk was once a three-star prospect, (people forget that) it’s important to note the distinction between “best” and “talented.” Maryland is by no means the fourth best team in the Big Ten, but their quick turnaround last year under new Head Coach DJ Durkin, coupled with their strong start this year has them on the right track. With another strong class heading to College Park this year, Maryland is a lot closer to breaking into the upper echelon of the Big Ten than you think.

On this episode of The Hangout in the Holy Land, Colton Denning and Matt Brown discuss Maryland’s surprising recruiting, and preview Ohio State’s upcoming game with the Terps. The guys break down everything you need to know on Saturday, including:

• Why stopping Maryland’s explosive running game being the key to the game.
• Whether the Terps’ quarterback issues will force them into a gameplan that favors Ohio State.
• Expecting another big day from the Ohio State offense, and more!

Colton also goes on a rant about fans complaining about 50-point wins, and the guys take a look at everything else going on around the country on Saturday.

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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BH: Quarterback recruiting carousel? | Dixon's next step - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: Quarterback recruiting carousel? | Dixon's next step
247Sports
If you haven't noticed, each important recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes during the football season there is at least one committed prospect making an official visit to Ohio State. That is not by accident. Nothing happens by accident when it comes to ...


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Jeffrey Okudah playing a lot for Buckeyes, could play even more - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Jeffrey Okudah playing a lot for Buckeyes, could play even more
247Sports
The 6-foot-1, 193-pound Okudah made the Buckeyes' two-deep as the No. 4 corner, and he is getting some playing time when the game is on the line. Bucknuts mentioned to OSU cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs Wednesday evening that Okudah is playing ...


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Who can make a playoff run after an early-season loss? - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Who can make a playoff run after an early-season loss?
ESPN
In 2016, Penn State and USC suffered two losses in September. But that didn't derail their seasons; they met in the Rose Bowl after getting hot and knocking off multiple ranked opponents down the stretch. In 2014, Ohio State lost its second game to ...


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