Dante Booker headlined Ohio State’s dominant defensive effort against Rutgers
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Last Saturday night NYC was spelled OSU.

Just like last season, Ohio State’s first shutout of the season came against the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Also just like last season, the Buckeyes managed to stop both the run and pass in dominant fashion:

• Rutgers gained just 117 yards on 41 rush attempts. Sometimes team rushing statistics can be misleading due to sacks counting as negative rushing yards, but considering Ohio State only managed one sack: It’s safe to say Rutgers had nowhere to run the ball all night long.
• The Rutgers passing attack didn’t do much better, as starting quarterback Kyle Bolin managed to complete just five of his 14 passes for 56 yards. Overall, the Scarlet Knights averaged a putrid 3.4 yards per attempt and were picked off twice.
• Ohio State’s defense doesn’t always dominate lesser competition by making copious amounts of big plays. Instead, they do a great job of limiting opposing offenses’ chunk plays which forces them to drive the length of the field all game. This mission was accomplished Saturday night, as Rutgers had just one run of 20-plus yards and one completion over 15 yards.

It’s hard to have 60 minutes of excitement when the score is 35-0 at halftime, but there were still plenty of standout moments from the Silver Bullets. Let’s take a look at a few.

Are we positive it’s possible to block Sam Hubbard?


The game actually started out great for Rutgers, as they managed to get the Buckeyes to go three-and-out on the game’s opening possession. While most over-matched offenses have taken their chances against the Buckeyes’ youthful secondary, Rutgers decided to run the ball directly at Hubbard on their first two plays. This strategy didn’t work:


Hubbard’s freakish athleticism — don’t forget he played lacrosse and safety in high school(!) — had him pegged as a potential first-round pick last season, and nothing has changed so far in 2017. Hubbard is one of three Buckeyes with multiple sacks and leads all defensive linemen with eight solo tackles. His speed helps him hang with even the most-electric (alleged) playmakers in the country, and as he proved in the video above, it’s also pretty tough to overpower Hubbard and run the ball directly at him.

Don’t sleep on LB Dante Booker


Jerome Baker entered this season as the team’s most-versatile linebacker since Darron Lee, and Chris Worley has proven to be plenty capable of policing the opposition’s A-gaps. Still, Booker was the best linebacker on the field Saturday night. Talent was never the question, as Booker stands 6’3” and weighs 230 pounds with 4.4 speed. Watching him start to put everything together and take advantage of opportunities has been a great development for the defense:


Sometimes Ohio State sacrifices size for speed on defense, but other times they’re able to get the best of both worlds with players like Booker. The ability to play sideline-to-sideline cannot be coached, and it’s certainly hard to capture the edge on a defense with an abundance of these types of players.

Damon Webb continues to play well


Webb was the only member of Ohio State’s secondary last season to not be selected in the first-round of the 2016 NFL draft. Because of this, he was mostly viewed as the sore thumb of an otherwise glorious unit. We’ve seen a more-aggressive version of Webb this time around, as he’s already doubled his interception total in just five games.


Ohio State’s secondary had some hiccups early in the season, but those mostly came along the sideline or at the expense of slot corner Damon Arnette. Webb has been the steady presence in the middle that the defense needed, and while he hasn’t provided the same caliber splash plays as Malik Hooker or Vonn Bell, the season is still young, and good things happen when you’re always around the ball.


Ohio State has now outscored Rutgers 219-24 in four games since 2014. Next up is Maryland, who the Buckeyes have beaten 62-3, 49-28, and 52-24 over the past three seasons. Here’s to hoping this Saturday provides some glimpses of competitive football before Ohio State travels to Lincoln, Nebraska on October 14.

The final: 56-0, Ohio State

Defensive player of the game: Dante Booker (4 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT)

Defensive play of the game: Dante Booker interception.

Next Victim: Maryland. Keep it classy, Columbus.

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Detroit Free Press column: Michigan should see Spartans - not OSU Buckeyes - as archrival - Cincinnati.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Detroit Free Press column: Michigan should see Spartans - not OSU Buckeyes - as archrival
Cincinnati.com
The University of Michigan can no longer think of the Ohio State Buckeyes as their archrival - freep.com's Shawn Windsor argues - in advance of the Wolverines' game against the Spartans Saturday night in Ann Arbor. Part of Windsor's explanation: This ...
Women's Volleyball: Ohio State drops matches to Michigan and Michigan StateOSU - The Lantern
Women's Soccer Upsets No. 7 Penn St., Field Hockey Gets Two West Coast Wins and Men's Soccer Streaks EndEleven Warriors

all 46 news articles »

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Buckeyes Add Big Piece in September, Five-Star Target Set to Announce in the Coming Weeks - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Add Big Piece in September, Five-Star Target Set to Announce in the Coming Weeks
Eleven Warriors
October has arrived and the Buckeyes still have the nation's No. 1 recruiting class. Larry Johnson added a big piece to the line last month when JUCO defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson made his commitment. Jackson will join forces with the nation's top ...


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J.T. Barrett and the Ohio State offense continued to improve against Rutgers
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The offense continues to take the right step forward against lesser competition.

We knew Ohio State would have the talent advantage against Rutgers, but it was the execution that should give fans optimism.

As we know, J.T. Barrett has taken his lumps from the outsiders — including myself — but he’s taken baby steps forward against lesser competition, which is all we can ask for at this time. He was still off-target downfield at times, but once he settled into a rhythm, his accuracy began to increase as his confidence began to grow.

Even though it was “just Rutgers,” Kevin Wilson and Barrett are starting to work well together and the results are steadily improving.

• Barrett’s smarts in the zone read were on display again against Rutgers. There were at least two times where Barrett made the perfect read and made the defense pay. This is vintage Barrett and this is what separates himself from the other quarterbacks on this roster.
• On this play below, the read defender crashes hard at Mike Weber, leaving an easy, yet quick decision for Barrett to pull the ball and gain a chunk of yardage on the quarterback keeper.

• Here’s a second play where the read defender crashes down on Weber. Just like above, Barrett makes the quick and sound decision to pull the ball at the last second and gain solid yardage on his own.

• It surprised me that Kevin Wilson opted to run the ball and take a deep shot before getting Barrett into rhythm. Barrett’s first completion came at the 2:06 mark of the first quarter. Getting him into a rhythm with short throws should be Wilson’s first priority of every game.
• I mentioned in last week’s Rutgers’ preview that the bubble screens would be open out of the Trips formation. Since Ash is known to play press Cover 4, this is a simple RPO read for Barrett to make — even though he didn’t make a great throw to hit K.J. Hill in stride.

• The offensive line did an admirable job on Saturday, allowing only five pressures, four hits and two sacks on 29 dropbacks. On this play below, Barrett did a good job of trusting his line as he scanned through his options before finding his receiver for what would have been a 10-yard gain. Barrett was comfortable in the pocket and kept his eyes downfield throughout the night.

• Is it just a coincidence that Barrett’s most complete performance came on the same day as his receivers’ best performance? They were feisty as blockers on the perimeter, they were finding soft spots in the defense, they made plays after the catch and they were able to beat one-on-one coverage against one of the greater secondary minds in college football.
• It would be smart to utilize Binjimen Victor more often in jump ball situations, imo.

• The one-two punch of J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber was as advertised. They both possess a similar between the tackles skill-set, but Weber excels in short yardage and on the goal line. If they continue to deploy Dobbins between the 20-yard lines and Weber in those specific situations, it will continue to be excellent. Next step: using the two on the field together at once.
• Note: I’m compiling all of Dwayne Haskins’ throws for the bye week

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Ohio State men’s basketball announces 2018, 2019 season openers against the Cincinnati Bearcats
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes will start their next two seasons with an in-state battle.

Today, the Ohio State basketball team announced that they would be opening the 2018 and 2019 basketball seasons against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Fans of both programs have been wanting to see the in-state rivals face each other on the hardwood for years, but Ohio State has been reticent to take on other Ohio programs in recent years.


With new head coach Chris Holtmann now at the helm for the Buckeyes, it appears that that philosophy has changed. No venue was officially announced, so it is unclear as of now if the games will be played on a neutral site, or if they will be part of a home-and-home series.

The two schools played a pair of historic National Championship games in 1961 and 1962, with the Bearcats coming out on top in both, after OSU beat Cal for the 1960 title.

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Ohio State sets home-and-home series with Cincinnati: Buckeyes basketball news - cleveland.com
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Ohio State sets home-and-home series with Cincinnati: Buckeyes basketball news
cleveland.com
He took a big step toward doing that on Tuesday when the program announced that it has scheduled a home-and-home series with Cincinnati beginning next season. The Buckeyes and Bearcats will play each other to open the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons ...


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Ohio State football podcast: It's 2014 all over again for the Buckeyes - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football podcast: It's 2014 all over again for the Buckeyes
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get your Ohio State football fix on Inside the Shoe, brought to you by Land of 10. On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb feels a sense of déjà vu with parallels to the 2014 season, and he puts his foot down on the negativity and cynicism ...
2017-2018 ITH Season Preview: Ohio State BuckeyesInside the Hall
No. 11 Ohio State's domination a reminder not to count Buckeyes out in Big Ten or CFB PlayoffNBCSports.com
Ohio State opens as a 31-point favorite against Maryland: Buckeyes football newscleveland.com
247Sports -The Columbus Dispatch
all 67 news articles »

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Ohio State football podcast: It's 2014 all over again for the Buckeyes - MyAJC
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Ohio State football podcast: It's 2014 all over again for the Buckeyes
MyAJC
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get your Ohio State football fix on Inside the Shoe, brought to you by Land of 10. On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb feels a sense of déjà vu with parallels to the 2014 season, and he puts his foot down on the negativity and cynicism ...


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BM5: What's true ... what's false? - 247Sports
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BM5: What's true ... what's false?
247Sports
Bin Victor has emerged as the feared red zone/deep threat the Buckeyes have longed for since Mike Thomas left ... * When Chris Worley returns, Tuf Borland will remain the starter at middle linebacker ... * Anthony Cook will commit to his home-state ...


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Breaking down the 3 biggest points from Urban Meyer’s press conference
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Pass defense improvements and filling the void left by injury were the big takeaways from Meyer’s talk.

Going into Homecoming Week, the Ohio State Buckeyes roll back into Columbus, Ohio with a 4-1 record. On Monday, Urban Meyer talked with the media and answered questions from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Up next for the Buckeyes are the Maryland Terrapins, who will come into The Horseshoe with a 3-1 record, and Meyer gave us a glimpse of what to expect from his team this Saturday.

Let’s break down the three biggest points from the presser, and see how they’ll impact Saturday’s clash between the Buckeyes and Terps.

1. “Jordan Fuller is playing at a very high level right now. And the corners are getting better and better and better but we're also realistic.”


Since the primetime loss to the Oklahoma Sooners at home, the Buckeye pass defense has come under scrutiny from pundits, critics, and various people on Twitter. But since that loss, Meyer’s defense has gotten better against the pass.

Against Rutgers, the defense shut down the Scarlet Knights' receiving corps, allowing zero receptions from the guys who are supposed to catch the ball.

If there was a star of the pass defense, it looks to be Jordan Fuller, as Meyer mentioned him by name on Monday afternoon. It’s expected that the defensive backs will get better each week, but after seeing what the past couple of seasons have produced—in terms of talent going to the NFL—there is a sense of pumping the brakes a little bit. Saying the staff was realistic about the expectations of what can be done to prevent the pass is refreshing, as Meyer knows that progress can’t be made overnight.

With Fuller getting the praise, he may very well be the person the secondary looks to; in a sense, he’s another leader on the field. Against Rutgers, Fuller led the team with eight tackles, and he also tallied .5 tackles for loss.

The Terps are averaging 173.8 passing yards per game, so there will be some tests against this secondary—but not as much as others in the Big Ten. However, when Max Bortenschlager starts slinging passes, expect Fuller to be in the vicinity to make the tackle. Maryland will make some plays in the air, but with the corner play getting better (as said by coach Meyer) and Fuller flying around on the field at a high level, don’t expect too many Baker Mayfield-esque performances against the Buckeye pass defense.

2. “...Jalyn and Tyquan got the strength and the body type to get in there.”


Dre’Mont Jones missed the Rutgers game due to scraping his leg in the locker room and needing stitches to close up the wound. That post-practice injury will take the defensive lineman out of the Maryland contest, too.

Have no fear, though; the Buckeyes have options at who to move into that defensive tackle position. Jalyn Holmes, who was listed with Sam Hubbard on the defensive end portion of the depth chart prior to Jones’ injury, slid into the role against the Scarlet Knights—and looks to be a possible guy for this week against the Terrapins.

Additionally, Tyquan Lewis can move into that position, leaving Nick Bosa at DE. Lewis is the reigning Big Ten conference defensive lineman of the year, and his stats last season backed up the accolade: eight sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries. This season, Lewis tallied two sacks in the season opener against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Holding the point of attack by the offense is the main goal of a DT, and Holmes or Lewis can do exactly that. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson is one of the best coaches out there when it comes to stopping an offense. He has the talent on this team to help fill the void left by Jones, and so far, things seem to be going well.

But looking at this Saturday’s afternoon game with UMD, look for Holmes or Lewis to help clog the rushing lane—and maybe even force an errant throw from the QB.

3. “Coach Durkin was my graduate assistant...He coached with me at Bowling Green. He was a GA that I was ready to make full time when he was 21 years old. I tried to hire him a couple of other times.”


Paths will cross on Saturday, as Maryland’s DJ Durkin and Meyer will be meeting on opposite sidelines, again. Last season, Durkin’s first in College Park as a head coach, the Terps got flipped onto their back by the Buckeyes in a 62-3 defeat.

With this Maryland team a lot better than they were in 2016, things may get interesting inside The ‘Shoe. Already, Durkin’s scored a road victory against Tom Herman’s Texas Longhorns. And just last week, Maryland punctured a hole in PJ Fleck’s ‘row the boat’ mantra by beating the then-unbeaten Golden Gophers at their place, 31-24.

Meyer knew back in his Bowling Green days that Durkin was the real deal. Now, with his feet firmly planted as a head coach—and holding his own with the recruiting in the Washington D.C. area—things are a tad different than last season with Durkin.

Against his assistants in head-to-head battles, Meyer is an astounding 10-1. The only loss came back in 2010, when Dan Mullen’s Mississippi State Bulldogs defeated Meyer’s Florida Gators in Gainesville, Fla. Will Durkin score the second win against the master? History doesn’t side with him, but the trajectory of where this Maryland program is only going up with him running the show.

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Chat Wrap: Will coaches have 'Haskins package' ready if needed? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Chat Wrap: Will coaches have 'Haskins package' ready if needed?
247Sports
Gaoteote updates recruitment, talks Buckeyes, visit plans, more · Buckeyes and top OL see plenty of each other on Saturday · Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Halftime II Full-Zip Hoodie – Black/Scarlet · Chat Wrap: Will coaches have 'Haskins package ...


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Ohio State looks to add elite point guard Noah Locke today
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes will look to add one of the country’s top PGs today as Noah Locke is set to make his announcement.

Chris Holtmann, by all accounts, is doing his best to bring the Ohio State basketball program back from the dead. With verbal commitments from Jaedon LeDee, Duane Washington Jr., Luther Muhammad, and Justin Ahrens all coming in the last couple weeks, his efforts are certainly starting to pay off.

Holtmann isn’t finished, either: he and his staff continue to scout and offer some of the best available talent in the 2018 class, and are hoping to add one or two more kids to it.

They might do just that today, as elite point guard Noah Locke (Owings Mills, MD/McDonogh School) is set to make his collegiate decision.


The four-star PG has earned a reported 34 scholarship offers and is viewed as the No. 14 PG and No. 70 overall recruit in the entire class, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Ohio State has its hands full in Locke’s recruitment though, as the Buckeyes have been competing with some of the best programs in the country for his services. Along with Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Xavier, Providence, Virginia, and Maryland are all hoping to add him to their class.

Despite Holtmann’s efforts, Florida is the favorite to land the coveted PG. After officially visiting Ohio State back in August, the Gators have been all over Locke including hosting him on an official visit last weekend.

A whopping 70-percent of the 247 Sports Crystal Ball Predictions favor the Gators and that number looks to continue to grow.

Even if Locke decides to spurn Ohio State in favor of Florida, Holtmann and co. still have plenty of recruits they are looking at that would make great additions to the country’s already No. 9 ranked recruiting class.

Ohio State makes the cut for 2019 WR


Switching over to the gridiron, Ohio State football continues to pique the interest of the top football recruits in the country. This time, they've got the attention of 2019 blue-chip WR prospect Kendrell Scurry (Thompson’s Station, TN/Independence).

The four-star WR took to Twitter Monday to show his top five schools along with their activity level in his recruitment.


While Ohio State was one of the five schools listed, Scurry has them listed as a team that hasn’t been as active as some of the others. And while that appears to be good news for schools like Penn State and Louisville, not moving at all is better than the downward direction he has Tennessee at.

Making this more interesting, Scurry committed to the Volunteers in the summer of 2016 before de-committing from the program back in May. The reasoning behind him leaving their program was to see what other schools have to offer.

Scurry’s recruitment with Ohio State appears to be dependent on the Buckeye coaching staff, however. The Buckeyes have just two true WR commits in this years class, so the position will definitely be one of much focus in next year’s class.

With that being said, the Buckeyes appear to have five-star WR Theo Wease Jr. and four-star Trey Knox higher on their big board as of today. However, that doesn’t mean the program is completely ignoring Scurry.

Currently, Ohio State is the only school Scurry has taken an unofficial visit to, attending this year’s Friday Nights Light camp in July.

Look for Urban Meyer and the Ohio State coaching staff to continue to pursue Scurry, but if spots start filling up and the Buckeyes get their guys, Scurry could be left on the outside looking in.

Quick Hits:

• Ohio State 5-star TE commit Jeremy Ruckert received his U.S. Army All-American jersey Monday. Ruckert will join Taron Vincent, Jaelen Gill, Jaiden Woodbey, Max Wray, Josh Proctor, and Dallas Gant as future Buckeyes participating in the game.

• Ohio State’s basketball program missed out on one of the country’s top-rated PGs Monday when Andrew Nembhard decided to commit to Florida over the Buckeyes and others.

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Men's Hockey: Mason Jobst looks to lead Buckeyes back to tournament - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Men's Hockey: Mason Jobst looks to lead Buckeyes back to tournament
OSU - The Lantern
The Buckeyes come into this season off their first NCAA tournament bid since 2009. But after a first-round overtime loss to then-No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth, the team lost three goalies and much of its top talent, which included captain and forward Nick ...


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2017-2018 ITH Season Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes - Inside the Hall
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2017-2018 ITH Season Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes
Inside the Hall
With the start of college basketball season on the horizon, we'll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana's roster over the next month. Today, our Big Ten team previews continue with a look at Ohio State. After 13 seasons ...
Ohio State-Nebraska: Game time announcement for Week 7Landof10.com
Make Your Plans: Game time set for Oct. 14 match-up at Nebraska247Sports
Ohio State at Nebraska to kickoff at 7:30 pmLand-Grant Holy Land
Omaha World-Herald
all 88 news articles »

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Emory Jones' visit to Bama, Ohio State to host Michigan prospect 3 times in 6 weeks - Landof10.com
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Emory Jones' visit to Bama, Ohio State to host Michigan prospect 3 times in 6 weeks
Landof10.com
The attention that matters the most, though, is from the Buckeyes. “They just asked if we're good,” Jones said of his conversation with Ohio State about the visit. “I'm all good.” That hardly means the story is over. As we've talked about here at ...
Women's Soccer Upsets No. 7 Penn St., Field Hockey Gets Two West Coast Wins and Men's Soccer Streaks EndEleven Warriors

all 6 news articles »

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Ohio State almost lost Mike Weber for the whole season
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Little did we know that the sophomore running back was close to having season-ending surgery.

“It was a significant tear right before training camp. They almost had to do surgery on him. So we were dealing with maybe a year lost before training camp.”

-Urban Meyer, via Patrick Murphy, 247Sports


The way that many on the Ohio State coaching staff have talked about sophomore running back Mike Weber’s hamstring injury, one would suspect that there is likely some tightness, perhaps a pull, that had kept him mostly sidelined through the first four games of the season. Meyer listed Weber as “probable” week in and week out. And with freshman running back J.K. Dobbins tearing up the field, racking up nearly 600 yards through five games, it seemed to make sense to give Weber a couple extra weeks of rest.

As it turns out, however, Weber is lucky to be playing this season at all. The unspecified hamstring injury that kept him out versus Indiana and UNLV entirely was actually a significant tear. According to Weber, the Grade 3 injury was nearly a complete tear of the muscle.

While it has required a lot of extra time in the training room and self-management at practice in order to recoup, Weber was keen to avoid surgery in the fall, which would force him to miss the entirety of the 2017 season. Instead, Weber was dressed and ready for the Buckeyes’ 56-0 blowout of Rutgers Saturday. The sophomore finished the game with a season-high 10 carries for 44 yards and three touchdowns.

In this case, surgery was not a necessity, but the fact that it was an option was an alarming revelation for fans expecting to see more of Weber this season. Now, with Weber back at 100 percent, fans can expect to see more of him and Dobbins together--perhaps on the field at the same time. It is a benefit to the Ohio State offense to have two reliable rushers in the backfield with two distinct skillsets. And it could not have come at a better time as the Buckeyes start their run through their conference schedule.

“It was a perfect ball. It feels amazing. You just know you have to make a play. You work so hard on something and you have to make it count. Off the line, it was just a release. I really just beat him with speed.”

-Ohio State wide receiver Johnnie Dixon, via Ryan Ginn, Land of 10


As the Ohio State Buckeyes continued to develop their passing game in prolific fashion against Rutgers Saturday, one of the most telling plays was one that was ultimately called back. Early in the third quarter, with the Buckeyes up 35-0, J.T. Barrett completed a 67-yard pass to wide receiver Johnnie Dixon, hitting him in stride and exemplifying what Urban Meyer and Kevin Wilson have been steering the offense toward since Clemson shutout the Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl. Unfortunately, the play was called back on an offensive pass interference call on Dixon. Barrett would connect six plays later with wide receiver Binjimen Victor on a 23-yard touchdown pass, but his hookup with Dixon, though not appearing on the official stats, was the highlight of the drive.

With the Buckeyes already up big, they really didn’t need the additional touchdown in the moment. What they did need, however, were game-tested long passes to prove that quarterback and receivers were able to sync up when it counted. Barrett had connected on a couple similar passes throughout the game, and his connection with Dixon was icing on the cake. As the matchup against Penn State looms larger each week, Ohio State could not rest on its laurels and rely on a solid performance from its run game. Instead, the team needed to focus on its deficiencies and smooth them out to develop a more robust offensive performance overall.

Barrett finished the game going 14-for-22 for 275 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Like last week, the senior quarterback exited the game when it was well in-hand for the Buckeyes, taking a seat partway through the third quarter. It was a solid stat line, even without recording the completion to Dixon. Dixon, meanwhile, had a career game, with three receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

“On value, getting one of the most impressive centers in the NFL so far this year at pick No. 70 is incredible.”

-Matt Miller, Bleacher Report


It is no surprise to Ohio State fans that the Minnesota Vikings’ Pat Elflein is turning out to be one of the league’s best centers as a rookie. What came as a surprise, however, was back in April when Elflein, who won the Rimington Trophy Award as the nation’s best center in 2016, fell all the way to the third round of the NFL Draft. Widely projected as a second-round talent (it is, after all, rare for a center to be taken in the first round), Elflein had to sit tight while the Vikings, who were in desperate need of a center heading into 2017, drafted running back Dalvin Cook from Florida State with the 41st-overall selection in the second round.

Two offensive tackles went in the first round this year, in what was considered a poor draft among offensive linemen overall. Late in the second round, the Seattle Seahawks took Ethan Pocic from LSU--the first center selected in the draft. One more tackle and three offensive guards were then selected in the second round before Elflein’s name was finally called.

Elflein has been a workhorse since his arrival at Ohio State. He previously played at both guard and tackle before making the switch to center during his senior year (Billy Price, who replaced Elflein at center for Ohio State, made a similar switch prior to this season).

With quarterback Sam Bradford out with a knee injury, the Vikings had been leaning heavily on the run game, which naturally leant to Elflein’s strengths. Unfortunately, the Vikings released today that Cook, who had logged the bulk of the carries for Minnesota, tore his ACL yesterday against the Lions, and will miss the remainder of his rookie season. Still, Elflein can clear the way for his backup quarterback (Case Keenum) and running back (Latavius Murray).

STICK TO SPORTS

• Even our polar bears don’t miss a workout.
• And we can all cheer for this pup, who saved victims from the earthquakes in Mexico.
• Anyone can juggle...but not everyone can juggle frisbees.
• Here is a--uh--interesting mural of Marshawn Lynch.

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4-star guard Andrew Nembhard picks Florida over Ohio State, others: Buckeyes basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


4-star guard Andrew Nembhard picks Florida over Ohio State, others: Buckeyes basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
7 point guard in the 2018 class, was on the short list of players the new Buckeyes coaching staff was continuing to recruit after picking up four commitments in six days last month. The Canadian prospect, who is playing at Montverde Academy in Florida, ...


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Former Ohio State DB/WR Eric Glover-Williams to enroll at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Glover-Williams left the team in early September.

He was a defensive back with the Buckeyes before being moved to wide receiver in the spring, now, after leaving the team in early September, Eric Glover-Williams is to enroll at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, as reported by Bill Greene of Scout.com.

A member of the 2015 recruiting class, Glover-Williams was graded as a four-star cornerback, and was the fourth highest prospect from the state of Ohio. As a freshman at Ohio State, Glover-Williams played on special teams in seven games. Last season as a sophomore, he played in 13 games and recorded seven tackles—with two of those coming in the overtime win at Wisconsin.

Glover-Williams won’t be the only former Buckeye to enroll at MGCCC. Former wide out Torrance Gibson enrolled there earlier in the summer, and is now a dual-threat quarterback with the Bulldogs, according to his 247sports profile.

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Ohio State’s blowout win over Rutgers was enjoyable, but there probably isn’t much to take away from it
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Podcasting about the Buckeyes’ 56-0 win, Rutgers’ sad field goal, and more.

Ohio State destroyed Rutgers on Saturday, just like they have the last three years. The total score between the two teams since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014 now stands at 219-24 in favor of the Buckeyes. Rutgers hasn’t scored a point in the series since 2015.

Rutgers is in a bad place right now, and their attempt to put some points on the board to avoid the shutout at the end of Saturday’s game was the cherry on top of the wow-look-at-how-different-these-programs-are sundae:


Saddest. Field goal. Ever.

So if Rutgers is that bad, then what can we take away from Ohio State’s lopsided win? Probably not much.

On this episode of The Hangout in the Holy Land, Colton Denning and Patrick Mayhorn attempt to sift through the ruins and give their thoughts on Ohio State’s 56-0 win, including:

• Why it’s hard to glean much from the offense’s performance, since it looked like they were focused on working on the passing game, and how Urban Meyer and Kevin Wilson are still trying to figure out their offensive philosophy.
• Generating explosive passing plays, worrying about the first half three-and-outs, and wondering if Binjimen Victor is ready to take the leap into being a No. 1 target.
• Mike Weber’s excellent return to action, why it made sense to hold J.K Dobbins back, and the traits that make Demario McCall special.
• Praise for the defensive line, who single-handedly wrecked Rutgers offensive gameplan, and more.

The guys also recap the rest of Week 5 in college football, discuss Troy’s upset win over LSU, give props to Alabama and Clemson, and try to figure out who the third best team in the country is right now.

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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Oval and Out: Ohio State blanks Rutgers, an in-state rivalry renews, and Saquon Barkley owns college football
Kyle Sumner McKinnon via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


We’re back again to get you caught up on the news, notes, and notable bits from Columbus and beyond.

For every win you enjoy, a loss is sure to follow.

It happens in all walks of life.

You can lose a pencil before class. You can lose your car keys. You can even lose a football game. I think I lost about 10 pairs of glasses when I was little.

But some losses can’t be reconciled or replaced.

I was told a week ago that my four-legged best friend had cancer. Her name is Adrian, an abused rescue that was literally found in the woods all alone years ago.

We were essentially given one option, though. Her leg had to be amputated or the cancer would spread elsewhere throughout her 12-year-old basset hound body.

So, that same week, the amazing folks over at The Ohio State University Medical Center removed Adrian’s front left leg.

The past seven days haven’t been easy. I’d gladly trade places with Adrian, who loves nothing more than a good adventure and a jar of peanut butter.

But I’ve learned a great deal from that incredible hound. It’s put things in perspective, to say the least. And I hope this provides you, too, with a little perspective on value as we kick off October.

Now, let’s take a look at what happened over the weekend in Columbus and around the country.

Review: Rutgers


OSU tacked on another easy victory Saturday night, blanking Rutgers 56-0.

Not only was this the Buckeyes first shutout of the season, but they put together their best all-around outing to date.

J.T. Barrett hung 364 total yards and three touchdowns on the Scarlet Knights. He also became the all-time passing leader in school history, a record formerly held by Art Schlichter.

Barrett was able to connect on some big downfield strikes again this week. He found Johnnie Dixon all alone for a 70-yard touchdown that broke the game wide open and later hit Binjimen Victor for a beautiful touchdown grab to top things off.



Yeah, he Mossed him.

On the ground, Mike Weber got back in the fold with three touchdown runs and Demario McCall rewarded eager fans with two touchdowns of his own. And if your defense doesn’t allow the opposing offense to ever score, they done good.

An improved Maryland team is up next for OSU.

Play of the Game


The lovechild of a Rutgers snoozer is the amount of big plays from the Buckeyes.

And the biggest came from Johnnie Dixon, who was left unchecked by the defense in the second quarter for a 70-yard touchdown that pushed OSU’s lead to 21-0.



Dixon scored again shortly after, as did seemingly the rest of the offense.

Looking Ahead: Maryland


It’s difficult to know where to begin with Maryland.

They’re 3-1 on the season, having beaten Texas, Towson, and most recently Minnesota. All three games have been won with three different starting quarterbacks. Maryland is solid on both sides of the ball and will need efficient play under center to upset OSU on the road.

Quarterback Max Bortenschlager was just that for the Terps versus Minnesota, completing 18-of-28 passes for 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. He’s set to make his third career start in The Shoe.

I like what coach D. J. Durkin has going on at College Park, but the odds of a Maryland upset Saturday afternoon are slim to none. (However, I will buy stock in a potentially interesting game.)

State of the Big Ten


It was an important week in the B1G with several teams looking to separate themselves from the rest of the conference.

Nebraska got the ball rolling with a road win over Illinois. Undefeated Minnesota was dealt the biggest blow, dropping a close one to Maryland at home. Northwestern couldn’t complete their comeback bid against Wisconsin, and Penn State trounced Indiana in Happy Valley.

Iowa’s meeting with Michigan State highlighted the Big Ten’s weekend slate. It came down to the closing minutes, with the Spartans coming out on top, 17-10.

Sparty is on the comeback trail, people. Don’t be surprised if they upset Michigan Saturday night.

Play of the Week


It feels like Saquon Barkley dominates this section every week.

Well, nothing changed but the date for Penn State’s star tailback, as he went out and proved again that he’s college football’s premier attraction.

Seriously, what can’t Barkley do?



Just give him the Heisman already.

Heisman Watch


I already dedicated one section to the country’s best player, why not do it again.

Saquon Barkley went for 221 total yards and two touchdowns in Penn State’s win over Indiana. He’s now amassed 1,234 total yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns.



Whew. You better hope that man ends up on your favorite NFL team.

Outside of Barkley, Oklahoma had a Bye Week, so Baker Mayfield didn’t play. He’ll likely hang around the Heisman conversation with Barkley all season long.

Keep an eye on Stanford running back Bryce Love. He broke Christian McCaffrey’s single-game rushing record with 301 yards on Saturday and has 1,088 rushing yards in five games.

Game of the Week: Michigan State v. Michigan


A classic matchup between two in-state conference rivals? Count me in.

Michigan States hits the road to take on Michigan in Ann Arbor. Coach Mark Dantonio appears to have righted the ship in East Lansing. He’s got another hardnosed, talented group that’s strong in the trenches.

Under center is sophomore Brian Lewerke, a legit dual-threat quarterback that’s visibly improving each week.



Not to be outdone are coach Jim Harbaugh’s undefeated Wolverines. They’re an inexperienced squad, but with a stout defense and ball-controlled offense, the framework is basically the same.

Lewerke’s decision-making and ability to make plays outside the pocket could decide a game where points will be at a premium.

Monday Morning #HotTakez

• Fall and winter are the best seasons of the year. Summer’s just too hot (I’m a naturally warm person, but still).
• Tony Romo is already a superb announcer. And don’t tell me there’s a right way to announce a game.
• I’m calling it: Michigan State upsets Michigan in the Big House.
• Wisconsin clinched the Big Ten West before their season began.
• I thought USC was overrated. After a couple close calls, Washington State did ‘em in Friday night. It won’t be the Trojans only loss of the season.
• The best team in college football is… Clemson. That defense is filthy and Kelly Bryant is cruising. Maybe Deshaun Watson wasn’t lying, after all.
• Danny Trevathan deserves a longer suspension for this. Dirtiest hit I’ve seen in while.
• It was a sea of blowouts in college football’s primetime slots on Saturday. I thought college ball was supposed to be better than the NFL, though? The Internet told me so.

Oh, the Interweb


Although it was a quiet football-filled weekend, the Internet still proved to be the gift that keeps on giving.

And with that we begin in the NFL with a true legend at quarterback.



Don’t ever change, Jay.

Now for some “Really, bro?” moments.



Then Troy went down to Death Valley and owned LSU on and off the gridiron.



The savagery is real.

I’ll leave you with Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke and a Wonderdog.



That was the most important completion Lewerke had all day.

Buckeyes Bits


Land-Grant Holy Land has you covered on everything that is OSU. Win or lose, we’ve got your back.

• Ohio State's offense looked fully weaponized, and Rutgers was no match
• We got answers, but there are still questions about this Ohio State team
• Ohio State’s passing game continued its explosive development
• Ohio State jumps back to No. 10 in the latest AP Poll

Final Thoughts


This week, it’s Maryland. Next, it’s Nebraska (and then a Bye Week).

And then, on Oct. 28, OSU will host Penn State under the lights in Columbus.

There’s not much time left for the Buckeyes to gear up for the conference-leading Nittany Lions. While the Scarlet and Gray have noticeably improved, it’s hard to know what team we’ll get when faced with a legitimate title contender.

As is the case with many things in life, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Have questions? Comments? Send them my way! Email me at [email protected] or follow me @Kyle_McKinnon6 on Twitter.

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Former Buckeye coaches Tressel, Cooper to speak in Canton - New Philadelphia Times Reporter
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Buckeye coaches Tressel, Cooper to speak in Canton
New Philadelphia Times Reporter
Former Ohio State University football coaches Jim Tressel and John Cooper will take the stage in Canton to talk sports and life in a program titled “Coaching ...

and more »

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Ohio State recruiting: How did the Buckeyes fare with their September to-do list? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: How did the Buckeyes fare with their September to-do list?
Landof10.com
We know that – at one point in September – Buckeyes offensive line coach Greg Studrawa was in Toledo checking in on Austin Beier, the Minnesota commit. Beyond that, there weren't a bunch of visits made around the state or otherwise that would indicate ...
Ohio State makes cut for 4-star small forwardLand-Grant Holy Land

all 4 news articles »

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Ohio State Buckeyes in the NFL (Week 4) - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes in the NFL (Week 4)
OSU - The Lantern
Former Buckeyes Marshon Lattimore, Tyvis Powell and Darron Lee catch-up during the Spring Game on April 15. Credit: Alexa Mavrogianis | Former Photo Editor. Of all the former Buckeyes currently in the NFL, these five players stood out in Week 4 of the ...


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