A showdown between Clemson-Virginia Tech lights up Week 5’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 Tigers hit the road again for another big primetime game, as they head to Blacksburg on Saturday night

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

Season ATS: 34-28-1 (11-9 National, 23-19-1 B1G)

Last week was more like the performance MC&J wants to put out there on a weekly basis. Not only did we sail past 50% of the week, but the score predictions for UNLV-Ohio State and Rutgers-Nebraska were almost spot on. Hopefully last week is a sign of things to come the rest of the season.

National games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


No. 5 USC (-4) v. No. 16 Washington State - Friday 9/29 10:30 PM EST - ESPN

Had this game been on Saturday night instead of Friday night, it’s likely College GameDay would setup shop in Pullman for the first time ever. Instead, Clemson-Virginia Tech gets the College GameDay treatment, while Washington State will only have their flag waving in the crowd for about the billionth week in a row.

Washington State has been able to avoid the early season upsets to lesser teams that have plagued them over the past few years, and now they’ll be hoping to put a dent into USC’s national title hopes. Aside from the triple overtime thriller against Boise State a few weeks ago, the Cougars have won all their games this year by at least four touchdowns.

A loss to Washington State on Friday night wouldn’t totally end USC’s playoff hopes, but it would give the Trojans little room for error the rest of the way. Sam Darnold has been inconsistent this year, and with Luke Falk throwing darts on the other side, Darnold is going to have to be near perfect in Pullman.

It’s tempting to take Washington State in this spot, but I think USC has too much for Washington State to handle. This game will be tight most of the way, but the fourth quarter is the difference, with the Trojans winning by 10 points.

USC 41, Washington State 31

No. 7 Georgia (-8) v. Tennessee - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

Georgia has impressed more and more each week, and the Bulldogs have a chance to put an early stamp on their claim to the SEC East with a win in Knoxville on Saturday. There is still plenty of work to do with the annual clash against Florida still awaiting, but a win against the Volunteers would go a long way for Kirby Smart’s team.

The scary thing is the Bulldogs look like they’ll only get better as the season moves on. Jake Fromm has been solid in filling in for injured quarterback Jacob Eason, who was hurt in the season opener against Appalachian State, but should be ready to get back on the field soon. Not like it matters all the much who lines up behind center for Georgia though, as the Bulldogs will look to run the football with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

Tennessee has been even more unpredictable than usual this year. The Volunteers are just a couple snaps away from possibly being 5-0 or 1-4 instead of 4-1. Last week Tennessee barely defeated UMass, and while they won’t look as bad this week, they just aren’t as good a team as Georgia is right now.

Georgia 27, Tennessee 17

No. 24 Mississippi State v. No. 13 Auburn (-10) - 6:00 PM EST - ESPN

Mississippi State-Auburn always seems like it turns into a really strange game. I remember years ago when they played the 3-2 classic, and while there hasn’t been anything quite that strange lately, this series does have its moments. The potential for shenanigans is possible here, with both teams desperate to avoid their second loss of the season.

Who knows what Mississippi State team we are going to get here. Are we going to get the Bulldogs that crushed LSU? Or the Bulldogs who couldn’t accomplish anything last week against Georgia? Nick Fitzgerald can’t do it all himself for Mississippi State, but reinforcements aren’t arriving anytime soon for the Bulldogs.

At times it has looked like Auburn’s season was going to come off the rails, but the Tigers have done a surprisingly good job at keeping that from happening. Sure Auburn lost to Clemson a few weeks ago, but Clemson might be the best team in the country. The worst performance came the week after, when the Tigers not only beat Mercer by just 14 points, but quarterback Sean White was kicked off the team following an arrest after the game.

Luckily Auburn picked up Baylor transfer quarterback Jarrett Stidham, so the loss of White hasn’t been noticed so far. Stidham will only continue to grow as he becomes more comfortable with the Auburn offense. The growth continues on Saturday night, as Auburn wins easier than many of the experts think.

Auburn 37, Mississippi State 21

No. 2 Clemson (-7.5) v. No. 12 Virginia Tech - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

Even without Deshaun Watson, Clemson looks like one of the most complete teams in the country. Kelly Bryant has some work to do in the passing game, but he has made up for that with seven rushing touchdowns so far this year. Not like Clemson needs a ton from their quarterback with the way their defense is playing.

This is Virginia Tech’s biggest hurdle to possibly working their way into the national title picture. If the Hokies are able to get by Clemson on Saturday night, their schedule is manageable the rest of the way, and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see them finish the regular season undefeated. Too bad that is predicated on beating Clemson, which I don’t see happening.

Quarterback Josh Jackson just isn’t ready for what Clemson is going to throw at him. Sure, Jackson has put up big numbers this year, but it hasn’t been against anyone worth anything, aside from West Virginia. The Tigers already went to Louisville and shut down Lamar Jackson, and while I really want to pick Virginia Tech for the upset here, Clemson is just too polished for the Hokies to top.

Clemson 30, Virginia Tech 17

No. 15 Oklahoma State (-10) v. Texas Tech - 8:00 PM EST - FOX

The egg is just running down my face after I praised Oklahoma State for pretty much the first time ever last week. After finding every opportunity to take shots at Oklahoma State over the past few years, I finally had some faith in the Cowboys, and they play like garbage at home against TCU.

Even with the loss to TCU, Mason Rudolph is still one of the best quarterbacks in the country. The senior has thrown for 13 touchdowns and will be looking to add to those stats against a Texas Tech team that always has a suspect defense. Oklahoma State has scored at least 31 points in each of their four games this year, and I see no reason why that streak doesn’t continue on Saturday night.

Texas Tech had a nice win last week against Houston, and the Red Raiders will probably head to a bowl game on the arm of Nik Shimonek, but they aren’t beating Oklahoma State in this spot. Trips to Lubbock are never easy, but the Cowboys are coming to town angry after the beating they suffered at the hands of TCU. Oklahoma State takes out their frustrations on the Texas Tech defense.

Oklahoma State 54, Texas Tech 38

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Will Ohio State be able to run Kevin Wilson’s offense against Chris Ash and 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 Buckeyes will square off against an old friend on Saturday.

One could argue that Chris Ash, not Tom Herman, was the most important hire that Urban Meyer has made at Ohio State.

In 2013, the Ohio State defense under Luke Fickell and Everett Withers was not particularly impressive, especially for a team with eight-plus NFL guys listed in the two-deep. They played soft and lackadaisical in the secondary — which was highlighted by Broncos star Bradley Roby — and it showed often. They gave up 34 points to a bad California team, 30 points to Northwestern, 24 to Iowa, 35 to Illinois, 41 to a bad Michigan team, 34 to Michigan State and 35 to Clemson.

A change needed to be made.

With Everett Withers accepting the head coaching job at James Madison, there was an opening at co-defensive coordinator and in the secondary. Urban Meyer then made the move and poached a relative unknown, but a great defensive mind, off of Brett Bielema’s staff at Arkansas, Chris Ash.

Ash brought an aggressive, attacking style and a Quarters scheme in the secondary — a scheme that Ohio State fans were very familiar with, from Michigan State’s Pat Narduzzi. All Ash did was immediately transform the passing defense from 112th in the country against the pass, to 29th. His defense slowed down the Crimson Tide and completely limited Marcus Mariota and the Oregon passing game, en-route to the national title. Without Ash, Ohio State does not win the national title in 2014 and the defense wouldn’t have bailed out the underwhelming offense as many times as it did in 2015.

Make no doubt about it, when Ash left after the 2015 season and accepted the Rutgers’ head job, Meyer made an excellent hire with Greg Schiano. But the Buckeyes would not be where they are now if Ash didn’t change the scheme, the philosophy and the mindset of Meyer’s defense in 2014.

Flash forward to 2017.

Although Rutgers doesn’t have the talent to compete with the Buckeyes, Ash is the X-Factor. He practiced against J.T. Barrett for two seasons and knows him better than just about anyone. Ash knows his strengths, his weaknesses and what makes him uncomfortable. His defense is built to stop the zone read by applying pressure and he relies on a tight Cover 4 to limit the passing game.

Twitter was was going crazy during Ohio State’s screen-fest against Army, asking if those passes would work against better teams. Well, Ash’s defense is going to mostly play tight coverage on the line of scrimmage which will limit the number of screens, but Kevin Wilson should be able to mix up formations which will force Ash to change up coverages.

During Week 1, Rutgers held their own against a very talented and well-coached Washington Huskies spread offense. When the Huskies went Trips, the defense obviously has to adjust, which then gives the offense a numbers advantage on the perimeter. Kevin Wilson will be able to dial up run-pass options out of Trips.



We know by now that Wilson loves to utilize the speed and quickness on the perimeter. The receivers aren’t the most complex or precise route runners, so he likes the quick hitters that utilizes their quickness to create space — “legal” picks also help. As shown below, the linebackers can be manipulated by crossing patterns.


Overall, it will be a chess match between Urban Meyer’s newest hire and his most important hire. Ash will throw the kitchen sink at Barrett and Meyer’s spread offense by pressuring the zone read and playing physical against the receivers who still haven’t proved anything against a solid defense. Rutgers may not be there talent-wise, but they’ll be competitive from a schematic standpoint.

Let’s see if Barrett can continue to take baby steps forward with the Penn State game on the horizon.


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What does the massive college basketball corruption scandal mean for Ohio State basketball?
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


There’s a lot to unpack here. Let’s see how it may directly impact Ohio State

Normally, nobody outside of Lexington, Lawrence or Durham wants to talk about college basketball in late September. It takes a massive news event to wrest headlines away from college football, but boy howdy, does this qualify.

The FBI’s deep investigation into corruption in college basketball has already started to shake up coaching staffs across the country, from Arizona to Alabama. And of course, Louisville is now out a Hall of Fame coach. If you’re looking for a quick rundown on everything that has happened in the scandal so far, this is a good place to look.

The fallout could become even more extensive. But let’s to take a look at how this may directly touch Ohio State.

Has Ohio State basketball been mentioned in any FBI reports so far?


No, and to be honest, they’re not very likely to. Thad Matta had a pretty sterling reputation in coaching circles for doing everything above board in recruiting, and if we’re being honest, it’s probably a bit part of why Ohio State lost a few big recruiting battles over the last few seasons. College basketball is a weird sport, and I don’t want to say it’s impossible that an assistant did something without Matta knowing, but that would be a pretty big surprise. In this particular scandal, Ohio State hoops is probably fine.

Of note, one program that has been heavily mentioned is Arizona, coached by Sean Miller, a one-time target to replace Thad Matta at Ohio State. We’ll have to see how that shakes out, but the short term news isn’t good for the Wildcat program.

How might this scandal impact Ohio State recruiting?


The Buckeyes already have four 2018 commitments (you can see what they bring to the table right here), and are likely to only take one more in this class. The biggest need appears to be a pure point guard. Their biggest target is Elijah Weaver, whose Crystal Ball predictions of late have been favoring USC, one of the programs mentioned in the FBI reports. Does that change anything? Who knows?

We’ve already seen a rush of decommitments from programs like Auburn, Miami and Louisville, and as more programs and assistants are tied up in the scandal, more players could bounce. Perhaps the most prominent player with an Ohio State offer is former Louisville commit, and top 50 recruit, PG Courtney Ramey. The most recent CB picks have been for Missouri, but perhaps Ohio State attempts to get back into his recruitment if this open up a bit.

The Buckeyes are also pursing Eric Ayala, Andrew Nembhard and Noah Locke as potential 2018 point guards. Ohio State isn’t favored in any of those races, but it’s worth monitoring to see if other major programs are tied up in this scandal, which could shake many races up. If the FBI is poking into the Nike EYBL program, there’s a good chance a lot of other college programs are going to be added to this investigation as well.

It’s also worth noting that these decommitments could potentially steer talented players who might otherwise go to Louisville, Arizona or other national programs into the Big Ten. Indiana, for example, could be a beneficiary, which would make things tougher for Ohio State moving forward.

This investigation is focused on college basketball right now. Is there a chance it could spread to college football as well?


There’s a chance, but I don’t think that’s super likely, as the “bagman” operation in those two sports is run pretty differently.

My colleague Jason Kirk summed this up well, I think. Tl;dr, college basketball is a business, and college football is more like a cult. Enormous shoe companies and agencies are prepared to invest big sums of money (like, six figures worth) to funnel to high schoolers to get wearing their shoes, and thinking about their representation, very early. Think of it as a giant futures market, only instead of above the board investing, it’s a giant scheme of bribes.

There’s shoe money and agent money in college football recruiting too, but because of the longer evaluation period in college, the difference in shoe contracts between the sport and other factors, the shoe companies aren’t nearly as big of players in HS recruitment (although that could change). The bagmen are more like guys at the local car dealership, or alumni boosters, just trying to grow the football program.

Those guys make less attractive scalps for an FBI agent than say, a director at Adidas. The NCAA could, and occasionally does, go after the football bagmen. But it would surprise me, at this point, if this evolved into a massive football operation, even if there’s more “money” in college football.

Does this surprise you?


I’m not a college basketball history expert. I did write a book about college football history though, and I can tell you that funneling money to recruits has been going on for literally over a hundred years, when Princeton was scheming on how to out-recruit Yale. Scandal has been no stranger to college basketball either, from point shaving, to organized crime ties, to yes, recruiting violations. The idea that this was continuing, even on a relatively massive scale, is not a shock.

I’m not sure if this is something that could be easily fixed, even with just “paying the players”. One suggestion, from Andy Staples at SI, is to let college athletes have agents. That could probably go a ways towards cleaning up the shady middlemen. There will probably be other ideas that will be published soon, some more feasible than others. But under existing NCAA legislation and framework, even massive FBI indictments may not be enough to clean things up.


Corrections: A previous edition of this story incorrectly stated the commitment date of Weaver. We regret the error.

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What Are The Three Biggest Questions For The Ohio State Buckeyes? - BT Powerhouse (blog)
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What Are The Three Biggest Questions For The Ohio State Buckeyes?
BT Powerhouse (blog)
In the last week alone, the Buckeyes have landed four commitments for their 2018 class, with two of them ranking in the top 150. While the 2018-19 season looks promising, Ohio State must get there first. This season is represented by an aura of ...
Buckeyes React To FBI InvestigationScout
Men's basketball | Ohio State players ready to move forwardThe Columbus Dispatch

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Buckeyes React To FBI Investigation - Scout
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Buckeyes React To FBI Investigation
Scout
Earlier this week, the FBI rocked the college basketball world when it announced it has been conducting an investigation since 2015 on coaches being paid tens of thousands of dollars to steer high school players toward sports agents, financial advisers ...
Men's basketball | Ohio State players ready to move forwardThe Columbus Dispatch

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What does Ohio State Basketball’s ‘BOOMing’ week mean for the future?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


On the podcast, we talk about what recruits might join the class next.

At the start of last week, Ohio State had exactly zero basketball commitments for the 2018 season, but by Sunday night, they had four top-300 players, and they had broken into the recruiting rankings top-10 nationally.

On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” LGHL’s Matt Tamanini and recruiting expert Patrick Mayhorn talk about each commit, what they bring to Columbus, when they might see the floor, and what else the recruiting class might hold.

Patrick Mayhorn’s Recruit Impact Pieces

Tuesday, Sept. 19: Jaedon LeDee’s impact
Wednesday, Sept. 20: Duane Washington Jr.’s impact
Friday, Sept. 22: Luther Muhammad’s impact
Sunday, Sept. 24: Justin Ahrens’s impact

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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Ohio State RB commit Master Teague has successful surgery on left ankle
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The future Buckeye back will take the rest of his senior season off.

Successful surgery for Teague


Earlier this week, reports surfaced that ‘18 RB Master Teague, an Ohio State commit since June of this year, may have to miss the rest of his senior season at Blackman (TN) due to a left ankle injury that he actually played on for a little bit in the Blaze’s most recent game against Oakland (TN). In that contest, Teague tallied up about 150 yards on the ground in the loss, but it wasn’t long after that the three-star back found out he would need to have surgery.

On Wednesday, that surgery took place and all indications are that it went well for the 14th-highest graded running back in the class. According to his father Corey, who spoke with Bill Kurelic of 247Sports.com, “everything went well and as planned” for Teague. His father also relayed to Kurelic that there was “no tearing on the tendons and no ligament issues” for the Buckeye commit.

In the piece by Kurelic, it states that Teague is planning on enrolling early at Ohio State in January. The good news is that Corey expects his son to be at full strength prior to his arrival in Columbus. “(He’ll be) out of the boot first of November. So definitely 100% before January,” he told Kurelic.

With all of this being said, Master Teague has a passion and a work ethic that are through the roof. I fully expect him to take this injury in stride and come back bigger, stronger, and faster. With the expectation that Teague has played his final game as a high school athlete, the next time we may see the 5'11, 210-pounder may very well be in Scarlet and Gray.

Oweh may see Bucks in action soon


As for someone who may ultimately join Teague in Columbus, ‘18 DE Jayson Oweh of Blair Academy (NJ) is one to keep your eyes on. Oweh is a four-star prospect and one of the country’s premier defensive ends. Obviously, the Buckeyes are very much all-in with hopes of bringing the Blairstown native to Columbus.

As we mentioned above, Oweh is a New Jersey prospect and sure enough, Ohio State will be in Piscataway this weekend as they will face off against the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. So, since it’s so close for Oweh, maybe he will show face on Saturday.


While it’s not as major as Oweh taking a visit to the Ohio State campus would be, it’s still a pretty big deal. For Oweh to get any sort of first person look into how the defensive line rotates and performs, as well as getting to see how his potential college defensive line coach Larry Johnson handles things when the ball is in the air is an opportunity that the Buckeyes would love to have.

We will see if Oweh does ultimately make the trip. If so, I would say that it would likely be a visit that could only increase the chances of Urban Meyer receiving his pledge when the time comes. As of now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball reads 38% in favor of the Buckeyes, who are hoping to outpace Notre Dame and Penn State — the current favorite for Oweh.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State Basketball Head Coach Chris Holtmann visited ‘18 Andrew Nembhard of Montverde Academy (FL) yesterday, according to Corey Evans of Rivals.com. Nembhard is a five-star prospect and the 28th overall player in his class. The 6'4, 185-pounder is also the seventh-highest graded point guard in the country.
• To the surprise of few, ‘18 C Morris Udeze of Montverde Academy (FL), a three-star prospect who officially visited Ohio State on September 15th, announced his commitment to Wichita State on Wednesday over the Buckeyes and Butler.

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Buckeyes rolling as they take on Marauders - Athens Messenger (registration)
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Buckeyes rolling as they take on Marauders
Athens Messenger (registration)
Nelsonville-York freshman Colton Snyder (48) tackles Trimble's Cameron Kittle during the season opener. The Buckeyes travel to Meigs on Friday. Messenger photo by Louise Fish. The non-league portion of the schedule in the rear-view mirror, the ...


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Ohio State football | Interference calls can be easily corrected - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State football | Interference calls can be easily corrected
The Columbus Dispatch
When something goes wrong, Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said, the Buckeyes put the issue under a microscope. The question, to borrow a medical analogy, is simple: Is it benign or malignant? Is it a problem easily correctable or the ...
How Ohio State's 2014 national championship launched a star at ESPN: Buckeye Talk Podcastcleveland.com
No. 11 Buckeyes looking at a cake-walk vs. RutgersScarlet and Game
Buckeyes make strong bid to land DE over Bama, Michigan, others247Sports
Bleacher Report -Landof10.com
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Bill Kurelic: Those Tennessee guys really like Ohio State Buckeyes ... - 247Sports
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Bill Kurelic: Those Tennessee guys really like Ohio State Buckeyes ...
247Sports
More Tennessee prospects thinking hard about Ohio State; Ohioan ready for break-out season.

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Hoops & Scoops | Media day notebook: Buckeyes not concerned with FBI investigation - The Columbus Dispatch
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Hoops & Scoops | Media day notebook: Buckeyes not concerned with FBI investigation
The Columbus Dispatch
It's been impossible to escape the recent headlines dominating college basketball. With federal charges levied against college coaches across the country and new revelations and accusations emerging by the hour, the guesswork of what is yet to come is ...
Chris Holtmann rebuilding Buckeyes basketball from inside Ohio ...The Athletic

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Kurelic: Forgotten recruit Meyer talks to a lot; DB recruiting - 247Sports
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Kurelic: Forgotten recruit Meyer talks to a lot; DB recruiting
247Sports
9 when the Buckeyes played Oklahoma. He made the visit with his mother and father, and since then the Ohio State staff certainly haven't forgotten about Tutt. “Me and my dad text every day with Ohio State,” Tutt said. “It's probably (with) Urban Meyer ...
Surgery Went As Planned for Running Back Commit Master Teague III While Urban Meyer's Wife Helps Ohio State on ...Eleven Warriors

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Luther Muhammad explains why he chose Ohio State, no panic in Buckeyes' pursuit of Devontae Dobbs - Landof10.com
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Luther Muhammad explains why he chose Ohio State, no panic in Buckeyes' pursuit of Devontae Dobbs
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes, and for a glimpse at what's coming next.


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Greg Schiano says he’s not worried about Ohio State’s pass interference problem
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Also, just how valuable is defensive line coach Larry Johnson?

“I know people are in a little bit of hysteria about the pass interference. I’m not.”

- Greg Schiano via Bill Landis, cleveland.com


While Ohio State’s defensive line might be living up to its lofty expectations so far this season, the secondary, which last year dubbed itself “B.I.A.” for “Best in America,” has yet to follow suit.

After giving up a combined 806 yards in the first two games of 2017, there has been a bit of stabilization as the competition has regressed back to the opposite side of the passing pendulum.

However, even after giving up just 107 combined passing yards against Army and UNLV, there are still a number of issues that fans are having with the secondary, and the cornerbacks specifically. One being the unfortunately recurring instances of defensive pass interference penalties.

Despite the drive-extending flags, defensive coordinator Greg Schiano is not worried about Kendall Sheffield and Damon Arnette’s P.I. habits. He equated it to a baseball player who is getting just under the ball and flying out, instead of hitting a homerun. On Tuesday, Schiano said that those types of things are fixable.

“They’re very close calls, but if the flag is thrown, it’s interference,” he told collected reporters. “Whenever we have an issue around here, we put laser lights on it and learn how to get it fixed. It’s not where they’re very far off, and those will turn into productive plays.”

“Ohio State’s defensive line is so talented that players at other positions want to learn from them. Take linebacker Jerome Baker. When the Buckeyes practice kickoffs... the junior heads over to where Larry Johnson coaches his linemen.”

- Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


With all of the talk about Tom Herman and Chris Ash and Greg Schiano and Kevin Wilson, it is easy to forget just how special and impactful a coach like Larry Johnson can be. The long-time Penn State assistant, who joined Urban Meyer in Columbus in 2014, has built one of the deepest and most impressive units in the Big Ten and the country.

So much so, that he is spending his practice time working with players not even in his position group. Last week, along with linebackers coach Billy Davis, Johnson emphasized to Jerome Baker the importance of pushing his hips properly while pass rushing.

The extra drills paid off, as the junior recorded his first sack of the season. Could it become a trend for linebackers to sneak into D-line drills? It sure doesn’t seem like it could hurt.

In his article, Rabinowitz also included a few comments from various Buckeyes about their thoughts on the on-going NFL controversy surrounding players protesting during the national anthem.

While Meyer, J.T. Barrett, and Jayln Holmes shared their thoughts (to varying degrees), Holmes brought it back to how this Buckeye team is handling the situation. He said that the team has discussed the protest, but currently has no plans to join, but that there is more to it.

He said, “One thing we do talk about (at Ohio State) is controlling what we can. The way I can control (social injustice) is to give back to the community the best way I can. There’s no point in taking a knee if you’re not really participating in the community.”

“The Big Ten Conference announced on Wednesday the 35 men’s basketball standouts, including 20 seniors, tentatively scheduled to attend Big Ten Men’s Basketball Media Day.”

- Big Ten Network


For the first Big Ten Media Day of the Chris Holtmann era, the new coach has opted to bring his two seniors Jae’Sean Tate and Kam Williams to New York City. Big Ten Men’s Basketball Media Day will take place at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, Oct. 19.

With Holtmann’s roster being made up of so many young players and walk-ons, this is a nice show of respect for two of the most important players that decided to stick around following Thad Matta’s firing.

Back in Columbus, the program held its own Media Day today, and beloved former walk-on Joey Lane took social media questions throughout. Check out #ThePeoplesQuestions to see all of Lane’s Media Day coverage.

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wichita state.

Best River Fire Ever.

Ohio State releases hype video for Saturday’s night game against Rutgers
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are ready to hit the road to face their former co-defensive coordinator.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off of a big win over UNLV last week, and are heading back on the road for their second Big Ten test of the season, this time against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Buckeyes are 3-1 after losing to playoff contender Oklahoma, but the Scarlet Knights are coming off of their third loss of the season, most recently to conference opponent Nebraska.

Now, Urban Meyer and staff are preparing to face former Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash, who has done good work for Rutgers in the short time he’s been at the helm.



Ohio State and Rutgers will play this Saturday in Piscataway, N.J. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

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Buckeyes make strong bid to land DE over Bama, Michigan, others - 247Sports
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Buckeyes make strong bid to land DE over Bama, Michigan, others
247Sports
The Buckeyes might also be the team to beat for Izuchukwu. “They will be in my final schools,” Izuchukwu said. “Ohio State is an awesome place. The stadium is so big. The campus looks good, and the coaches, I like them. The running backs coach, coach ...


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Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Odds, Football Betting Pick - Bleacher Report
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Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Odds, Football Betting Pick
Bleacher Report
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 3-0 both straight up and against the spread in three meetings with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights since the latter joined the Big Ten a few seasons ago. The Buckeyes are heavily favored to beat the Knights again when the teams ...
How Ohio State's 2014 national championship launched a star at ESPN: Buckeye Talk Podcastcleveland.com
Ohio State Football: Inside the numbers for the BuckeyesFactory Of Sadness
BM5: Jordan Fuller a future star? JT Barrett on NFL protests247Sports
UPI.com -Land-Grant Holy Land
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Committed to Purdue. I guess we can move them off of the big board. Thank you.

Penn State reportedly frontrunner to land ex-USC TE Cary Angeline

Cary Angeline could very well be headed home.

In its list of roster updates released Sunday, USC showed Angeline as having quit the team. “I wish him nothing but the best,” head coach Clay Helton said a couple of days later. “He is an awesome kid.”
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A Pennsylvania high school product, it was thought that Angeline would be headed back closer to home to continue his collegiate playing career. Tuesday, the Los Angeles Daily News is reporting that they’re hearing that Penn State is the frontrunner to land the tight end.

Entire article: http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...-frontrunner-to-land-ex-usc-te-cary-angeline/

If championships are won and lost in the trenches, Ohio State is still in good shape
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


That defensive line is something else, folks.

There are few areas that Ohio State has lived up to the hype this season.

Kevin Wilson’s offense has underwhelmed. It still isn’t clear if we’ll ever see 2014 J.T. Barrett again. The receivers have been “meh,” and the secondary is even worse (but playing better).

But you know what hasn’t disappointed? The Buckeyes’ defensive line.

And it’s exactly what’ll keep the team in contention for another national title.


It’s been said that championships are won in the trenches.

It rings true year after year in college football, but you don’t have to look any further than the start of the College Football Playoff to see how a dominant defensive line alone can give you a puncher’s chance at winning it all.

Every national championship bout for the past three seasons has been between two teams with stout lines.

The Buckeyes were more than Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott in 2014. A D-line featuring Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett, and Adolphus Washington stymied offenses and powered a title run.



Don’t forget, though, that it was Oregon who trotted out a pair of first-round draftees that year in DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead.

Since then, Alabama and Clemson have gone at it in the national championship game in back-to-back seasons. The talent level on their lines has been so close each year that you honestly could’ve just taken your pick.

I’d be here forever if I listed all of the great defensive ends and tackles – A'Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, Jonathan Allen, Dalvin Tomlinson, D.J. Pettway, Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd, DJ Reader, and Carlos Watkins.

All are currently in the NFL.

Fast forward to the 2017 campaign and we see similar trends.

Alabama and Clemson are favorites to again make it back to the natty. The Tigers probably have the best defensive line, if not positional unit, in the FBS, led by surefire first-rounder Christian Wilkins, 2016 ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant.

Ranked second in the FBS in sacks (17), they’ve tossed aside opposing offenses and made Heisman Trophy candidate Lamar Jackson look anything but in a 47-21 rout of Louisville.



The Crimson Tide is banged up in the trenches, but remains steady with Da'Shawn Hand, Isaiah Buggs, and Da'Ron Payne.

Looking at other contenders, Florida State is loaded. Josh Sweat and Brian Burns are emerging stars, and Derrick Nnadi is a force at tackle. And we know what Oklahoma and speedy edge-rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo can do.

In the Big Ten, Penn State is solid across the line and Rashan Gary stands out on a defense ranked first in the FBS in sacks (18).

And that brings us to the Buckeyes.

There’s no question as to if the Scarlet and Gray have an elite defensive line. It’s one of the most disruptive, versatile, and deepest units in the nation. Clemson is the only team that can come close to, or match, OSU’s talent up front.

That line is something serious, folks.

Returning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard are as good of ends as you’ll find in college football. Tracy Sprinkle has bounced back strong from a torn patellar tendon he suffered in 2016 and is joined in the interior by potential-laden Dre'Mont Jones.



Notably coming off the bench – the bench, mind you – are studs Nick Bosa and Jalyn Holmes. Bosa continues to impress and has shown no signs of slowing down.



As Urban Meyer always puts it, there are no real starters on this defensive line.


The Buckeyes D-line has been everything we thought they’d be in 2017.

They’re stuffing the run game (I refuse to count Army), consistently creating pressure on the passer, and have made big plays when the team has sorely needed them.

Can such a dominant group carry OSU to a conference Championship, let alone a playoff appearance?

No, it can’t. What it can provide, however, is a crutch to lean on.

Case and point, on a night of offensive ineptitude against Oklahoma in Week Two, it was Hubbard, Bosa, and others that kept things close. Baker Mayfield struggled to make plays, and running lanes were nonexistent. It was only in the fourth quarter with the Sooners up 17-13 that the floodgates opened in Columbus.

The Buckeyes still control their own destiny, and are capable of running the table.

But a great D-line has its limits.

We’ve seen those limits firsthand. And until Meyer and Co. can get it figured out on offense, those limits will remain.

Albeit at the expense of the defensive line.

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Big Ten Conference partners with BTN on marketing and corporate partnership opportunities
BTN Communications via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten Network and the Big Ten Conference, in conjunction with Learfield, today announced the creation of a groundbreaking new partnership through which BTN will offer sponsors and advertisers multimedia, marketing and corporate partnership opportunities associated with Big Ten events. The assets will include in-venue signage, official designations, corporate hospitality, digital and social media integration and on-site promotional activation along with print and radio inventory. Additionally, BTN’s own assets, including television spots, and those of the FOX-owned Home Team Sports, will be leveraged to provide a robust corporate partnership platform. Among the first brands to take advantage of the

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Big Ten releases 35 student-athletes to attend 2017 men’s basketball media day
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten Conference announced on Wednesday the 35 men’s basketball standouts, including 20 seniors, tentatively scheduled to attend Big Ten Men’s Basketball Media Day on Thursday, Oct. 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

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Audio: Listen to your Big Ten coach’s Week 5 teleconference
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Listen in to the Big Ten football coaches teleconference here, with audio provided for each of the 14 coaches in the conference ahead of Week 5.

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