Buckeyes ready for showdown after beating Vikings - Athens Messenger (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes ready for showdown after beating Vikings
Athens Messenger (registration)
McARTHUR — Nelsonville-York coach Rusty Richards noticed a detail about the Vinton County Vikings that provided a hint of motivation for his Buckeyes. "I told the kids, I was looking down (the Vikings' schedule) — no one has shut Vinton County out," ...


Continue reading...

WCHA roundup: Ohio State's two third-period power-play goals lift Buckeyes over Bowling Green - USCHO
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


WCHA roundup: Ohio State's two third-period power-play goals lift Buckeyes over Bowling Green
USCHO
Bowling Green had won three of the last four against the Buckeyes, including a sweep of a home-and-home last year. Ohio State scored three power-play goals including two in the third period to get a come-from-behind 5-4 victory. “We have to execute ...


Continue reading...

Gameday+ | Ohio State vs. Penn State: Buckeyes prove mettle with road wins - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Gameday+ | Ohio State vs. Penn State: Buckeyes prove mettle with road wins
Columbus Dispatch
If Penn State, a 19-point underdog, is to pull the upset, it will do something that no other host team has done against coach Urban Meyer's Buckeyes: beat visiting Ohio State on the home field. The Buckeyes have won all 20 games played on their ...
Ohio State vs. Penn State game picks: Will the Buckeyes be pushed on the road again?cleveland.com
Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn StateDayton Daily News
Nittany Lions confident they can hang with No. 2 Buckeyes (Oct 21, 2016)FOXSports.com
AthlonSports.com -Reading Eagle
all 205 news articles »

Continue reading...

Dotting the 'Eyes: Ohio State targets making visits to Michigan, Alabama, Penn State; update on J.K. Dobbins - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Dotting the 'Eyes: Ohio State targets making visits to Michigan, Alabama, Penn State; update on J.K. Dobbins
Landof10.com
While the Buckeyes are playing a big game in a big-time environment at Penn State this weekend, a number of their top remaining targets in the 2017 recruiting class – as well as some key recruits in the 2018 class – will be making important visits ...
Four-Star Ohio State Commit Tyjon Lindsey Suffers Season-Ending InjuryCampus Insiders

all 4 news articles »

Continue reading...

Preview: #2 Ohio State (6-0) vs Penn State (4-2)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



The Ohio State Buckeyes face another tough road test against a rejuvenated Penn State team that regained traction with their threatening run offense. A rivalry game with rabid and ruthless fans, decked in white causing another White Out against Ohio State. This will be another hard-hitting rivalry game and Ohio State is yet again, the target for Penn State’s best effort or best shot. Ohio State has its work cut out for them and this will be another stressful night for Buckeye fans. For the second straight week the Buckeyes are on the road against a raucous crowd that is looking to give their home team an edge against the competition.

Ohio State

Coach Meyer and his staff will look to extend their road winning streak against the dreadful White Out conditions that will be in full effect upon their arrival to Happy Valley. Urban Meyer as the Head Coach is currently 20-0 on the road and it has been that way for a couple of years now. He now has his sights set on besting his record against a scrappy Penn State team that has won its last two games after a loss to TTUN. This will not be an easy game and a cake walk is not expected in this contest. The last two games against the Nittany Lions were two different types of games. Last year was in Columbus and that was a snoozer of a game, the Buckeyes won handily by a 28-point margin 38-10. Ezekiel Elliot ran wild during that game and racked up the yardage on the ground. The year before that? Ohio State escaped a White Out after the extra period on a walk-off sack by now San Diego Charger Joey Bosa 31-24. This year looks to be the same after Saquon Barkley regained his confidence. He will look to soften up the Silver Bullets and attempt to wear them out. This, of course, would not be as easy because Dante Booker will return and he will look to reestablish himself into the lineup.



The Rushmen will be a key factor during the game. With Booker reinserted into the lineup and with the players such as Jerome Baker waiting in the wings, the Silver Bullets will more than likely keep a rotation to where no one is tired and fresh bodies will come into and out of the lineup. The BIA Crew will look to shut down the opposing Wide Receivers to help the front seven wreak havoc on the Penn State Offensive Line for the entirety of the contest. BIA or Best In America is cool and all, but I would like to put my two cents in and I would like to add my personal touch to it by finding a nickname for the unit. Most of the units on the team have awesome nicknames, The Slobs for the O-Line, The Rushmen for the D-Line, Zone 6 for the Wide Receivers, Tote Nation for the Running Backs and that leaves the Linebackers and Defensive Backs without a nickname. For the Linebackers and the Defensive Backs, jointly, they work well with each other and I will go ahead and call them the Scarlet Curtain, a tribute to the Pittsburg Steelers suffocating defense. Look for the Scarlet Curtain to blanket the offense and pepper them with unexpected blitzes from all angles. The Linebackers and the Defensive Backs will look to continue this years trend of causing turnovers and making plays in the backfield.



The Offense along with J.T. Barrett will be looking to rebound from another porous first half performance. Barrett and company turned it on in the second half against Wisconsin and even the 4th Quarter Jump Around session was no match for General Barrett and his second-half magic. Almost the whole Buckeye seemed to be dazed, but when Coach Meyer needed them the most, they all showed some fight and they eventually turned the tide. This week the Buckeyes will go up against another stout BIG 10 Defense that is going to give the Buckeyes their best shot. White Outs are a pain and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. With the way the offense hasn’t been automatic, it should worry some folks, but we will have to see. The Slobs will look to establish the line of scrimmage and the run. Mike Weber should be able to find some holes, but again Penn State will look to take it away and force them to pass the ball. Samuel and Wilson will be used throughout the game as well. We never know and we will just have to see what they will do tomorrow.

Penn State:
During the last White Out game in Happy Valley, Ohio State barely escaped with a win. It took an extra period in Overtime on a walk-off sack to beat Penn State. If I remember correctly, Saquon Barkley was a huge factor in that very game and he is back again for another contest against the Buckeyes. He recently reestablished his presence in the run game and he is as confident as ever. He will look to gain huge chunks of yardage against the just as Corey Clement did when Wisconsin nearly upset the Buckeyes on their home field. I fully expect Trace McSorley to utilize his receivers on jet sweeps to confuse the Silver Bullets to open up the runs down the middle. McSorley is a scrambler and a passer and that could also be a factor in their strategy to defeat the Buckeyes. McSorley has 1436 passing yards and 8 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. Barkley has 582 rushing yards on 117 carries and 8 touchdowns. The leading receiver is DeAndre Thompkins and he has 328 receiving yards and a touchdown. The three will try to take down the Buckeyes and there is also a ton of intrigue behind the scenes as well. Receiver Chris Godwin, Quarterback Tommy Stevens and Tight End Mike Gesicki were all huge Buckeye targets that went elsewhere. Gesicki was the more outspoken out of the bunch and he will look to make an impact during the game.

Prediction: Buckeyes 41-21

All in all, the Penn State team as a whole is just a dangerous as Wisconsin is because they are a rival and it is a BIG 10 contest. They will give it their best and they will put forth their best effort. I think they will play their best game and that will keep them within striking distance. The Buckeyes will struggle again through the air, but they will make up for it by wearing down the defense with their ground attack. I was to say this will be a blowout, but my predictions are always way off when the final score is recorded. I will predict another gutty performance by J.T. Barrett with help from Weber and Samuel.








Continue reading...

Ohio State WR Dontre Wilson is rewriting his Buckeyes legacy - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State WR Dontre Wilson is rewriting his Buckeyes legacy
Landof10.com
It wasn't supposed to be this way — not for one of the first prominent prospects Meyer lured to Columbus in his time at Ohio State, the player whose speed and athleticism was supposed to shift the paradigm of how players in the Buckeyes program were ...
Bill Kurelic on big chance for Buckeyes to impress recruits; 5-star ...247Sports
Are Buckeyes getting enough credit for win over Badgers?Mansfield News Journal
Highlights from Urban Meyer's radio show 10/20Columbus Dispatch (blog)
Eleven Warriors -NBC4i.com -FactsHerald
all 26 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State baseball releases a difficult 2017 schedule
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State baseball released its 2017 schedule on Friday. What lies ahead for the Buckeye nine?

The Ohio State baseball program released its schedule for the upcoming 2017 season on Friday afternoon. The Buckeyes, who won the Big Ten tournament title and secured a berth to the NCAA tournament last season, will play a slate that includes several traditional national powers and a tough host of Big Ten conference opponents.

"We have put together a schedule designed to drive our RPI ranking," head coach Greg Beals said in a release. "This is critical in positioning ourselves to once again represent The Ohio State University in the national tournament."

Ohio State will travel to Viera, Florida for Opening Day on February 17th, where it will match up with Kansas State, Delaware, and Pittsburgh. The following week, the team will be in Surprise, Arizona for the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge, to play two games apiece against Oregon State and Utah.

The Buckeyes will play their first 16 games on the road, as is customary, traveling to warm weather locations while the winter continues to rage in Columbus. Trips to Buies Creek, North Carolina to play Campbell, Fort Myers, Florida to play Florida Gulf Coast, and Port Charlotte, Florida to take part in the annual Snowbird Classic are also on the schedule.

Oregon State is a national powerhouse nearly every year, and a headliner of the non-conference schedule, along with trips to play UNC-Greensboro and a Texas Tech team that advanced to the College World Series this past season.

Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium will host the home opener on March 17th, as Ohio State kicks off a three-game series with in-state Xavier. That contest will kickoff a stretch of 10 of 11 games being played on home soil for the Buckeyes.

The Big Ten portion of the schedule will feature home matchups against reigning conference regular season champion Minnesota, along with Purdue, Nebraska, and Indiana, while the squad will hit the road to play Penn State, Michigan State, Michigan, and Iowa.

The conference tournament is scheduled to take place May 24th through the 28th, though the location has not yet been determined.

Fans of the baseball Bucks can now start their start their countdown, with Opening Day 118 days away. This is an Ohio State program that experienced great success in 2016, but is transitioning after several key player departures. It will be interesting to see how Beals and the Buckeyes respond.

The full schedule is available here.

Continue reading...

Ohio State kicker Tyler Durbin’s journey to becoming a Buckeye
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Durbin’s story involves quitting soccer and going to community college before coming to Columbus.

“And then the most unexpected dominoes began falling, starting with a surprise invite to join the team. He hung on after a year of not even getting to kick in practice. Finally, he impressed head coach Urban Meyer and earned his shot.”

– Frank Bodani, York Daily Record


Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record took an in-depth look at how both Ohio State and Penn State found their kickers. For the Buckeyes, the journey of how Tyler Durbin wound up at Ohio State is one of the more unconventional.

Durbin stopped playing soccer, was enrolled at a community college, and didn’t really know what he wanted to do, as written by Bodani. Then, one day, Durbin started kicking footballs at a high school next door. After a while, he sent a tape to Ohio State. The next is history.

Since winning the starting kicking job, Durbin has been one of the key cogs in the Ohio State scoring machine. Just go back to the Wisconsin game in Madison, Wis. Durbin was called on in tough situations, and he produced three big field goals – on top of three extra points. If it wasn’t for his 12 point effort against the Badgers, the Buckeyes may not have walked out of Camp Randall Stadium as the No. 2 (and undefeated) team in the nation.

Bodani story includes a little more on Durbin’s lead up to OSU, as well PSU’s kicker Tyler Davis. You can read the rest of his story here.

“We've been here before with Ohio State/Michigan postseason talk. They came close to a rematch in 2006 for the BCS championship after the No. 1 Buckeyes beat the No. 2 Wolverines 42-39 to end the regular season. Urban Meyer, then Florida's coach, argued it would be unfair to Ohio State and the country for a rematch.”

– Jon Solomon, CBS Sports


CBS Sports’ Jon Solomon had a mailbag article early Friday. One of the hypothetical questions was Ohio State centric: if Michigan loses to Ohio State, could the Wolverines still end up in the CFP?

Since the 2006 No. 1 v. No. 2 showdown between the Buckeyes and Wolverines, this has been one of the only years, actually, probably the only year, where the talk of even a faintly hypothetical scenario where The Game would be played twice in a year.

While it is possible that both the Bucks and Wolverines find themselves in the playoff, Solomon noted that if UM did lose to OSU, then they would need some help to get into the final four. On top of that, Solomon pointed out the scenario that if the winner of The Game were to lose the Big Ten Championship, to say, Wisconsin, then what would happen?

Solomon brought up the point that the rematch in 2006 didn’t materialize for the two Big Ten schools, however, that didn’t stop a rematch from happening in the 2012 championship game when Alabama beat LSU in the grudge match for all the marbles.

If both Ohio State and Michigan keep cruising to victories heading into their Nov. 26 rivalry game, one would have to wonder: what would it take for a conference to get two teams into the playoff?

“They’re really athletic. They’re physical. They force you to make plays,” McSorley said after practice Wednesday. “They don’t really beat themselves. So we are going to have to be really good with what we do schematically in our reads and then we are going to have to make some plays on them.”

– Penn State QB Trace McSorley, as written by Erin McCarthy, philly.com


Fresh off the win against Wisconsin, Ohio State faces Penn State in another primetime contest. The Buckeyes showed how physical and athletic they are against the Badgers,

Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley talked about what needed to be done to stop the Buckeyes from winning in Happy Valley again. McCarthy’s article notes that McSorley knows he “must be almost flawless” if the Nittany Lions wanted to knockoff the No. 2 team in the land.

This season, McSorley has faced a rival in Pittsburgh, as well as faced then-No. 4 Michigan on the road. However, both those games ended in losses. With a fierce No. 2 Ohio State team visiting State College, Pa., McSorley mentioned that the Buckeyes “don’t really beat themselves”.

As you can recall against Wisconsin last Saturday, Ohio State made big plays when needed and clawed their way back from a 16-6 deficit to win 30-23 in overtime.

We’ll see how the Buckeyes fare against McSorley and the Nittany Lions on Saturday. The game is on ABC with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m.

Stick to Sports


• Some suffered an Internet outage after a DDoS attack Friday.

• You can ban me from city hall, but you can’t ban me from running for mayor.

• Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were at a charity dinner Thursday night.

• NFL kicker admits his name has been misspelled for quite some time.

• More on the Nintendo Switch?

• Be weary of the iPhone chargers you buy that aren’t the official Apple ones.

Continue reading...

AKAK said:

Fajita Burrito

Click to expand...

This.

Need another option.

On a hot day, you can buy crushed ice at the bodega and chew it for a long walk. Cubed is just annoying.

Zippercat said:

Is there a way to dump all of the zillion comparison choice threads (left or right handed?, etc.) threads that Thump has dumped on us? It's silly having to wade through all that crap to find the good stuff.

Rant Over.

Click to expand...

OK, who woke Thump up?

1. After a tough game against Wisconsin in week six, the Buckeyes' team stats took a major hit:

Category	OSU Statistic	-NCAA Rank-
Scoring Offense	49.3 ppg	4th
Scoring Defense	12.8 ppg	3rd
Total Offense	516.5 ypg	12th
Total Defense	280.3 ypg	6th
Turnover Margin	1.33 / game	4th
Time of Possession	34:40 / game	9th

Ohio State's scoring offense dropped by 3.9 ppg; and total offense dropped by 21.1 ypg. Scoring defense increased by 2.0 ppg; and total defense increased by 33.9 ypg. Turnover margin dropped slightly (.17 / game) while time of possession dropped considerably (1:20 per game).

2. Here's how Ohio State and Penn State stack up in the major offensive and defensive categories. The Buckeyes are top 12 in all categories, while the Nittany Lions are mediocre to bad across the board:

Team	Total Offense	NCAA Rank	Score Offense	NCAA Rank	Total Defense	NCAA Rank	Score Defense	NCAA Rank	Turnovers	NCAA Rank
Ohio State	516.5 ypg	12th	49.3 ppg	4th	280.3 ypg	6th	12.8 ppg	3rd	+8	4th
Penn State	391.5 ypg	82nd	30.5 ppg	61st	381.5 ypg	52nd	28.5 ppg	73rd	-2	89th

For the season, Penn State is gaining 10.0 more yards per game than they are surrendering; and scoring 2.0 more points per game than they are allowing.

On the other hand, Ohio State is gaining 236.2 more yards per game than they are surrendering; and scoring 36.5 more point than they are allowing.

Based on the above statistics, this week's game should not even be close.

3. H-back Curtis Samuel is the Buckeyes' leading receiver (29 receptions, 403 yards, 3 touchdowns); second-leading rusher (62 carries, 456 yards, 3 touchdowns); and tied for the team lead (with J.T. Barrett and Noah Brown) with 6 touchdowns. Samuel is averaging 143.2 all-purpose yards per game and 9.4 yards per touch. Samuel already has twelve plays from scrimmage of 20+ yards (5 rushes, 7 receptions).

4. Running back Mike Weber is the team's leading rusher, with 94 carries for 612 yards (6.5 average) and 4 touchdowns. At his current pace, Weber will rush for over 1,300 yards this season and easily break Ohio State's freshman rushing record (1,237 yards by Maurice Clarett in 2002).

5. Quarterback J.T. Barrett has 1,641 total yards (434 rushing, 1,207 passing), for an average of 273.5 yards per game. Barrett has 7,087 total yards for his career, which is 4th best in Ohio State history behind Bobby Hoying (7,151 total yards); Braxton Miller (8,609 total yards); and Art Schlichter (8,850 total yards). At his current pace, Barrett will end the 2016 season with 3,555 total yards on the year, and 9,001 total yards for his career.

6. Barrett has 22 total touchdowns (6 rushing, 16 passing) on the season, and a Buckeye record 89 total touchdowns for his career. Barrett is on pace to break his single-season record of 45 total touchdowns, which he set in 2014.

7. Barrett is currently 10th in career passing yards at Ohio State with 5,033. He needs 57 yards to pass Jim Karsatos (5,089 yards) for 9th place, and 260 yards to pass Braxton Miller (5,292 yards) for 8th place. Art Schlichter is Ohio State's career leader with 7,547 passing yards.

8. Barrett entered the 2016 season as Ohio State's career leader in completion percentage, at 64.2%. This season, Barrett has completed 96 of 152 passes (63.2%), which has lowered his career average to 63.9%. Barrett still maintains a sizable lead over the 2nd most accurate passer in Buckeye history, Todd Boeckman (63.4% for his career).

9. H-back Dontre Wilson has 2,752 all-purpose yards for his career, which places him 27th at Ohio State. Wilson needs 3 yards to pass Joey Galloway for 26th place; 4 yards to pass Cris Carter for 25th place; 5 yards to pass Devin Smith for 24th place; 113 yards to pass Raymont Harris for 23rd place; and 131 yards to pass Jonathan Wells for 22nd place. Ohio State's career leader in all-purpose yards is Archie Griffin with 6,559.

10. Despite limited opportunities, punter Cameron Johnston is having an All American season. Johnston has 21 punts for 1,067 yards, for an average of 50.8 yards per punt. Twelve of Johnston's punts have been inside the 20-yard line, only three punts have been returned for a total of just 22 yards, and three punts resulted in a touchback. When return yards and touchbacks are factored into the equation, Johnston has a net average of 46.9 yards per punt, which is second in FBS and only 0.2 yards behind the leader (Utah's Mitch Wishnowsky).

11. Ohio State has not had a kick-off return for a touchdown since November 27, 2010 (Jordan Hall, 85 yards, vs Michigan); has not had a punt return for a touchdown since November 22, 2014 (Jalin Marshall, 54 yards, vs Indiana); and has not had a punt block for a touchdown since October 5, 2013 (Bradley Roby, 0 yards, vs Northwestern).

12. Ohio State (6-0; 3-0 Big Ten) enters the contest as the #2 team in the country (both AP and CP), while Penn State (4-2; 2-1 Big Ten) is unranked. Penn State has no quality wins and a 49-10 loss to #3 Michigan on its résumé.

13. This year's game will be played Saturday, October 22nd, at Penn State's Beaver Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM, and the game will be televised on ABC. Ohio State enters the contest as a 20-point favorite with a 84.4% chance to win the game according to ESPN's Football Power Index Matchup Predictor.

Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State
Dayton Daily News
Series history: Ohio State leads 17-13. The Buckeyes lead 7-5 in games played at Beaver Stadium. Ohio State has won four in a row in the series. The Buckeyes beat Penn State 31-10 last season in in Columbus and 31-24 in double overtime two years ago at ...
Ohio State vs. Penn State game picks: Will the Buckeyes be pushed on the road again?cleveland.com
Ohio State WR Dontre Wilson is rewriting his Buckeyes legacyLandof10.com
Bob Hunter commentary | Rumblings: Buckeyes get to woo recruits at Happy ValleyColumbus Dispatch
247Sports -AthlonSports.com
all 165 news articles »

Continue reading...

Friday Chat Transcript: Which Buckeyes leave early after 2016? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Friday Chat Transcript: Which Buckeyes leave early after 2016?
247Sports
Dane Gleesak: I'd guess Hooker and Conley will go first, but who will be the first 3 Buckeyes chosen in the 2017 NFL draft? Who/How many will leave early in that way? I would guess around 7-8 but it seems high. If easier please comment on the below.


Continue reading...

Nittany Lions confident they can hang with No. 2 Buckeyes - FOXSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Nittany Lions confident they can hang with No. 2 Buckeyes
FOXSports.com
2 Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) survived against Wisconsin in a hostile, raucous atmosphere last week, similar to the one they'll face in their third-straight road game against Penn State (4-2, 2-1), where Ohio State will have to deal with more than 100 ...
Buckeye Leaves For OSU 30-23 Overtime Win Over BadgersCosumnes Connection (subscription)

all 4 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State travels to Penn State, while Wisconsin battles Iowa in Week 8’s Big Ten college football bets, odds
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes look to win their second straight road night game, while the Badgers and Hawkeyes battle for the Heartland Trophy.

Miss the national game picks from yesterday? Sadly you already missed one winner. For the other four picks you can find them here.

Last week ATS: 8-3 (3-2 National, 5-1 B1G)

Season ATS: 45-48-3 (18-21-1 National, 27-27-2 B1G)

B1G Games:


No. 10 Wisconsin (-4) v. Iowa - 12:00 PM EST - ESPN

Wisconsin is currently riding a two-game losing streak, but it's easy to understand why they are ranked 10th in the country when those losses came to Michigan and Ohio State. The Badgers gave the Buckeyes everything they could handle last week, but came up just short. Last week Wisconsin was able to rush for 236 yards against Ohio State, so they could be in for a big day against an Iowa defense that has struggled at times to stop opponents on the ground.

The Hawkeyes had little trouble dispatching Purdue last week, but they fell asleep just a bit in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Boilermakers to close the gap to 14 points. LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley became the first pair of Iowa players since 2008 to rush for 100 yards in the same game. Iowa will find the sledding a little tougher this week, as Wisconsin is allowing opponents just over 100 yards per game on the ground this year.

Iowa hasn't looked right this year, and I don't think a win against Purdue is going to fix many of their problems. On the other hand, Wisconsin needs a win to stay in the Big Ten West race. It won't be pretty, but Wisconsin wins in Iowa City for the fourth straight time.

Wisconsin 24, Iowa 17

Indiana v. Northwestern (-2.5) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Indiana yet again had another game against a tough foe in which they had a shot at winning, but just didn't have enough to earn the victory. A couple bounces go the other way and Indiana might be sitting at 5-1 right now instead of 3-3. The difference between this Indiana team and Hoosier teams of years past is this year they at least have a little bit of defense to go along with an offense that can move the football both through the air and on the ground.

So Northwestern can go from losing to Illinois State to take Michigan State to the woodshed in about a month. Ok. College football is weird sometimes. Justin Jackson had little trouble making his way through the defense of the Spartans, rushing for a career-high 188 yards against Michigan State. Quarterback Clayton Thorson was also very good last week, throwing for 281 yards and three touchdowns in the blowout.

Next week Northwestern comes to Columbus, so they'll want to head into the showdown with the Buckeyes on a high note. After playing Michigan State, Ohio State, and Nebraska the last three weeks, I wonder how much Indiana has left in the tank. This should be a fun game, but I think Northwestern ends up taking it in Evanston.

Northwestern 30, Indiana 23

Rutgers v. Minnesota (-19) - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNU

For a second week in a row Minnesota will be without Mitch Leidner, but it's not like it'll matter since the Golden Gophers are playing Rutgers. Minnesota should be able to run all over a Rutgers defense that is allowing over 260 yards per game on the ground. Get ready for another ugly Rutgers loss.

Minnesota 38, Rutgers 10

Purdue v. No. 8 Nebraska (-24) - 3:30 PM EST - ABC/ESPN2

So long Darrell Hazell, we hardly knew ye. The former Ohio State assistant was fired on Sunday, all before he was able to reach double-digits in wins with the Boilermakers. Wide receivers coach Gerard Parker will take the reigns for Purdue as interim head coach. If there is a little hope for Purdue, they can at least remember to last year when they took down Nebraska 55-45 in West Lafayette. That and quarterback David Blough usually puts up some big numbers since the Boilermakers have to throw the football so much because they are usually fall so far behind opponents.

Nebraska nearly blew an early 17-0 lead against Indiana last week, but the Cornhuskers were able to hold on to stay undefeated. Nebraska still has to deal with injuries all the over the place it seems like, but it shouldn’t matter all that much since they are at home this week and playing the Boilermakers.

This might seem a little crazy but I do like Purdue to cover this week. Maybe firing Hazell will shake things up a little bit and allow the Boilermakers to play a little looser than normal. Also, if Nebraska gets up big they could call off the dogs which would make them ripe for a backdoor cover. The arm of David Blough keeps things within 24 points late in the game.

Nebraska 48, Purdue 27

Illinois v. No. 3 Michigan (-39) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

The last time we saw Michigan, they crushed Rutgers 78-0. Illinois isn’t much better than Rutgers. Jabrill Peppers will do somethings against a bad team and people will give him even more Heisman hype. The Wolverines send a message to Michigan State with a blowout victory ahead of next week’s showdown between the teams.

Michigan 55, Illinois 7

Michigan State (-3) v. Maryland - 7:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

What on earth has happened to Michigan State? Before the season began many thought the Spartans could be a sleeper in the Big Ten East, but now they just look like they’re asleep. It is not known whether Tyler O’Connor or Brian Lewerke will start at quarterback, and even if one does we’ll probably end up seeing the other at some point.

Maryland will be hoping to get quarterback Perry Hills back, and the Terrapins will certainly need him after the way they’ve played recently, losing their last two games. The Terrapins will probably try and keep the football on the ground since that’s where they excel, averaging 250 yards per game rushing.

I have to think that at some point Michigan State snaps out of it. The Spartans have too much talent, especially on defense, to play this bad. With Michigan on deck next week, I think we get a lot stronger performance out of the Spartans than we have over the past few weeks and they find a way to hand Maryland their third straight loss.

Michigan State 30, Maryland 20

No. 2 Ohio State (-19.5) v. Penn State - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

I was off on my Ohio State pick last week, but in the end I’m just happy they found a way to get the win in Madison. There was a point in the second half where it looked like the Buckeyes might have a shot to cover, but Wisconsin was just too tough. Now Ohio State plays their second night road game in a row, as they’ll head to Happy Valley for a “white out”.

Even though it’s never easy to go into Penn State and leave with a victory, the Buckeyes will probably find things a little more to their liking on Saturday night. Penn State doesn’t have nearly the defense that they’ve had in the past due to a number of injuries, and they certainly don’t have a defense like Wisconsin does. That should open up things a little more for J.T. Barrett, Mike Weber, Curtis Samuel, and the rest of the Ohio State offense.

Much like Wisconsin, Penn State had some extra time to prepare for the Buckeyes thanks to a bye week. Obviously the Nittany Lions are going to try and get running back Saquon Barkley involved early and often. Not only is the sophomore coming off a career-high 202 yard rushing performance against Maryland a couple weeks ago, but last year he gashed the Buckeyes for 194 yards in Columbus.

As long as the Buckeyes are able to contain Barkley, I don’t think they’ll have too much trouble in this game. Aside from last week when Wisconsin ran for 236 yards against Ohio State, the Buckeyes have been stout against the run this year. A good chunk of Wisconsin’s rushing yards came on the jet sweep as well. I don’t know if Penn State has something quite like that to keep Ohio State on their toes.

I feel like a homer going with Ohio State in this one giving so many points when they have had issues at Penn State under the lights but I just don’t think the Nittany Lions will be able to keep up. As long as Ohio State jumps out early and is able to put a couple scores on the board, they can take away a lot of what Barkley brings Penn State and put the ball in Trace McSorley’s hands, which will be bad for Penn State with the pressure the Buckeyes will surely bring.

Ohio State 45, Penn State 21

Continue reading...

Week 8 Big Ten previews: After last week's clash, Badgers, Buckeyes hit the road - Comcast SportsNet Chicago
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Week 8 Big Ten previews: After last week's clash, Badgers, Buckeyes hit the road
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
But a week after the thriller proved both teams are championship-caliber, both hit the road for in-division tests that will certainly keep them on their toes. If we're going to get a Buckeyes-Badgers rematch for the Big Ten title in Indy, Ohio State ...
Follow the future: Huge games feature multiple Buckeye commits247Sports
Big Ten midseason report: All-East offense features plenty of BuckeyesLandof10.com
Men's soccer: Ohio State stares down date with MichiganOSU - The Lantern
CBS Local -The Daily Gopher -The Detroit News
all 99 news articles »

Continue reading...

Follow the future: Huge games feature multiple Buckeye commits - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Follow the future: Huge games feature multiple Buckeye commits
247Sports
While a Wisconsin win makes the Buckeyes' win in Madison look even better, I'm not so sure the Buckeyes want the Badgers back in control of the Big Ten West. Who would you rather play in Indianapolis: Wisconsin or Iowa? The answer for me is Iowa, ...

and more »

Continue reading...

Well, I avoided posting on this thread last week as I didn't want to jinx the bucks in this one. Seems like since the 90s I'll take any win in any fashion against Wisky. Still remember getting our butts handed to us back in 99. Up 17-0 and go on to lose 17-42 at the shoe. Possibly my worst memory of a game at the Shoe. 42 unanswered points! Ron Dayne went for 4 TDs and passed Archie Griffin and Herschel Walker for career rushing yardage. Surprise starter, redshirt freshman Brooks Bollinger was steady and hurt us through the air and on the ground with timely runs. Used to be a foregone conclusion that we would beat Wisconsin. Not since that game in my mind. ALWAYS love beating them, especially in Camp Randall, especially when they are ranked. Haha, does it sting Barry? Could only be better if they climb out of their badger hole to win the west and we beat them again in the BIG Championship Game. Go Bucks!!!

Starting fast will be crucial for Ohio State against Penn State
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Finding a rhythm and winning the passing downs battle are musts this week.

The last time we saw the 2016 Ohio State Buckeyes was certainly a moment to remember. After a sluggish first half that reminded many of a game that I’ve somehow already forgotten from last year, the Buckeyes picked themselves up off the mat and earned a tough, overtime victory in Madison, Wisconsin, which —by the way— also happens to be their 20th road win in a row. The reward for their gutsy performance? A trip to Penn State this week; For another night game in a crazed stadium, and another chance to extend their ridiculous road winning streak, and keep themselves in the thick of the playoff race. So not much, right?

The Nittany Lions come into Saturday’s game 4-2, having only lost a tough battle to Pittsburgh, and not having much of a battle with Michigan. Penn State is genuinely improved this season, and despite my personal preference for making fun of anything James Franklin related, the Nittany Lions present a ton of potential problems for Ohio State.

Between Penn State coming off a bye, Saquon Barkley’s ability, their bizarrely explosive passing downs offense, and a raucous crowd, the Buckeyes will have their hands full, especially after such an emotion win last week. So with that in mind, here are five things to watch for on Saturday night:

Prep Time


One of the major themes from last week’s game was how different Wisconsin looked offensively compared to previous weeks. Coming off a bye, the Badgers ran at least four new concepts, —not including the jet sweep to Jazz Peavy that repeatedly chewed up yards— keeping Buckeye defenders (and coaches) off balance in the first half.

With almost two weeks to prepare, Wisconsin’s coaching staff developed a good gameplan, and though Ohio State adjusted in the second half, it was almost enough to win. Penn State is coming off a bye of their own this week, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them put up the same fight.

Happy Valley will be rocking, and the Buckeyes would do well to not get themselves in another early rut. It will be interesting to see if they have a quicker counter to some of the different looks Penn State throws at them on each side of the ball. As Matt Brown and I discussed on this week’s podcast, it isn’t far-fetched to think Penn State wins tomorrow, and from my perspective, a lot of that has to do with how Ohio State starts the game.

If the Buckeyes have some early success in each phase, it should not only give them confidence, but also keep the crowd at a simmer. If they can’t, we may be looking at the same type of game last week’s was, and maybe a loss.

Rhythm


To avoid the same problems as last week, it’s crucial that the passing game finds its grove from the get-go. Penn State’s defense should provide the opportunity, as they rank 103rd in 1st Quarter Defensive S&P+, and have consistently let opposing quarterbacks shred them (107th in 1st quarter QB rating). Unfortunately, Ohio State’s offense hasn’t shown the ability to consistently do that yet. What they did in the second half against Wisconsin may provide some hope, though.

After finishing only 6/14 for 81 yards in the first half, Barrett and co. exploded (for them) in the second half and overtime, completing 11/16 passes for 145 yards, including the game-winning touchdown to Noah Brown. For whatever reason, the Buckeyes found a rhythm through the air, with Barrett making some of the most impressive throws of his career, and the wide receivers stepping up after what was a rough start against the Badger secondary.

It’s not clear why the Buckeyes passing game has struggled so mightily to start games this season, but it does seem like once they get into a rhythm, they’ve been able to supplement an already dangerous ground attack with an efficient and (sometimes) explosive passing game. Let’s see if they can make that a reality from the jump, and not just when the game is on the line.

Hope to contain


in recent years, a lot of opposing team’s inner monologues before playing Ohio State have probably gone like this:

“Well, we’re not going to completely stop Miller/Hyde/Elliott/Bosa/Lee/Barrett etc. so we’ve got to limit the damage they do.”

It’s a smart line of thinking. Truly great players are almost always going to find ways to get theirs eventually, but opposing teams must find ways to limit them. Whether that’s forcing other players to beat you, making tweaks to your scheme, etc. it’s a tall task to contain a legitimate star in college football, and one that Ohio State’s defense faces this week.

Touted as a future first-round pick by Meyer, running back Saquon Barkley has the ability to single-handedly keep the Nittany Lions in tomorrow’s game. The true sophomore torched the Buckeyes for 194 yards rushing in last year’s contest —not including a long touchdown called back for holding— and is Penn State’s greatest offensive threat. After the run defense’s poor performance against Wisconsin, the need to contain Barkley is even greater.

The good news is that Penn State struggles to get a push on standard downs, (125th in Standard Down Line Yards per Carry) while the Buckeye defense has thrived (1st). They’ll need to play at that form if they’re to limit Barkley.

You should be watching Barkley anyway because of how good he is, but keep a particularly close eye on his performance on standard downs. He’ll no doubt break some impressive runs, but if the defense can contain the damage, they should be set for an epic battle on passing downs.

Rushmen, Rushmen, Rushmen


For all its flaws, Penn State’s offense has been extraordinary when they’ve needed to be. The Nittany Lions rank 1st in Passing Downs S&P+, largely from generating an insane amount of explosion (2nd in Passing Downs IsoPPP). What they lack in efficiency is more than made up for in explosiveness, as evidenced by quarterback Tracy McSorley’s 14 yards per completion average.

So while Barkley is easily Penn State’s best player, McSorley’s ability to convert on passing downs may well be the determining factor in the game. Luckily, Ohio State’s defense has their own specialty on passing downs:


Good luck

It’s a good bet that the Buckeyes’ ‘rushmen’ package of Tyquan Lewis, Jalyn Holmes, Nick Bosa, and Sam Hubbard will see its most significant use so far this season, given the opponent, and the situations it will likely be in.

The Penn State line hasn’t exactly been great in these situations (73rd in Passing Downs sack rate) So it wouldn’t be surprising for McSorley to be under pressure for most of the game. If he is, it could lead to....

Pick six university






Who could ever forget? Always be on the lookout for this when it comes to Penn State.

Continue reading...

FPI projections for Week 8's best games - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


FPI projections for Week 8's best games
ESPN
At first glance, the Week 8 slate of games doesn't look spectacular, but as we know, anything can happen during the grind of conference play. With the help of ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), we'll break down and project the best games of Week 8.


Continue reading...

Turkey, dumbass.

Buckeyes prep for another tough contest at Penn State - Martins Ferry Times Leader
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes prep for another tough contest at Penn State
Martins Ferry Times Leader
One week after surviving Wisconsin inside one of the nation's most hostile environments — Camp Randall Stadium — the Buckeyes venture east to try to tame another — Penn State's ”Happy Valley” and Beaver Stadium. ”We have another tough task,” Ohio ...


Continue reading...

Kurelic: Big chance to impress recruits; 5-star visit; RB lean - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Big chance to impress recruits; 5-star visit; RB lean
247Sports
The good news for the Buckeyes is that all four of these outstanding prospects are expected to be 100% healthy by the start of fall camp at Ohio State. Other Buckeye commitments have also battled injuries. Franklin (Ga.) Heard County 2018 quarterback ...

and more »

Continue reading...

Ohio State football | Q&A with former Buckeyes running back Jamar Martin - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Q&A with former Buckeyes running back Jamar Martin
Columbus Dispatch
Dispatch sports reporter/columnist Rob Oller each week finds a former Buckeye for a question-and-answer session. Jamar Martin Age: 36. Years at Ohio State: 1998-2001. Current residence: Bexley Jamar Martin played fullback at Ohio State before it became ...


Continue reading...