Ohio State’s elite defense turned in another stout performance in win over Indiana
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Silver Bullets picked up the slack for the Buckeyes’ laggard passing game.

Earlier this week, the 15th anniversary of Training Day, of one of this writer’s favorite films, came and went. For the uninitiated, Training Day follows the trail of veteran Los Angeles Police Department narcotics officer Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) and rookie cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) over 24 hours as the latter attempts to prove that he is fit to serve in Harris’ elite detective unit.

Washington’s performance as the extremely shady Harris garnered him a deserved Academy Award for Best Actor. As much as Hawke (who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor) shines by developing his character from pushover to badass moral authority over the film’s 122 minutes, it is Washington that consistently scene-steals by displaying Harris’ understandable-yet-frightening penchant for street justice and overall capacity to leap over lines a just cop should never cross. Scott Glenn, Cliff Curtis, and Snoop Dogg (seriously!) also shine in supporting roles.

Ohio State’s 38-17 victory over Indiana on Saturday failed to produce the same kind of thrilling drama — even though Indiana, per usual, hung around for awhile — but the contest did feature a few exceptional performances.

So, let’s get on with the rankings. A hearty thanks to Matt Brown for filling in for me last week.

1. The Silver Bullets


Another game, another sterling showing from Ohio State’s precocious defense. The unit, which entered the game first in the nation in scoring defense and sixth in defensive S&P+, lived up to its billing opposite Indiana. The Buckeyes limited the Hoosiers (17th in the country in passing offense) to 182 yards through the air, with Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow completing just half of his 28 attempts. More impressive was Ohio State’s run defense, as the Hoosiers averaged a measly 2.5 yards on 40 rushes.

After Indiana crept within seven following a 13-play, 89-yard drive to open the second half, the Buckeyes clamped down. The Hoosiers’ next three drives ended in punts. When Marcus Baugh’s drop resulted in an Indiana interception early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State’s defense stiffened, stuffing the Hoosiers on 4th-and-1 from the Buckeyes’ four-yard line. The Silver Bullets notched another turnover on downs on Indiana’s subsequent drive and iced the game with a pick by Malik Hooker. (Shoutout to the party-killing refs who called back Hooker’s pick-six. Herman Boone disciples, to be sure.)

A final defensive nugget: 127 of the 128 teams that play in the NCAA’s Division I Football Subdivision have permitted their opponents to score a rushing touchdown this fall.

Ohio State has not.

2. Parris Campbell


When Indiana kicked off with a minute and three seconds remaining in the second quarter, it sure looked like the Buckeyes were destined to lead 17-10 entering intermission.

Then Parris Campbell happened. The redshirt sophomore wide receiver, primarily known for his blocking chops, took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards down to the Hoosiers’ six-yard line. J.T. Barrett scored on a five-yard TD run two plays later, and order was somewhat restored. Campbell came six yards short of Ohio State’s first touchdown on a kick return since 2010.

3. J.R. Smith

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Get Buckeyes or die tryin’

Team Swish was also spotted hanging out on the Ohio Stadium sidelines with Thad Matta. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough Earl Joseph Smith III in my life.

4. Ohio State’s relationship with the forward pass


Ohio State, your passing game ... woof.

Barrett, who has quite obviously performed at a high level this season, submitted what amounts to an off-day for him. The redshirt junior began the day 4-of-9 for 41 yards and finished 9-of-21 for 93 yards with a touchdown and a pick. (Indiana came dangerously close to corralling several additional interceptions.) Overall, Barrett’s showing was a little reminiscent of his nightmare outing (9-of-16, 46 yards) in last season’s defeat to Michigan State.

For a two quarter-plus span, Barrett and the Buckeyes failed to complete a pass for positive yardage. The passing game’s ineffectiveness led the coaching staff to ride Barrett hard on the ground, as the QB logged a career-high 26 carries. The decision to feature Barrett — who was effective, gaining over five yards per tote — over Mike Weber (who ran for 71 yards on 15 carries) and Curtis Samuel (who averaged over nine yards on his nine carries) was a little curious given Barrett’s lengthy injury history and his importance to the offense/team.

As noted by Cleveland.com’s Bill Landis, Samuel, a legitimate Heisman contender, recorded just one touch on the Buckeyes’ first 25 plays. Post-game, Meyer acknowledged that Samuel didn’t touch the ball enough.

A shoutout must be given to Indiana’s defense, though, which has its best unit in years and played well.

5. Michigan State


The sky seems to be falling a bit in East Lansing as the Spartans dropped their third straight game, falling 31-14 to visiting BYU. Michigan State just isn’t the same defensively without Riley Bullough, and the offense was so bad on Saturday that Mark Dantonio benched starting QB Tyler O’Connor.

A 7-5 (or worse) season could be in the cards for the 2-3 Spartans, who still have home games remaining against Michigan and Ohio State as well as road trips to Maryland and Penn State.

Bonus rankings


My top three Training Day scenes. Spoiler alert, I guess.

1. King Kong


Wow. Where to begin. At the onset of this scene, Hoyt, deep into Harris’ home turf in the Baldwin Village ‘Jungle’, is visibly terrified and on the defensive. Hoyt is also on the receiving end of a cutthroat verbal barrage from Harris, who doesn’t believe Hoyt has the stomach to shoot and prevent his would-be boss from retrieving his gun and stolen money.

“I don’t believe you’ve got it in you, Jake. I’m a go get [the gun] right now.”

BOOM.

Hoyt comes of age in perhaps the strangest way possible: by shooting Harris ... in the butt! If you’re watching the clip, notice the gang members in the back — many of which were real, live gang members — cracking up after they realize Hoyt has emasculated Harris. But Hoyt isn’t done. It’s his turn to taunt (“The next one WILL kill you”) and he doubles down on his teardown of Harris by ripping off Harris’ detective badge. That Hoyt gains the respect of Harris’ neighborhood and is permitted to leave as Cle Shaheed Sloan holds a gun to Harris’ head is the icing on the cake.

Oh, and then there’s Harris’ iconic rant to end the scene, a desperate, machismo-laced tirade that invokes a skyscraper-sized ape. What a mother-bleepin’ day, indeed.

2. Three Wise Men


The highlight of this exchange is obviously the NSFW court room peanut butter story told by Harris Yulin, but the undercurrent of corruption is what I find striking about the entire scene.

As the scene wears on, it’s evident that Harris’ shadowy ways are not only permitted but perhaps endorsed by the Wise Men. And it’s jarring to see neither Yulin, Tom Berenger, or Raymond J. Berry oppose Harris’ incredibly illegal and morally bankrupt plan to pay off the Russian mafia outfit that is threatening to murder him.

3. Monte Carlo lowrider


In many reviews of Training Day, Harris’ character was described as ‘seductive.’ What kind of car would seductive cop drive? A black 1979 Monte Carlo! I mean, Harris even refers to the car as “sexy.”

I always grin at the brief exchange Harris and Hoyt have before Harris turns the car on. Hoyt asks if the office is back at LAPD’s narcotics division. Harris barely finishes his line — “Ya in the office, baby” — as the opening number to “Still D.R.E” kicks on, with director Antoine Fuqua then artfully adding in set piece shots of the Monte Carlo as Harris and Hoyt begin to cruise the streets of L.A.

Seductive, indeed.

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Mike Weber helps No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes slide past Indiana Hoosiers - UPI.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Mike Weber helps No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes slide past Indiana Hoosiers
UPI.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer described Ohio State's recent matchups with Indiana during the past week as "swing as hard as you can" type of games. The No. 2 Buckeyes got what their coach expected Saturday. After basically running through the first ...
Ohio State 38, Indiana 17 | Reality checkColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes experience adversity, still win bigDayton Daily News
Indiana vs. Ohio State: Live Score, Highlights for Hoosiers vs. BuckeyesBleacher Report
ESPN -BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
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The win over Indiana wasn’t pretty, but Ohio State’s run defense still hasn’t allowed a TD
Chuck McKeever via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Who needs a potent offense when you’re made of brick on D?

There’s just something about Indiana that bedevils Ohio State, no matter the year or the rankings. The Hoosiers have kept things cardiac-close each of the last three seasons, and Saturday’s matchup in windy Columbus was no different for the first three quarters of play.

Even when the Buckeyes got some breathing room, things weren’t nearly as in-hand as the No. 2 team would’ve hoped for against an unranked (albeit talented) conference opponent. For the first time all season, the passing game looked out of sorts, a disjointed and ugly series of attempts rife with incompletions.

It would be so much nicer to pretend that this season could come without a blemish, without cause for worry or despair on the part of Ohio State fans, at least until late November. (That this was supposed to be a rebuilding year does nothing to temper the despair of a sloppy performance against what should have been an overmatched foe.) But that’s not how the world works, especially the world of sports, which is at once an escape from and a perfect distillation of the chaos and uncertainty that comes with being alive. The mighty occasionally falter, win ugly, stumble. I prefer to pretend that Urban Meyer is simply a student of Hemingway, who once wrote that “you can’t do this without putting in the bad and the ugly as well as what is beautiful. Because if it is all beautiful you can’t believe in it.”

Inconsistency of contractions aside, Papa H. had a point, IMO. We have to accept that every game won’t be a Rutgers-style annihilation. The Buckeyes won by three touchdowns to go to 5-0 on the year. Let’s take a look at the players responsible for walking off with the W in this one.

Blue chip stocks


Jerome Baker, LB: It felt like Baker was everywhere in this one. Hardly a gang tackle went by—and there were plenty of them—without Baker emerging from the bottom of the pile, having been the first to the ball. He was in on 11 tackles, getting credit for seven of them by himself, including two for loss.

Baker definitely benefited from the Hoosiers’ insistence on running the ball despite all evidence that it wasn’t really working for them. Devine Redding found the occasional gap for Indiana, but Baker was often there to meet him. His two TFLs tied him with Robert Landers for the team lead.

Despite being overshadowed by fellow linebackers Raekwon McMillan and Chris Worley, Baker is quietly putting together a great year on this young, hungry Buckeye defense. The whole unit looked great against the run on Saturday, and Baker was a huge reason why.

Dre’mont Jones, DT: Did we mention that the Buckeye run defense is pretty damn stifling? They remain the only team in the country not to allow a rushing touchdown in 2016. That’s despite the best efforts of the Hoosiers to break that streak, with Kevin Wilson drawing up 40 run plays (compared to just 14 passes) for an offense that’s been carried by its aerial attack all season.

Freshman defensive tackle Dre’mont Jones was a big reason why Indiana ended up with just 99 yards rushing on those 40 carries. The Buckeyes got burly in the middle, containing Devine Redding to just 3.5 yards a carry; Jones was in on seven total tackles and got four on his own. The Jones/Robert Landers/Michael Hill rotation inside doesn’t get the same shine as the secondary or the defensive ends, but they’re coming into their own as a unit, and in Jones’ best game as a Buckeye, they were indispensable.

Curtis Samuel, H-back: People who got the same number of touches as Curtis Samuel in the first quarter of this game:

• Carrot Top
• Robert Goulet
• SB Nation’s own Matt Brown

Despite being absent from Ohio State’s game plan in the first 15 minutes, the most dynamic offensive threat on the roster ended up eating in the final 45. (Keeping the ball out of his hands a la Zeke against Michigan State 2015 would’ve resulted in at least one unironic #FireUrban tweet from a sports blogger, so thankfully we’ve been spared that.)

Samuel found paydirt for the fifth time this season as part of a nine-carry, 82-yard effort. He looks like a threat to go for six just about every time he touches the ball, and despite being held without a reception against the Hoosiers, he made an enormous impact on the game. In a contest seriously lacking in offensive inspiration, Samuel was one of the lone bright spots.

Solid investments


Raekwon McMillan, LB: Raekwon the Chef hasn’t forgotten how to cook. If Tom Emanski dedicated a video series to football instead of fundamental infield defense, he’d need look no further than McMillan for footage of consistent form tackling. One-on-one in space, in a crowd, whatever: Ohio State’s middle linebacker doesn’t miss.

McMillan was in on six total tackles, getting three by himself; he also got credit for half a TFL against the Hoosiers. The Buckeyes have a true field general in No. 5.

Marshon Lattimore, CB: It’s honestly a little surprising that Lattimore wasn’t tested more in this one. Indiana’s been excellent through the air this season, so their electing to pass just 14 times was a little puzzling, even considering just how lights-out the Buckeyes have been in the secondary.

Other than a could’ve-gone-either-way pass interference penalty, Lattimore had himself a day against the Hoosiers. He broke up two of Richard Lagow’s passes, as well as recording five solo tackles and getting in on another with teammates.

J.T. Barrett, QB: Let’s get it out of the way early. J.T. Barrett was, uhhh, not good through the air against Indiana. If he were less capable of an athlete or had a lower football IQ, this might be a real issue, but Joe Touchdowns was in fine form leading a rushing attack that slowly eroded all resistance from the Hoosiers.

Barrett finished with 137 rushing yards on 26 carries; he also found his way into the end zone on a perfect option read. We’re going to just ignore his passing stat line and the early fumble and pretend this is a Georgia Tech-style offense.

Junk bonds


The officiating. Yes, it’s an unforgiving, underpaid job, it’s harder than we could fathom, etc. But any time the refs are what stand out across multiple drives, that’s not great for anyone involved. From the Indiana fumble that led to Ohio State’s first touchdown (which looked a whole lot like a forward pass) to the Indiana fumble that Ohio State wasn’t credited for recovering (which they absolutely did), the refs didn’t seem able to get the big calls right. Couple this with the ticky-tack PI call on Lattimore and the lack thereof when Noah Brown was impeded on an early deep ball and you’ve got a nice little stew of errors.

Buy/Sell


BUY: Ohio State’s ability to get people shook. From a schadenfreude perspective, one set of plays really stands out from this one. On a crucial third down, Ohio State’s defense forced Indiana into a delay of game penalty; before calling a play, the Hoosiers were then forced to call timeout to prevent being nailed with a second. The crowd in Ohio Stadium is absolutely a factor in the team’s invincibility.

BUY: The Ohio State Brazil Twitter account. A hidden gem in the college sports landscape, Ohio State’s Brazilian Twitter cohort came to play on Saturday. These South American stalwarts covered everything from the mundane—of which there was plenty—to the really exciting, all in Portuguese. Give them a follow, catch the magic.


SELL: Opening drive turnovers. Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The Buckeyes gave up possession on the opening drive. It’s an annoying trend, and while the sloppiness hasn’t mattered against the quality of foes they’ve faced so far, not protecting the football could be a season-killer if they commit the same mistakes against, say, Michigan.

BUY: Fetty Wap. Always good for the sport when a game ends 17-38.


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Senior Spotlight – Corey Smith
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This week’s senior spotlight takes us to #Zone6, where we will talk about the career at Ohio State for wide receiver Corey Smith. Smith is in his 4th season as a member of the Buckeye football team, however injuries have hampered his playing time to this point. He was able to return this season for his senior season because of a medical redshirt earned in the 2015 season.

Corey Smith played his high school ball in Akron at Buchtel High School before heading to the community college route with Grand Rapids C.C. for the 2011 season. He finished the season with 28 catches for 438 yards and two touchdowns. That team went 10-0, and then disbanded the following season, leaving Smith without a place to play ball. Smith traveled south for his next stop, and landed at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi. He had a breakout year catching 51 balls for 733 yards and nine touchdowns that season, leading his team to an 8-2 record. By then, Smith was ready to head to an FBS school and prove he had what it took to play on the big stage. He was the #9 overall junior college prospect in the class of 2013, and the #3 receiver. He initially visited and committed to Mississippi State back in December of 2012, but then the Buckeyes came calling for his services. He ended up visiting Columbus in January of 2013 and then shortly after decommited from Mississippi State and pledging to his home state Buckeyes.



Smith didn’t see the field in his first season at Ohio State, getting a redshirt for his junior year. He returned in 2014 and caught 20 passes for 255 yards but didn’t find the endzone. However, in a story by the Dispatch in May, it was brought to light that Smith almost quit the team during Michigan State Week of that season.

“During Michigan State week in 2014, he reached the breaking point. He walked off the practice field, intent on quitting. That night, Zach Smith went to his apartment and beseeched him to give it another chance.”

He returned to the team and helped them take home the National Championship playing a pivotal role on special teams.

His 2015 season started off with him catching five passes for 62 yards in the Buckeyes first four games, but then broke his leg in a game against Indiana ending his season early. It was unsure if he would be granted an extra year of eligibility because of the games played, but the NCAA ruled in his favor and he returned to the team for the 2016 season. He has been hampered by an arm injury this season, and has it in a cast which is preventing him from having an impact in his senior season.

Smith is the father to five kids, ranging from the age of 7 months to six years old and is planning on getting married next year. He graduated with a degree in African American and African Studies in May after a rough final semester which saw him failing two classes before midterms.

The post Senior Spotlight – Corey Smith appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State beats Indiana, helped by Campbell's kick return: Bill Livingston (photos) - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State beats Indiana, helped by Campbell's kick return: Bill Livingston (photos)
cleveland.com
Breaking one tackle and stumbling as he raced down the sideline all the way to Indiana's' 6-yard-line, Campbell enabled the Buckeyes to answer a Hoosiers' touchdown a half-minute after it occurred with only a half-minute left in the first half. It was ...

and more »

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Ohio State 38, Indiana 17 | Reality check - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State 38, Indiana 17 | Reality check
Columbus Dispatch
2 Buckeyes breezed through their first four games, looking like they might escape the growing pains that seem inevitable when a team loses 16 starters. How lofty had the expectations become? Ohioans surveyed by a political pollster this week said they ...
Ohio State Buckeyes experience adversity, still win bigDayton Daily News
Indiana vs. Ohio State: Live Score, Highlights for Hoosiers vs. BuckeyesBleacher Report
Poll: Fans believe Buckeyes could beat BrownsESPN
cleveland.com -BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription) -Public Policy Polling
all 307 news articles »

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Buckeyes learn from past, defeat Pleasant Grove, 31-10 - Texarkana Gazette
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Buckeyes learn from past, defeat Pleasant Grove, 31-10
Texarkana Gazette
Unlike last year, Gilmer had Pleasant Grove's number as the Buckeyes won, 31-10, in the District 7-4A opener for both teams Friday night at Hawk Stadium. Gilmer (5-1), ranked No. 6 in the state Class 4A, finished with 431 yards of offense, while ...


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Big Ten Power Rankings: No change among top 4 teams
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

No movement at the top of this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings, presented by ArcelorMittal. But the bottom half had a shake-up, of sorts.

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Ohio State loses to Air Force in shootout, 1-0
Matt Torino via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A tough loss for the Puckeyes.

The world may never know whether, if the troops wanted to, they could put together a football team and dominate the NFL. But we now do know that if they wanted to, they could put together a hockey team and beat Ohio State.

Air Force upended the Buckeyes in a shootout, 1-0, to win the Ice Breaker Tournament. The two teams were tied at 3-3 after regulation and overtime concluded, and Air Force won 1-0 in the shootout that ensued to decide the tournament title.

Christian Frey got his second straight start, and despite his great effort versus No. 3 Denver, he didn’t give OSU much of a chance in this one. He allowed three goals on only 15 shots and an .800 save percentage won’t get it done on even your best days.

Phil Boje scored the only tally of the first period as Air Force took a 1-0 lead just 3:00 into the game. Ohio State outshot Air Force 19-9 in the first period, but couldn’t put one past Shane Starrett to even the score.

They would be able to tie it up just 3:44 into the second, however, on Ronnie Hein’s first collegiate goal, with assists from Miguel Fidler and Josh Healey. The Michigan native’s first came off a scramble in front. Points from Fidler are also a welcome sight as the highly touted Edina native is a prime candidate to break out this season.

Unfortunately, Air Force would score twice in the second to give themselves the lead back and then double it. Ben Kucera scored on the powerplay at 11:35 and Jordan Himley doubled the lead at 17:57. The Buckeyes were penalized three times within 3:51 in the second period, between 9:34 and 13:25. That’s not what you want to do against any team, much less one that just upset No. 5 Boston College.

OSU only outshot Air Force by a tally of 12-9 in the second, but the goals were 2-0 in favor of Air Force in the frame. There was a close call 42.2 seconds left in the second, but the ruling on whether a puck went in held in favor of Air Force, and the Bucks went into intermission down 3-1.

Matt Tomkins relieved Frey in the third as the latter only stopped 11/13 in the second. Not horrible, but the team needed a jolt. Tomkins wouldn’t allow a tally until the shootout.

Ohio State would outshoot the AFA 17-3 in the third, but this time, the goals were 2-0 in favor of the Buckeyes in the period. And it very well could have been 3-0 as an Ohio State goal was waived off just eight seconds into the third due to goalie interference.

John Wiitala cut the lead in half with his second of the tournament and season to make it 3-2 on a rebound off the initial shot by Hein at 2:44. Twelve minutes of scoreless action later, it looked like Ohio State would come up just short despite dominating in the shot department, especially in the third.

Then Nick Schilkey, the team’s best overall player, showed just why he has that title, tying the game off a goal mouth scramble at 14:43. David Gust and Matt Joyaux had the assists on the game tying shot.

And that’d be all we got from regulation. OSU was lucky, despite the shot totals, to get this far, as Frey and the defense just didn’t seem to have it tonight. And the offense couldn’t find the net as much as you’d expect them too given the 49 overall shots, including overtime.

And in that overtime, Ohio State again dominated in shots, 7-1, but couldn’t find a hole in Starrett. In the shootout, he remained a brick wall and kept Ohio State out in the one round to decide the tournament, denying Schilkey. Tomkins wouldn’t prove as hard to score on, as Tyler Ledford put home his opportunity and sent both teams home after that solitary round.

The Buckeyes are the better team on paper and should have won this game, outshooting Air Force 49-28. But sometimes in hockey, things don’t workout as you plan and you’d have to figure that OSU wins this game nine out of ten times if the shot total disparity remains that wide.

The bigger point to pay attention to is how good teams win games like this. Maybe OSU is just getting the kinks out, but closing series and beating teams you should is something they’ll have to do if they want to crack the top half of the Big Ten.

Things won’t get much easier next week, when OSU travels to in state rival Miami on Saturday, October 15. Both have received votes in the USCHO Top 25, so this should be a good one.

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How did we do? Week 6 Big Ten predictions revisited
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Before we turn our attention to Week 7, it's time to revisit how the BTN.com team and Big Ten fans did with their Week 6 Big Ten game predictions.

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Buckeyes Escape Pesky Hoosiers 38-17
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes hosted the Indiana Hoosiers this afternoon in a toughly contested match-up that the Buckeyes ended up winning 38-17 thanks to a stout defense and a solid running game. The passing game was completely off the mark all game and will need to be rectified before next week at Wisconsin.

The Buckeyes started the game with the ball and they didn’t have it for long before a pitch between J.T. Barrett and Mike Weber went awry and Indiana jumped on the fumble to take possession on the Ohio State 29 yard line. The Hoosiers came out with junior Richard Lagow under center, and got the ball down to the Ohio State four before settling for a field goal.

The Buckeyes got the ball back and on a 3rd and 9, J.T. found Marcus Baugh for 25 yards out of a bunch receiver pattern leading to a big first down. J.T. connected with Noah Brown on a couple of throws and the Buckeyes drive stalled after his pass to Noah Brown on 3rd down was broken up. Tyler Durbin came out and made his 5th field goal of the season to knot the game at 3-3.

Each team then punted twice and Indiana took over with the ball on the Ohio State 11, and Lagow scrambled out of the pocket after a big rush and it looked like he had thrown the ball forward while being hit by Tyquan Lewis, and the ball came out and was recovered by the Buckeyes. The play would be reviewed, and the call on the field stood and the Buckeyes had the ball 1st and goal on the nine yard line after the recovery by Jayln Holmes. Two plays later and the Buckeyes were in the endzone as Mike Weber took the handoff and went nine yards for the touchdown, his 3rd of the season.

More stout defense by the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers led to three straight punts again before Ohio State took over at their 27 yard line with 5:30 to go in the 2nd quarter. Since J.T. had been struggling throwing the ball so far, they decided to keep the ball on the ground and ran it four times with Curtis Samuel and once on a QB keeper to go down and score to make it 17-3 with 3:32 to go in the half.

Indiana, who had not been able to do much of anything on offense up until this point took over on the 35 after a kickoff out of bounds and marched right down the field and scored a touchdown right before the half making it 17-10. The key play was on 3rd and 6 when Lagow hit Ricky Jones on a 32 yard quick slant that got the Hoosiers down to the 18. Lagow then found Mitchell Paige two plays later on a slant as he beat Damon Webb for the touchdown.



With 1:03 left on the clock and only one timeout left for the Buckeyes, it was likely that they would have taken a couple shots before the half to get some points, but luckily for them Parris Campbell had other ideas. He took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards, getting tackled at the six yard line setting the Buckeyes up with only a few yards to go to grab that two touchdown lead before halftime. A first down wildcat snap to Curtis Samuel went for no gain, so on 2nd down Barrett took it himself to the left side for the touchdown to make it 24-10 at the half.



Indiana got the ball at the beginning of the second half and marched down the field on a 13 play drive that ended when Lagow found Danny Friend for a seven yard touchdown on a missed communication by the Buckeye secondary. The Hoosiers had run the wide receiver screen earlier in the game successfully and they ran the same play again, but the defensive back and linebacker both bit on the wide reciever leaving the tight end wide open in the end zone making the score 24-17. The Buckeye fans were starting to get worried as Indiana once again was hanging tough with the boys in Scarlet and Grey.

The Buckeyes got the ball back, and they too went 13 plays down the field, converting twice on 3rd down with J.T. Barrett running the ball. The Buckeyes did not attempt a pass play the whole drive, running for the entire 85 yards on the way to Mike Weber’s 2nd touchdown of the day. With the score now 31-17, the Buckeyes looked to be ready to put away the pesky Hoosiers, but Indiana had other thoughts.

After a back and forth punting exchange, the Buckeyes had the ball again but J.T. Barrett’s pass to Marcus Baugh was a little high and it ricocheted off his hands and into the hands of Indiana defender Ashon Riggins who returned it 31 yards down to the Buckeye 13. The Buckeye defense again stood on their heads stuffing Devin Redding on a 4th and 1 to give the Buckeyes the ball back and leave Indiana off the scoreboard.

Again the Buckeyes couldn’t get anything going through the air, and Indiana’s front seven were holding tough and the Buckeyes punted again however Indiana went 4 and out again giving the Buckeyes the ball on their 33, and they went down the field and finally J.T. found an open receiver in Dontre Wilson for a 37 yard touchdown making the score 38-17 and putting an end to the worry rumbling through the Horseshoe.

Malik Hooker made a nice interception that was returned for a touchdown, but was called back because of a block in the back or the final score would have been 45-17.

On the day J.T. Barrett was 9/21 for 93 yards, but ran for 137 and a touchdown in what he probably knows was not his finest afternoon performance. The wide receivers/tight ends only caught 3 passes all game, leaving many concerned with the state of the passing game through five games.

The Buckeyes travel to Madison, Wisconsin next weekend for a tough match-up against the Wisconsin Badgers at 8pm.



The post Buckeyes Escape Pesky Hoosiers 38-17 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State Buckeyes experience adversity, still win big - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes experience adversity, still win big
Dayton Daily News
Head coach Urban Meyer tells the Buckeyes all the time, Landers said, they are trained for rough situations from the day they step on campus. They faced one in the fourth quarter when Indiana intercepted Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett and then ...
Indiana vs. Ohio State: Live Score, Highlights for Hoosiers vs. BuckeyesBleacher Report
Poll: Fans believe Buckeyes could beat BrownsESPN
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Follow PSU Field Hockey: - GoPSUsports.com
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Follow PSU Field Hockey:
GoPSUsports.com
At the end of the first half, Penn State lead Ohio State 1-0 in goals and 14-4 shots, but the Buckeyes had a 6-4 advantage in penalty corners. Seven minutes into the second half, Meijer tailed the Lions' second goal to earn her second assist of the day.

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Buckeyes struggle at times in 38-17 win over Indiana - Canton Repository
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Buckeyes struggle at times in 38-17 win over Indiana
Canton Repository
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, top, celebrates his touchdown against against Indiana with teammate Pat Elflein during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete). Hide caption.

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Recap: Indiana vs Ohio State
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



Here I am fuming after this poor showing, but after putting all the anger and bad thoughts, Our Buckeyes earned a tough, hard-fought victory over an Indiana team that just wouldn’t die. I understand that there are games that are considered to be “trap” games and this game? WAS THE TRAP… At home too… But that is neither here, nor there. Let’s be real, there were very few highlights, so I will mention the very few that had occurred.



J.T. Barrett was not his usual self. He struggled mightily and that is rare for the anointed leader for Ohio State. He finished 9 for 21 for 93 measly yards through the air with a single touchdown strike to Dontre Wilson who shed a tackle en route to a 37-yard sprint to the end zone. J.T. Barrett had 26 carries for 137 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown came on a Quarterback run for 5-yards. The other touchdowns scored were courtesy of Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel. Both were scored deep within the red zone, Weber chipped in two scores from 9-yards and 1-yard out and Samuel chipped in his lone touchdown from 5-yards out. This game was not the ideal showing prior to the two-game road trip to Wisconsin and then Penn State. Wisconsin will have two weeks to prepare and I guarantee you that they watched this game for some weaknesses and I for one think that Indiana exposed the Buckeyes. Not too much, but enough to give the Buckeyes fits. They will most likely look at what Indiana did and use it with their personnel to try to secure a win at home. I don’t know if the wind was that bad or J.T. Barrett had a bad day, but things better pick up because the latter half of the season is upon us and that is when the tougher matchups come up. The offensive line needs to be more disciplined and they need to cut down on the dumb penalties because it prevents the team from reaching their potential. That and the Wide Receivers and the Tight Ends need to make more of an impact. You can’t mess this up because once again, the harder part of the schedule is upon us.

The Buckeyes Defense was pretty good when they sorely needed a key stop. Although the Buckeye Offense put up numbers well below their season average, 383 total yards rushing and passing, they did their best and kept Indiana below their season averages, 281 combined. The offense gave up two turnovers, but the defense took it away twice and one was a pick-six, but it was negated due to a chop block during the return. This was a game where the defense looked like they were just going through the motions, expecting to show up and win, but for some reason, Indiana came out swinging for the fences and every time they hit the Buckeyes, the Buckeyes responded accordingly. This game baffles me. Indiana shouldn’t be in this, but like Jeremiah stated, Indiana IS the trap game, every year. They always play Ohio State close and although they eventually lost by 21 points, the game was much closer than the final score looked to be. There will be a lot of talk between the coaches and both units and I want them to be angry for the rest of the year. Like angry after the Virginia Tech and Michigan State losses angry and I think that they will get lit up by Urban Meyer because he looked furious. Let’s hope the Silver Bullets reload because again, it is only going to get harder as the season progresses on. It always seems like, during a couple of games, our offensive play callers seem to forget our strengths, our bread, and butter. This was close to last years Michigan State. Quarterback runs galore. Cute, ineffective trickeration, mass movement, you name it. Tim Beck and Ed Warriner tried it all. Hope they fix it prior to our date against TTUN. I am still a tad salty, but I still love my Buckeyes. Now, on to Wisconsin. O-H!!!




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Ohio State vs. Indiana 2016 final score, with 3 things to know from OSU’s 38-17 win
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes’ win streak over the Hoosiers lives on.

The Ohio State Buckeyes had some trouble early, but were able to knock off the Indiana Hoosiers, moving to 5-0 on the season.

The Hoosiers got an early break in the game, as a J.T. Barrett pitch to Mike Weber went in and out of his hands. The fumble was recovered by Indiana defensive lineman Patrick Dougherty. It set up the Hoosiers nicely in Ohio State territory, and the Hoosiers quickly made it inside the 10. But the Buckeyes defense held up, and Indiana settled for a field goal.

On the ensuing offensive drive, the Buckeyes kept their composure, and had quickly been driving down the field. In similar fashion to Ohio State, Indiana was able to stop the onslaught, and hold the Buckeyes to a field goal tying the game at 3-3 midway through the first.

Early in the second, Ohio State’s Tyquan Lewis was able to get to Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow and force a fumble, giving the Buckeyes the ball deep in Indiana territory. It would shortly be followed up with a Mike Weber touchdown, making it a 10-3 Ohio State lead. The Hoosiers threatened on the ensuing drive witih a big pass from Lagow to Nick Westbrook for 50 yards put the Hoosiers inside the Buckeyes’ 30, but they couldn’t make anything of it and were forced to punt.

Late in the second quarter, Urban Meyer started dialing up Curtis Samuel’s number. The offense had a much better flow to it, and we saw a couple of good runs from J.T. Barrett. Samuel would finish off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, giving the Bucks a two-score lead at 17-3.

Just as Ohio State had grabbed momentum, Indiana took it away. The Hoosiers had a great 7-play, 65 yard touchdown drive. The Hoosiers ran a great 3rd down screen that picked up a big first down to put them in Ohio State territory, and a Richard Lagow pass to Mitchell Paige made it a 17-10 game with just over a minute left in the half.

Parris Campbell gave the Buckeyes a huge kick return, setting the Buckeyes up nicely on the 6-yard line. On the second play of the drive, J.T. Barrett ran it into the end zone to put the Bucks up 24-10 at the half.

The Hoosiers came out just the way you’d want your team to do so at the start of the second half. Indiana converted on three third downs, and scored on another in a 12 play, 89-yard drive that was capped off by a Danny Friend touchdown reception. The Buckeyes had been punching the Hoosiers in the mouth, but the Hoosiers fought back.

Not to be outdone, the Buckeyes pieced together a 13 play, 85-yard drive of their own. The drive was largely led by the Buckeyes rushing attack, consisting of Barrett, Weber, and Samuel. It was a much needed drive and score to keep the Hoosiers away, who were getting too close for comfort.

It seemed inevitable that Ohio State would at some point or another seal the deal with one final score, but even going into the fourth quarter, it didn’t happen. J.T. Barrett threw an early interception that gave the Hoosiers the ball on the Ohio State 13 yard line. The Buckeyes once again held up inside the 5, and got the stop on downs.

After a few changes of possession, J.T. Barrett finally got a passing touchdown, putting him within two touchdowns of tying Braxton Miller’s record of 88 touchdowns responsible for. The Buckeyes were up 38-17 with less than four minutes to go. Malik Hooker would seal the deal with an interception shortly after.

3 things we learned:


1. Slow starts are still a thing. At least offensively. We saw them a lot last season, and it hasn’t been quite as bad this year. The beginning of this game felt very much like a 2015 Ohio State football game, with the offense looking lost at times, and the offensive line being dominated at times. Curtis Samuel didn’t get many touches early, but once he did, the offense really started moving. We also saw Noah Brown get his mitts on the ball a couple times, but no real huge gains.

The Buckeyes, just as they did last year, were able to combat this with great defensive play. The only difference this year it seems, is that the offense appears better, and the defense scores a lot more. That combination might be enough to carry the Buckeyes into the Michigan game, but we saw what dragging for long periods of time does to a team. A big concern, if any, should be that the passing game was poor today. The winds were rather high this afternoon, and Laglow, while better than Barrett statistically, wasn’t all that impressive himself. If there’s a similar performance from the passing game in better conditions, that’s when you should worry.

2. These Buckeyes are very good, but not invincible. As much fun as this season has been, today was a good reminder that any team can lose on any given day. Indiana has improved as a football program under Kevin Wilson, but it’s certainly a game many expected the Buckeyes to still roll in, despite the Hoosier’s impressive aerial attack. All week, it seemed people finally started believing in the Buckeyes to be one of the best teams in the nation, if not the best team. That’s all good and well! But the games still have to be played on Saturday, opponents have to be taken seriously, and games have to be won.

Next week’s challenge in Madison against the Wisconsin Badgers should be another good test for the Buckeyes. Typically games like the one that Ohio State played in today serves as a good wake up call before heading into one like that. The Buckeyes really weren’t awful today, but in terms of comfort, they didn’t look as great as we all might have liked to see.

3. Ohio State can still run the dang ball. Throughout the season, Urban Meyer has wanted a balance on offense. The passing game wasn’t all that great today, but it really didn’t matter the way the Bucks were running the rock. All season, we’ve seen Curtis Samuel and Mike Weber make entire defensive units look silly, and this afternoon, J.T. Barrett got in on the action. There hasn’t been a whole lot of discussion about it, but when Barrett gets into the fold, it’s like a three-headed monster, and it’s really fun to watch.

Mike Weber has had one heck of a freshman season, and he’s been on pace to be one of the best freshman running backs in the school’s history. He’s really shifty, and can do whatever is asked of him. Samuel is very similar, but you can really put him anywhere on the field and he would succeed. As far as Barrett goes, Meyer has tried to keep him out of the running game for health concerns. With the wind as wicked as it was today, that had to change, and Barrett more than did his part on the ground.

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Indiana vs. Ohio State: Live Score, Highlights for Hoosiers vs. Buckeyes - Bleacher Report
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Indiana vs. Ohio State: Live Score, Highlights for Hoosiers vs. Buckeyes
Bleacher Report
The Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to take care of business Saturday as they welcome an overmatched but confident Indiana Hoosiers team to Ohio Stadium in Columbus on ESPN. Stay here for live reaction and updates from the Big Ten East matchup.
Poll: Fans believe Buckeyes could beat BrownsESPN
Ohio State football hosts Indiana with Hoosiers thinking upset again: Buckeye Breakfast Gamedaycleveland.com
Gameday+ | Hoosiers no longer a joke, but can they make Buckeyes sweat again?Columbus Dispatch
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Five players that must step up for Ohio State to beat Indiana - 247Sports
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Five players that must step up for Ohio State to beat Indiana
247Sports
The Ohio State Buckeyes continue their 2016 season today, as they try to get their second Big Ten win against Indiana at 3:30 PM EST (ESPN). What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE ...

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Top-ranked Badgers to battle Buckeyes in home opener - University of Wisconsin Badgers
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Top-ranked Badgers to battle Buckeyes in home opener
University of Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin women's hockey hosts Ohio State this weekend in its home opener. The top-ranked Badgers will take on the Buckeyes on Friday and Saturday, with puck drop slotted for 7 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.


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Ohio State hockey upsets No. 3 Denver, 3-2
Matt Torino via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Puckeyes are off to a great start!

Maybe those predictions about Ohio State hockey finishing second in the Big Ten weren’t so crazy, because the Buckeyes just went to Denver and upended the No. 3 team in the country by a score of 3-2.

This was the first round of the Ice Breaker Tournament hosted in Denver and both Ohio State and Air Force upset top five teams, with Air Force taking down No. 5 Boston College in the other first round matchup. OSU and Air Force will face each other for the Ice Breaker championship on Saturday night.

So this was a slightly better start than last year’s 0-7 beginning to the season for the Buckeyes, if I do say so myself.

Matthew Weis started off the scoring just 29 seconds into the first period on a redirection of a Luke Stork pass for his first of the season. Nick Schilkey, of course, registered the secondary tally. Denver would strike back toward the end of the first, at 14:06, with a goal from Tyson McLellan to send it into the break tied at one apiece.

Denver unloaded on the Buckeyes after that initial goal, outshooting the visitors 12-6 in the first. Score effects and whatnot, with Denver trying to tie the game back up and Ohio State maybe sitting too idly by on their early lead. But Ohio State would take their lead right back in the second frame and then double it up.

Matt Joyaux scored his (obviously) first of the season on a shot from the point at 7:26 with assists from Janik Moser and Weis. It was the redshirt freshman’s first ever game played for the Buckeyes. I’d say it went well. John Wiitala, one of last year’s surprising freshmen, doubled the lead at 16:14 on a loose puck with a powerplay goal with assists from Dakota Joshua and Tanner Laczynski. It was Tanner’s first collegiate point and probably the first of many for OSU’s most heralded incoming player.

Ohio State absolutely dominated Denver in that second period, outshooting the home team 15-6 and earning those two goals. The third period, however, would be an exercise in holding on versus a favorite.

Denver would cut the lead in half at just 3:32 of the third on a powerplay goal from Jarid Lukosevicius. That probably didn’t bode well for an underdog to hold onto the lead, but hold they did. Denver registered 17 shots in that third period and Christian Frey stopped all but that one.

Frey stopped 33 out of 35 shots attempted against him for a save percentage of .943. If he put that up for the rest of the season, Ohio State might just win the Big Ten. He almost certainly won’t, because that’d be an insane number for an entire season, but we can dream.

With Frey’s performance and some of last season’s breakout players continuing to score, the Buckeyes won their first ever game at the Ice Breaker Tournament in their third appearance in the event. They’ll look to earn their second, and first tourney victory with a victory over Air Force on Saturday night.

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Ohio State vs. Indiana 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule and Game Thread
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes hope to continue their Big Ten dominance against Indiana.

The second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes have, thus far this year, been able to roll steadily over their respective opponents. Enter the Indiana Hoosiers, however, and that sort of blowout domination comes into question. Indiana has managed to play Ohio State closer than most Buckeye fans would like to see in the past two years, both when Ohio State was ranked in the top-ten. Now, fresh off a win over Michigan State, Indiana is looking for a win over the Buckeyes on the road.

Still, Ohio State is favored by nearly four touchdowns, and there is little cause for concern that the massive offensive firepower we saw against Oklahoma and Rutgers alike won’t overwhelm the Indiana defense. Between quarterback J.T. Barrett, who is now firmly in the Heisman running after a four-touchdown performance against Rutgers, H back Curtis Samuel, who has averaged 168.3 yards from scrimmage per game thus far this year, running back Mike Weber and a slew of standout receivers, the Buckeyes have been able to overload the four defenses they have faced up to this point.

And speaking of defense, the Buckeyes pitched their first shutout of the season against Rutgers, holding the Scarlet Knights to just 116 yards of total offense. Ohio State leads the nation in several defensive categories, including points per game (9.3) by nearly two points over the No. 2 spot. The secondary remained utterly stifling against Rutgers, which meant that the Scarlet Knights attempted just 16 passes in the entire game as they tried fruitlessly to establish a running game. With a first-year starter in Richard Lagow, who has already thrown six interceptions to nine touchdowns this season, the Indiana offense could end up looking very similar against the Buckeyes.

When is the game and how can I watch?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 8, 3:30 p.m.

Location: Columbus, OH

TV: ESPN

Online: WatchESPN

Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Where is GameDay this weekend?


For the third time this season, College Gameday is heading to a Tennessee matchup, this time in College Station where the ninth-ranked Vols will take on No. 8 Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. This weekend marks the fifth time that Gameday has headed to College Station. Both teams are currently 5-0 and at the top or tied for the top spot of their respective divisions in the SEC.

What’s the rest of the Big Ten up to today?


In the battle for Floyd of Rosedale, Iowa takes on Minnesota at noon on ESPN2, while a still-undefeated Maryland faces Penn State on BTN at the same time. Michigan State has a late non-conference matchup against BYU at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Illinois faces Purdue at 3:30 on BTN, with No. 4 Michigan closing out the day against Rutgers at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

Join the conversation


Below is your Ohio State-Indiana GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and as always, keep it classy. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s keep the season going strong. Go Bucks.

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Ohio State and Michigan give Big Ten two of college football's top four teams: Doug Lesmerises - cleveland.com
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Ohio State and Michigan give Big Ten two of college football's top four teams: Doug Lesmerises
cleveland.com
Meanwhile the Buckeyes and Wolverines also rank in the top 10 in the nation in points scored. That's balance the committee will embrace. While teams like Oklahoma (Big 12), Florida State (ACC), LSU (SEC) and Notre Dame have faltered (those preseason ...
B1G Week: Which Big Ten team needs a win the most in Week 6?Scout

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Kam Williams wins Ohio State basketball dunk contest at 'Buckeyes on the Blacktop' (video) - cleveland.com
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Kam Williams wins Ohio State basketball dunk contest at 'Buckeyes on the Blacktop' (video)
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kam Williams wasn't ready to give up the title of best dunker on the Ohio State basketball team. Derek Funderburk, one of four newcomers to the Buckeyes this year, was going to provide stiff competition. At 6-foot-9, Funderburk is ...


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View From the Fan – Indiana
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This piece originally ran on ohiostate.scout.com

Thoughts On Last Week


I don’t have a whole lot to say on last week other than it was a great game to watch. The first quarter was a bit slow and clunky, but after that the Buckeyes turned on cruise control and steamrolled their way to a 58-0 victory. The offense looked smooth as always under J.T. Barrett, and Mike Weber had another big game as well. It was also nice to see the wide receivers finally get some action as 12 different guys caught balls last Saturday.

The defense continued to dominate, limiting Rutgers’ passing game to only 33 yards and keeping the running game to 83 yards on the ground. It was a total defensive team effort, but Robert Landers and Chris Worley stood out to me as the stars by how they clogged up the middle and chased guys down on the outside, respectively.

On Indiana


Indiana surprised a lot of people last week when it beat Michigan State in overtime, basically ending the Spartans’ bid at a Big Ten Championship. This week, the Hoosiers travel to Columbus to try their luck with the Buckeyes. Junior quarterback Richard Lagow leads the team, and he’s doing well for a guy who’d never played a down of FBS college football until this season. Lagow is a pocket passer who isn’t much of a run threat, at least not yet. The Hoosiers also have Devine Redding at running back; he’s averaging 5 yards per carry so far, but he hasn’t found the end zone yet. Indiana has a trio of good wide receivers in Nick Westbrook, Ricky Jones and Mitchell Paige, who’ve combined for 52 receptions this season.

Overall, the Hoosiers’ defense has played well this year, and they’re only giving up 21.8 points per game so far. Linebacking duo Tegray Scales and Marcus Oliver have 64 tackles between them, along with 7.5 tackles for a loss. We’ll see how they handle the speed and versatility of the Buckeye attack.

Ideally, it should be more of the same from Ohio State. The Buckeyes should move the ball up and down the field easily and shut down Indiana’s offense. The Hoosiers always seem to give Ohio State fits though, so it’s never wise to count them out of a game – just ask Michigan State – especially after a big win last week. I fully expect the Buckeyes to come prepared for battle, not looking ahead to next week’s game at Wisconsin.

Prediction: Ohio State 56, Indiana 6

A Fan’s Playoff Standings

1. Ohio State – I moved them the Buckeyes a spot after their dominating performance last weekend. Yes, it was against Rutgers, but both the Buckeye offense and defense are No. 1 in the nation in several categories after four weeks of play, so I feel my ranking is justified.
2. Alabama – The Crimson Tide got by Kentucky last week, 34-6, but they travel to take on the dangerous Arkansas Razorbacks this weekend. It should be a good game, and it will test young Jalen Hurts. He managed to lead a comeback against Ole Miss in a hostile environment a couple weeks ago, so we’ll see how he handles another rowdy crowd in Arkansas.
3. Clemson – Win a top five matchup, move into my playoff rankings. The Tigers didn’t look much like last year’s team that made the playoffs, and they were on the outside looking in. Now that they’ve survived Louisville, they look like the ACC’s representative again this year.
4. Washington – Another battle of top teams, but this one ended unexpectedly for me. Washington dominated Stanford in all facets of the game, shutting down Heisman contender Christian McCaffrey all night and holding the Cardinal to six points. Washington has Oregon this week it a tough game.

A Fan’s Heisman Standings

1. Lamar Jackson – Despite losing to Clemson, he still put up video game numbers. He’s accounted for 28 touchdowns in five games this season, and his gaudy numbers should only continue to get better as the Cardinals coast through the remainder of their season (excluding the Houston game).
2. J.T. Barrett – He became the all-time passing touchdown leader at Ohio State last week, and he’s within striking distance of Braxton Miller’s school record 88 total touchdowns. Those are career records, but he’s having a great junior season, leading the Buckeyes to the No. 1 ranking in total offense and No. 1 spot in scoring offense in the country through five weeks.
3. Deshaun Watson – He moved himself back into contention after last week’s big win against Louisville. Sure, he threw three interceptions, but he was calm under pressure and led the Tigers to victory after Louisville stormed back after halftime. Clemson has a pretty favorable schedule remaining, so Watson should be able to put up some big numbers.
4. Greg Ward, Jr. – Houston is 5-0. Although Ward only played in four of those games, he’s having a great season so far. He has over 1,300 yards passing on 70 percent completions and 13 total touchdowns. Last week against UConn, he had an 84 percent completion percentage and over 450 yards of total offense.

The post View From the Fan – Indiana appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Football: Wellston Golden Rockets v. Nelsonville-York Buckeyes - October 7, 2016 - Jackson County Times-Journal
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Football: Wellston Golden Rockets v. Nelsonville-York Buckeyes - October 7, 2016
Jackson County Times-Journal
The following photos were captured during the game between the Wellston Golden Rockets and the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes at C.H. Jones Field in Wellston on October 7. The Buckeyes defeated the Golden Rockets 38-0. (Photos by Scott Jones). Close.
Buckeyes detonate RocketsAthens Messenger (registration)

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