Will Dontre Wilson continue to be an offensive priority against Indiana?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


How many ways can the coaches find to get the senior the ball?

When Dontre Wilson announced that he had decided to attend The Ohio State University on Signing Day 2013, after having previously been committed to Oregon, Buckeye fans were giddy thinking of what Urban Meyer could do with the skilled speedster from DeSoto, TX.

However, after a promising freshman season in Columbus, his next two years were hampered with foot injuries after breaking it against Michigan State in 2014. Since then, he has seen his productivity ebb and flow, and last year caught only seven balls for 63 yards, missing all or most of nine of Ohio State’s 13 games.

However, with a mass exodus for the Buckeyes after last season, the expectation was that, if healthy, Wilson would see an increased role at H-back and/or wide receiver in 2016, and the season’s first two games certainly bore that out. Against Bowling Green and Tulsa, Wilson combined for 141 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the air and one on the ground. However, in the biggest game of the non-conference slate, he had only two receptions for 19 yards against Oklahoma in week three.

After the game, Wilson tweeted his disappointment in his lack of offensive involvement, before deleting the post. While head coach Urban Meyer has said that he wants to lead the league in social media, this is likely not what he had in mind.

So, it was a little surprising that, following the season’s only open week, against Rutgers Wilson seemed to be a focal point for the offensive play-calling beginning with the team’s second drive of the day. The senior lined up in multiple spots all game and quarterback J.T. Barrett got him the ball in a number of creative ways.

In all, Wilson accounted for 98 all-purpose yards and a touchdown against the Scarlet Knights. So with this renewed attention from the coaching staff, Dontre Wilson is the offensive player to watch against the surprisingly stout Indiana Hoosiers this Saturday.

The stats


Name: Dontre Wilson
Number: 2
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
Height: 5’10
Weight: 195 lbs.

With the sky-high expectations that Wilson brought with him to Columbus, it is not a stretch to say that his injury-hampered career has been a bit of a disappointment to this point, at least from a productivity perspective. Through his first three seasons, he accounted for just 923 yards from scrimmage, however, he did show flashes of what he was capable of accumulating 1,218 kickoff return yards, fifth most in Ohio State history.

However, with his frustrating first three years behind him, throughout the off-season, Wilson repeatedly told himself to stay positive and to make the most of his last chance in Columbus.

“You can’t get down on yourself, you still have time. With the guys by your side you can get through it and keep pushing,” Wilson said.

Before the season, Wilson said that he felt like after suffering through a rocky three years, his senior season would be the one to make it all worthwhile.

“It feels like everything is finally falling into place this year, after all I have gone through,” he said.

Opposition research

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

In his five-plus seasons as the head coach of the Hoosiers, Kevin Wilson (no relation) has turned the Indiana offense into one of the Big Ten’s most prolific scoring units, averaging 30.45 points per game. The only problem with that stat is that IU’s opponents have averaged 35.49 ppg over that same period.

However, this season, Wilson has something slightly different brewing in Bloomington as his team is currently ranked 22nd in total offense and a much-improved 51st in total defense.

The IU defense has seen nearly immediate improvements from new defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s 4-2-5 scheme. The goal of the defense is to essentially run a nickel package on the majority of plays to keep pace with up-tempo offenses, like Ohio State’s. With only two linebackers on the field at a time, they are expected to be aggressive run stoppers, aided by the safeties, which leaves cornerbacks alone on the outside; the LBs will also be called upon to generate an additional pass-rush.

The heart of the Hoosier defense is Cincinnati native Tegray Scales. The junior linebacker leads the team in tackles with 35, tackles for loss with 5.5, and sacks with two. The Colerain High School grad also has an interception return for a touchdown this season. Along with fellow LB Marcus Oliver, Wilson said that Scales has grown into a leader as an upperclassman. With increased maturity, he has found the confidence in his teammates to focus on his specific responsibilities, and to not try to take too much on himself.

That confidence led to him being selected as the team’s Defensive Player of the Game in the overtime upset of Michigan State last Saturday.



While it is unlikely that any defense will dissuade the Ohio State coaching staff from running the ball, if receivers like Wilson, Noah Brown, or Parris Campbell (or any of the other nine Buckeyes that caught passes against Rutgers) can beat their one-on-one coverage on the outside, it could be a big day for the passing game as well.

Indiana will be looking for Scales and Oliver to create pressure on Barrett in hopes of mitigating the talent advantage that Ohio State possesses.

What to watch for


On a team with as many playmakers as Ohio State, targets can be fickle (no pun intended), but if the game-plan against Rutgers is any indication as to how Ed Warinner and Tim Beck want to use Wilson moving forward, you should expect to see him get the ball in a multitude of different ways this week.

Last Saturday, in addition to handling the punt return duties, Wilson was all over the Ohio State offense, lining up in the slot, on the outside, and in the backfield. Barrett got him the ball on traditional WR routes, on a shuffle pass, from the zone-read, on an end-around, and on a wheel-route. Barrett overthrew Wilson on a fade to the end-zone as well.

While Wilson didn’t necessarily have any huge, explosive plays against the Scarlet Knights, it was interesting to see just how many different ways that the Ohio State coaches found to get the ball in his hands.

After returning a punt 16 yards to set up Ohio State’s second drive, on first down Wilson took the ball on an end-around, picking up seven.



Then later in the drive, he settled into a hole in the Rutgers zone until a scrambling Barrett could find him for the game’s first score.


After halftime, two of the first three plays from scrimmage were zone-reads to Wilson up the middle.



While certainly Wilson and the coaches would have liked for one of these creative play-calls to result in a major gain, in terms of getting the senior involved in all aspects of the offense, last Saturday was a success, and is hopefully predictive of things to come throughout the season.

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Audio: Listen to your Big Ten coach’s Week 6 teleconference
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Each Tuesday morning during the Big Ten football season, the 14 Big Ten football coaches hold a Big Ten teleconference with reporters from around the country. We post the audio for each segment of the call here. Filed under: Audio Tagged: Teleconferences

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DaddyBigBucks said:

I speak Gobbledygook, which is structurally similar to Gibberish, so I'll give it a shot.

Gene Smith said that Jim Harbaugh was rebuilding the program at TSUN. Harbaugh took umbrage, claiming that TSUN is the top program ever and was never anything less, or hyperbole to that effect.

Harbaugh recently said that Ash is building the Rutgers program. The post above seems to imply that Ash remains unaffected by his New Jersey surroundings and is insufficiently douchetastic to take umbrage at an obvious compliment the way that Harbaugh once did.

But that is a rather a broad inference and is only a guess at the meaning of the post in question.

Click to expand...

Solid work Big Bucks. :cheers:

I also just call Harbaugh Dear Leader b/c it creeps me out how deeply tsun fans inhale his farts.

The View From Beyond The Shoe: Salty UM Fans
Mike Meals via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


We’ve now crossed over the five-week mark in the 2016 college football season. Both the AP and Coaches poll have the same top four teams, with only Houston and Washington switching spots based on which poll you look at. In fact, they have the exact same ten teams, with only the final locations differing from poll to poll.

What does this mean to the average fan, five weeks into the season? That means, for the most part, the ten best teams have started to separate themselves from the rest of the college football world. This means that, at this time, these ten teams are good. Is number ten as good as number two? No, not at this time. But is number ten better than number 24? Damn right they are.

We can all agree that these teams are good. Is Alabama the best team in the country? Probably. They are the kings of college football right now. Do I think Ohio State would beat them? I think we’d have a really good chance, but I won’t bet the mortgage on it. Do I think Michigan would beat Houston? Depends on when the game is played and how long Herman has to game plan, but yeah, Michigan probably wins that game.

Why do I say this? Because while I love a good trolling. If I say something, I usually believe it to be true. I think Ohio State would be able to beat Alabama. I think Michigan is one of the four best teams in the country right now, but would get beat soundly in a matchup with Ohio State. I think with a month to prepare, Tom Herman’s Coogs are one of the scariest teams in the country.

But there are people in this world who are so sensitive, they can’t even take a compliment about their team without wanting to argue. If you say Michigan is a better team overall than Houston, you’d think Houston fans would be the ones to be offended. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Instead, you get Michigan fans who want to argue that they’ve played a tougher schedule than Ohio State. They haven’t. They also are not as good on the field as the Buckeyes have been.

Ohio State has had more rushing yards this season, in one less game (OSU – 1308, UM – 919). OSU has more passing yards (977-952), more interceptions (9-3), and even a better punter (50.6 yard average vs. 41.5 yards). Statistically speaking, Ohio State has the edge. But even more than that, when you put both teams under the microscope, Ohio State has passed the eye test too.

When I say Ohio State is a better team right now, people think I am looking through Scarlet-tinted glasses. But that’s not the case. They just are a better team at this point. And the proof is in the pudding. But even with stacks on stacks of information, there are a lot of Michigan fans who fail to look at their team objectively, fans who are unable to admit that the 4th best team in the country isn’t as good as the first or second.

Will Michigan beat Ohio State? Not this year, not the way these two teams are currently playing. Will it be a good game between two really good teams? Damn right it will. Will any Michigan fans admit they are not as good as Ohio State? Damn right they will not.

It’s a shame too. Instead of enjoying what will be a good season for them, the Walmart Wolverines of the world are too worried about the “disrespect” their team is getting.

It’s okay to settle for second best, Ann Arbor. You should get used to it too, you’re not moving up any time soon, at least while Urban is in Columbus.

The post The View From Beyond The Shoe: Salty UM Fans appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Depth Chart: Indiana Week
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Once again, there were no major changes to the Ohio State depth chart as they prepare for Indiana. The only change was at right guard where the injured Demetrius Know was replaced with Evan Lisle.

OFFENSE

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
QB J.T. BARRETT 6’2” 225 JR (R)
JOE BURROW 6’3” 208 FR (R)
RB MIKE WEBER OR 5’10” 215 FR (R)
CURTIS SAMUEL 5’11” 200 JR
WR1 NOAH BROWN OR 6’2” 222 SO (R)
PARIS CAMPBELL 6’0” 205 SO (R)
WR2 COREY SMITH OR 6’1” 195 SR (R)
JOHNNIE DIXON 5’11” 198 SO
H-BACK CURTIS SAMUEL OR 5’11” 200 JR
DONTRE WILSON 5’10” 195 SR
TE MARCUS BAUGH 6’5” 255 JR
AJ ALEXANDER 6’2” 254 FR (R)
LT JAMARCO JONES 6’5” 310 JR (R)
EVAN LISLE 6’7” 308 JR (R)
LG MICHAEL JORDAN 6’7” 310 FR
MATT BURRELL 6’4” 305 FR (R)
C PAT ELFLEIN 6’3” 300 SR (R)
BRADY TAYLOR 6’5” 300 SO (R)
RG BILLY PRICE 6’4” 315 JR (R)
EVAN LISLE 6’6” 308 JR (R)
RT ISAIAH PRINCE 6’7” 310 SO
BRANDEN BOWEN 6’7” 315 FR (R)
WR-Z TERRY MCLAURIN OR 6’0” 204 SO (R)
JAMES CLARK 5’10” 186 JR (R)





DEFENSE

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
DE TYQUAN LEWIS 6’4” 266 JR
RASHOD BERRY 6’4” 252 FR (R)
DT DRE’MONT JONES OR 6’3” 280 FR (R)
DAVON HAMILTON 6’4” 297 FR (R)
DT MICHAEL HILL 6’3” 295 JR (R)
ROBERT LANDERS 6’1” 285 FR (R)
DE SAM HUBBARD OR 6’5” 266 SO (R)
JALYN HOLMES 6’5” 274 JR
SLB CHRIS WORLEY 6’2” 228 JR (R)
JEROME BAKER 6’1” 225 SO
MLB RAEKWON MCMILLAN 6’2” 243 JR
CRAIG FADA 6’1” 225 SR
WLB DANTE BOOKER OR 6’3” 236 JR
JEROME BAKER 6’2” 230 SR
CB GAREON CONLEY 6’0” 195 JR (R)
DAMON ARNETTE 6’0” 195 FR
CB MARSHON LATTIMORE OR 6’0” 195 SO (R)
DENZEL WARD 5’10” 185 SO
S MALIK HOOKER 6’2” 205 SO (R)
ERICK SMITH 6’0” 202 JR
S DAMON WEBB 5’11” 193 JR
JORDAN FULLER 6’2” 205 FR





SPECIAL TEAMS

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
P CAMERON JOHNSTON 5’11” 195 SR
K TYLER DURBIN 6’3” 210 SR
LS LIAM MCCULLOUGH 6’2” 210 FR (R)
PR DONTRE WILSON OR 5’10” 195 SR
COREY SMITH OR 6’1” 190 FR
CURTIS SAMUEL OR 5’11” 200 JR
KR DONTRE WILSON OR 5’10” 195 SR
JAMES CLARK OR 5’10” 186 JR (R)
JOHNNIE DIXON 5’11” 198 SO







The post Depth Chart: Indiana Week appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State-Indiana 2016 depth chart: No changes heading into Big Ten matchup
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The fifth depth chart of the season has no changes as the Buckeyes host the Hoosiers.



After a slow start, Ohio State thumped Rutgers in its first Big Ten game of the season to a tune of 58-0. The Buckeyes made up for a quiet first quarter and simply shut down any offense that the Scarlet Knights had. This week Ohio State hosts Indiana, who just upset Michigan State. The Buckeyes will have to be wary of an upset-minded Hoosiers team. Here’s a look at the depth chart this week.

J.T. Barrett is the starting quarterback and will be for the entirety of the season, barring injury. Barrett and the offense took off following the first quarter, throwing 21-of-29 for 238 yards and four touchdowns as he continues his Heisman campaign. He only played about half of the third quarter before backups were brought in, but still managed to break the all-time school record for career passing touchdowns. Joe Burrow got some action as well and remains the backup.

At running back, Mike Weber had his best game of the season. Weber remains the starter with OR in between he and Samuel. Weber rushed for 144 yards on 14 carries and added a touchdown as well. The highlight of Weber’s afternoon was a 46-yard touchdown run near the start of the third quarter.

The starters are the same as in previous weeks, as the receiving core continues its growth. Noah Brown OR Parris Campbell starts at X, Corey Smith OR Johnnie Dixon, and Terry McLaurin OR James Clark at Z. Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor are the third-string options. 12 different players caught passes on Saturday, including everyone listed here except for Corey Smith. Parris Campbell was the standout among the receivers with four catches for 36 yards. McLaurin was the only receiver to catch a touchdown.

The H-back spot remains with Curtis Samuel OR Dontre Wilson. Samuel continues to be one of the more electrifying players in the country, rushing for 68 yards on nine carries and hauling in seven receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. Wilson got involved early with a touchdown reception and had four catches for 53 yards.

The tight end spot is firmly locked down by Marcus Baugh with A.J. Alexander listed as the backup. Baugh hauled in his only catch of the afternoon for 16 yards for a touchdown and also played a key role in some blocking schemes to free up the running backs.

The offensive line starters are listed as Jamarco Jones, Michael Jordan, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, and Isaiah Prince (from left to right). The offensive line had no issue with Rutgers’ pass rush as Barrett had plenty of time to throw and the running backs had wide open lanes to run through.

On the defensive side of the ball, Sam Hubbard OR Jayln Holmes and Tyquan Lewis remain listed as the defensive end starters. The backups at defensive end are Nick Bosa OR Jonathon Cooper. In the middle, Michael Hill anchors the defensive line alongside Dre’Mont Jones who replaced Tracy Sprinkle and Davon Hamilton is listed as the co-starter with Jones.

The linebacking core continued to be a strong unit against Oklahoma. Raekwon McMillan is still slotted in at middle linebacker. Surrounding him are outside linebackers Chris Worley and Dante Booker OR Jerome Baker. Booker suffered a slight MCL sprain early on against Bowling Green and a combination of Joe Burger and Jerome Baker have stepped in very well in his place. Rashod Berry, Joe Burger, and Craig Fada are your backups. Baker has been the one to fill in for Booker as of late, and has played well.

At cornerback, Gareon Conley is the starter on one end and Marshon Lattimore OR Denzel Ward on the other for the second corner spot. For safeties, Damon Webb slides over this season with Malik Hooker getting the other safety spot. Erick Smith is listed as the backup to Hooker, while Jordan Fuller is the backup to Webb. This was the first week the defensive backs didn’t get an interception, surprisingly, but still made it a nightmare for Rutgers’ passing attack.

For special teams, sophomore walk-on Tyler Durbin continues to be the starter at kicker for both kickoffs and field goals as Sean Nuernberger recovers from a groin injury that forced him to miss most of camp. Durbin hit seven of his eight extra points against Rutgers, his first extra point miss of the season, but did knock in a field goal from 33 yards out.

Senior Cameron Johnston remains as the punter, and that’s no surprise considering he’s been a mainstay since his freshman season and has done a tremendous job. He wasn’t needed against Rutgers as the Buckeyes did not punt a single time.

At punt return, Dontre Wilson OR Corey Smith OR Curtis Samuel are all in play. Handling kickoff returns will be Dontre Wilson OR James Clark OR Johnnie Dixon. The long-snapping duties are given to Liam McCollough, and holding for kicks is Cameron Johnston.

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J.T. Barrett put on a masterful display against Rutgers
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The signal caller put on a quarterback clinic vs. Ohio State's former defensive coordinator.

J.T. Barrett has mastered Urban Meyer’s offensive scheme, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.

It’s been reiterated in three of the four games, but this offense is truly unstoppable when the play calling has been diverse. They got the running game rolling early, which then set up play-action and the passing game. Barrett’s comfort and confidence has grown every week, which should get him an invite to New York City.

Let’s see how it went:

J.T. Barrett

• *Tap passes do not count as a pass attempt
• Barrett was so efficient on Saturday afternoon. Out of his 31 dropbacks, he completed 20 of those, and most were in the intermediate part of the field.
• What has made life easier for Barrett, has been his offensive line. He was only pressured four times on the day, which led to only two quarterback hits. The clean pocket has allowed Barrett to remain comfortable within the pocket and keep his eyes downfield at all times.
• The three designed quarterback runs has to be the lowest amount that he has had in a game in his career. This was mostly due to his ability to make the smart decision in the option game, and just taking what the Rutgers’ defense gave him.
• Here is a classic Barrett keeper on an inside zone read, on 4th-and-1. His patience to hold the ball at the mesh point, — basically waiting for Mike Weber to be tackled — pulling the ball and gaining the necessary yardage is textbook J.T. Barrett.

• The most important revelation in this blowout though, came in the final 1:34 of the first half, where Barrett orchestrated a nine-play, 53-yard drive, that resulted in a Curtis Samuel touchdown reception.
• The key play of the drive occurred on 3rd-and-25, when Barrett hit Samuel for a 24-yard gain, setting up a 4th-and-1. The aggressive playcalling put the offense in a chance to succeed because typically any offense would kneel on the ball and go into halftime when facing a 3rd-and-25.
• On this throw, Barrett felt the rush, stepped up in the pocket — kept his eyes downfield — and threw a 24-yard dart to Samuel. This is one of the best passing plays from start-to-finish, that Barrett has made in his career.

• Barrett and Joe Burrow hit 12 different players for completions on Saturday, which shows the confidence that both quarterbacks have in their teammates. These guys are all highly touted and team-first guys. They seem to be about the offense putting points on the board in any way possible, rather than padding stats.

Mike Weber’s 46-yard touchdown run


In my breakdown last week, I mentioned that Weber was inches away from breaking the big one. Against Rutgers, he was caught from behind on one long run, but then made up for it by taking an outside zone read play and taking it to the house. Weber’s first long touchdown of the seas was a result of Barrett, Weber, Billy Price, Marcus Baugh and James Clark all executing on the play.


Barrett did a great job of using his patience to hold the defense end, while Baugh was able to kick out a defender and Price was able to pull around and cut the linebacker. Clark did a nice job on the cornerback, which effectively sprung the running back.




Weber possesses the power to gain the tough yardage, but he also has some quickness and acceleration, which has helped him gain 10-plus yards 15 times, and 20-plus yards, four times. He’s not going to hit the homerun once a game — like Ezekiel Elliott — but he’s consistent and will batter a defense. When the zone read is ran to perfection like this, it’s almost unstoppable.

The scary thing is, is that it’s only the fourth game of the season, and they’ll only get better as the season progresses.

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Will Rutgers ever beat Ohio 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


We recap the Buckeyes’ latest blowout and more.

After four games, the Ohio State Buckeyes are undefeated, and have outscored opponents 228-37. In fact, the defense has scored more points (24) than it’s given up (23). Not bad for a team that returned the second least production among FBS schools heading into the season. This week, it was Rutgers’ turn to take a beating, as Ohio State kicked off Big Ten play with a 58-0 win in Columbus.

On this week’s podcast, Matt Brown and I briefly break down the game, and then go on our usual multiple tangents, including:

• How long we think it will take Rutgers — and the Buckeyes’ next opponent; Indiana — to beat the Buckeyes
• How going to an afternoon college football game wrecks your day
• Thoughts on just how good the Buckeyes’ running game is
• Debating the possibility of Ohio State covering the 32.5 point spread versus Indiana
• Recruiting news; Including 2017 commitment Trevon Grimes’ knee injury, and the country’s number one linebacker, Dylan Moses, committing to Alabama.
• Speculating on the head coaching landscape and which coaches may be fired mid-season.

You can find the podcast on our iTunes page, and we strongly encourage reviews, comments, criticisms, etc. to help us deliver the best possible audio product. The more we hear from you, the better we can make it. We’re also on Soundcloud, the SB Nation podcast page, and you can subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.You can find the podcast on our new iTunes page, and we strongly encourage reviews, comments, criticisms, etc. to help us deliver the best possible audio product. The more we hear from you, the better we can make it. We’re also on Soundcloud, the SB Nation podcast page, and you can subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

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Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Buckeyes vs. Hoosiers? Think hammer vs. nail - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Buckeyes vs. Hoosiers? Think hammer vs. nail
Columbus Dispatch
Jack Park, a leading Ohio State football historian, checks in each week during the college football season with a retrospective about the Buckeyes. Ohio State will host Indiana on Saturday and attempt to move to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Big Ten.
B1G awards race tracker: Buckeyes continue to lead the wayESPN (blog)
Ohio State football: Buckeyes clicking on all cylindersUPI.com
Ohio State has been the best team in the country. Let's try to spot Buckeye weaknesses.SB Nation
MyDaytonDailyNews -OSU - The Lantern
all 427 news articles »

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Rumblin’, Stumblin’, Bumblin: Rutgers; JT Barrett, Sparty and Hawkeye Upsets, College Football Firings
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Weekly the Good, the Bad and the Ugly that is Ohio State football and items from around the nation in sports. I round up the big three and bring a few of my closest friends to confirm or deny!



Rumblin’



I have lived a pretty long and happy life and there have been times during my fandom life that I just knew a certain player was going to be special when they came along. As a young lad and new Ohio State fan I knew Archie Griffin would become an immortal. I also knew when Eddie George came along in spite of a brief bout with fumbleitis he too would be special in Ohio State running back lore.

The same feeling came over me the first time I saw Troy Smith take the field and I had the same inclination with JT Barrett. The young man is doing something playing for Ohio State that’s never been done. Let that sink in for a second because they have had some gunslingers. Hoying and Germain come to mind and Troy Smith was no slouch throwing the football either.

When you take into consideration that he has also only started 21 football games in Columbus, that makes the success even more astonishing. When it’s all said and done, JT Barrett will be the greatest all-time quarterback in Ohio State history. I for one am looking forward to watching the rest of the show.

Let’s see what the staff has to say about the Rumblin’

Scott – The Buckeye offense. Doesn’t matter who is touching the ball. Good things happen.

JC – JT & the offense. This includes the entire unit, from the line, to the receivers, to Mike Weber, and of course Curtis “everything” Samuel. They are turning into the juggernaut we know they are capable of being …. Just gotta keep an eye on Warriner & Beck … with this talent they should dominate everyone on the schedule (Yep! That’s right – I said it!)

Mike Meals – I loved the message I got from Brandon this week “Man, you were so right about Mike Weber” because I know everyone here in Buckeye Nation loves Weber, but watching him develop from week to week, things that you can see instead of just the reports of him having a good week of practice just warms my heart. He’s not even close to the top of his skill level, but his development has been wonderful.

Ben – Minus the first quarter against Rutgers, the Buckeye offense is running at an all-world pace. #1 in total offense, and #1 in scoring offense in the nation. The defense is doing its part as well being #1 in total defense and scoring defense. It is a good time to be rooting for the Buckeyes right now.

Brandon – The entire Ohio State team. Quick, think of a weakness on the team…if you struggled to think of anything you probably just settled on kicker. This team is playing at an extremely high level right now. Each player knows there is someone nipping at their heels and they are fighting every play to stay on the field. Think about their season so far. On offense; they are averaging 57 ppg, 576.25 yards per game, 332 rushing yards per game, 244.25 passing yards per game, and are scoring almost seven offensive touchdowns per game. On defense; they are giving up 6.25 points per game (not counting pick six and kick return), 235.5 yards per game, 140.25 passing yards per game, and 95.25 rushing yards per game.

Stumblin’



I had a pretty good topic in mind after the weekend, but I honestly had a change of heart after reading the fellas below.

What in you know who’s name is going on in East Lansing and Iowa City? The most recent COTY’s are having a tough time winning games that they should have won easily. I have a hard time believing it’s all coaching but that is where the responsibility lies for sure.

Both teams are lacking true play makers and in a recent quote from Rutger’s head man Chris Ash he said that it’s basically night and day between Iowa and Ohio State right now. After the loss to Northwestern I would concur.

Sparty just proved that if you let Indiana hang around you will be in trouble and Ohio State is very familiar with that and will have to keep the pedal to the medal this Saturday. Both of these teams have a chance to recover from their stumble but time will tell if that happens soon.

Let’s see what the staff has to say about the Stumblin’

Scott – Sparty. I’ve said since Furman MSU is overrated. Should have never been ranked that high.

JC – MSU & Iowa. They are both so overrated…just like the Sooners were.

Mike Meals – Penn State’s kickoff kicker, #99. If you want to go down the field and try to act tough for a tackle, playing a little flopping b*tch when you get hit is weak sauce. And the B1G officials, who ejected the Minnesota player? You’re close to being in the same boat as the kicker.

Ben – Wisconsin’s offense is a stumblin’ mess. When will they actually recruit a quarterback that can play (Russell Wilson doesn’t count). When teams know you can’t throw the ball downfield, they are going to stack the box against Corey Clement and that will be the ballgame. I went from mildly worried about this game to somewhat concerned after last week.

Brandon – I’ll say it, it’s time for universities to not worry about being loyal to assistant coaches who are liked by the team. Being liked is not an indication of being a good head coach. Big time programs around the nation(especially USC) continue to hire home-grown type of coaches and are constantly flabbergasted on why their program is suddenly garbage. There are going to be numerous big time coaching positions open in a few months and numerous big time coaches being fired. If schools like Purdue and Minnesota want to take football seriously…they better get ready to bring in guys like Les Miles and Charlie Strong.

Bumblin’



The ugly this week is the really ugly and it’s sad to see the professional game filtering down to college athletics. It is really sad to me that a college fired a coach just to have the opportunity to hire Tom Herman. I have a problem with this because he is still coaching his current team in Houston.

Now there’s word out of Texas that the longhorns have already informed coach Charlie Strong that he is gone at the end of the season. The trouble with that is that there is no guarantee their boosters money will mean anything to Herman. Why would he even want to leave Houston now that he is turning them into a power house and getting an invite to the Big 12.

LSU and Texas aren’t the only ones doing these types of things in hopes to get Herman and any other up and coming coach as Herman isn’t the only one working wonders in college football right now.

Let’s see what the staff has to say about the Bumblin’

Scott – ACC officiating. ‘Nuff said.

JC – The mindless numbnuts up north, the roadkill-eating chromosome-lacking neanderthals who assumed a resurrection of their “little” pie in the sky equated to the hiring of the booger-eating Jimbo. They will discover soon enough that bedding down with Satan isn’t always the path to eternal bliss. But, hey, I am a Buckeye, so who cares?

Mike Meals – Every team in the country who wants to potentially hire Tom Herman to be their next head coach. If you want to keep the respect and potentially get the hottest coach on the market, you would find a way to keep the questions your coach and Herman is getting to a minimum. I love speculating, and that’s what all of us do, taking a (semi) educated guess at his spot next year, but it’s not fair to the kids on his team or yours, and the coaches on his staff or yours, to keep bringing these up.

Ben – Florida State is a bumblin’ mess right now. After they had their huge come from behind win against Ole Miss in the first game of the season, everyone had crowned them the 2nd best team in the country and all they have done since then is get blown out by Louisville and then last week lose on a 54 yard field goal from Seminole slayer Nick Weiler. Jimbo Fisher might want to head to LSU as his defense is atrocious.

Brandon – As I mentioned before, I married into a Sun Devil life which has brought me the joy of having a second team to watch late Saturday night…which ultimately becomes Sunday morning TV. Today, I’m coming at you Sun Devil defense. They have become an absolute joke back there and not one player knows how to wrap up when they tackle…it reminds me of the 2013 Buckeyes but with a quarter of the talent. On the season, they are giving up 35.6 points per game. Even more impressive, they are giving up a staggering 503.8 yards per game…with almost 400 of that coming through the air. Have some discipline…don’t worry about the big hit…just make a tackle.

Weekly Funny



The post Rumblin’, Stumblin’, Bumblin: Rutgers; JT Barrett, Sparty and Hawkeye Upsets, College Football Firings appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Week 6 primer: The Floyd of Rosedale is on the line Saturday
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Week 6 is highlighted by the battle for iconic Floyd of Rosedale between Iowa and Minnesota. There also is an interesting non-league game, with BYU playing at Michigan State. And Ohio State, Michigan and Maryland look to continue to roll.

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Courtesy Ohio State - ESPN
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Courtesy Ohio State
ESPN
As coveted as a win over Nebraska is for any team in volleyball, it's old hat for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have defeated Nebraska the past three times the teams have met, including taking the final three sets to win in Lincoln on Saturday in front of 8 ...
Around the Oval: Women's Volleyball Takes Down No. 1 Nebraska and Men's Hockey Scores Nine Goals in Exhibition ...Eleven Warriors

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Big Ten Power Rankings: Buckeyes, Michigan separate themselves - Comcast SportsNet Chicago
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Big Ten Power Rankings: Buckeyes, Michigan separate themselves
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Ohio State pasted Rutgers. Michigan won a defensive clash with Wisconsin. The two East Division powers are looking the class of the conference after two big wins. See where all 14 teams landed in this week's Big Ten Power Rankings.


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College football | Central Ohio Watch: Benny Snell, Westerville Central - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College football | Central Ohio Watch: Benny Snell, Westerville Central
Columbus Dispatch
Freshman Benny Snell has been taking classes for just five weeks, but Kentucky fans already can't get enough of the running back sensation from Westerville Central. Snell did not play in the first two games but created a stir after running for 136 ...


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B1G awards race tracker: Buckeyes continue to lead the way - ESPN (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


B1G awards race tracker: Buckeyes continue to lead the way
ESPN (blog)
Ohio State has obliterated its opponents through the first month of the season, so it's no surprise to see Buckeyes dominating our player of the year lists. Which team leads the Big Ten in scoring offense? Ohio State. How about scoring defense? Ohio State.
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Ohio State Buckeyes see Indiana as the 'real deal'MyDaytonDailyNews
OSU - The Lantern -Ironton Tribune
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OSU blanking Rutgers solidifies Buckeyes as CFB's most dominant - 247Sports
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OSU blanking Rutgers solidifies Buckeyes as CFB's most dominant
247Sports
But after demolishing Rutgers, 58-0, this past weekend, the Buckeyes are now the model's top team in the country with a rating of 58.52, moving past Alabama's rating of 56.57. The Buckeyes posted a Game Score of 89.10 in their blanking of the Scarlet ...

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Wayne grad leading Buckeyes in tackles for loss - WHIO
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Wayne grad leading Buckeyes in tackles for loss
WHIO
Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer praised Wayne High School graduate Robert Landers on Monday, saying he's played very well and the coaches anticipating him getting even better. Landers, a redshirt freshman defensive tackle, had a sack and ...
Barrett on Path to Become Greatest Buckeye QuarterbackThe Fan
Urban Meyer hits Twitter milestoneMyDaytonDailyNews

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Around the B1G: Week 6 Edition
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


There were definitely some shockers this week in B1G play. The headline game was of course Michigan vs Wisconsin but the biggest story came from Michigan State and Iowa both taking a tough loss. This coming week, the big game looks to be Indiana at Ohio State after the Hoosiers win at home against Michigan State. Out west, the Iowa at Minnesota game will all but eliminate one of those teams from winning the B1G West.

Illinois (1-3 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Nebraska, 16-31. Illinois was leading the Cornhuskers 16-10 in the fourth quarter before they surrendered 21 straight points to take a tough loss. Quarterback Wes Lunt was unable to get anything going as he only threw for 133 yards and zero touchdowns. The Fighting Illini could only manage 270 yards of total offense.

This Week: Illinois is home against Purdue. This game can be seen on BTN at 3:30 pm.

Indiana (3-1 overall, 1-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Michigan State, 24-21. A week after losing to Wake Forest in football, the Hoosiers pulled off the stunning upset against the Spartans. After allowing Michigan State to tie the game up with 11 seconds left, the Hoosiers came out in overtime and finished the job with a Griffin Oakes 20 yard field goal. Richard Lagow threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns and Devine Redding added 100 yards on the ground. Ricky Jones was the leading receiver for the Hoosiers with five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. The Hoosier defense gave up 438 yards to Michigan State.

This Week: The Hoosiers travel to Columbus to take on the red-hot Buckeyes. This game can be seen on ESPN at 3:30 pm.

Iowa (3-2 overall, 1-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Northwestern, 31-38. A week after struggling with Rutgers, the Hawkeyes once again struggled with a bottom-of-the-barrel conference opponent. C.J. Beathard was sacked six times on the day as he threw for only 204 yards and one touchdown. The usually stout running back combo of LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley struggled to get anything going as the combined on 31 carries for 107 yards but did come up with three touchdowns.

This Week: The Hawkeyes travel to Minnesota. This game can be seen at noon on ESPN2.

Maryland (4-0 overall, 1-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Purdue, 50-7. Don’t look now but Maryland is 4-0 and playing some pretty decent ball. Sure their wins have been against Howard, Florida International, UCF, and Purdue but if Twitter had taught me one thing it is to ignore stats and facts. Maryland used ten different players to rush for 439 yards and four touchdowns. Ty Johnson led the attack with 204 yards on only seven carries.

This Week: Maryland travels to Penn State. This game is at noon on BTN.

Michigan (5-0 overall, 2-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Wisconsin, 14-7. The #SeptemberChamps closed out their September championship with an impressive win over Wisconsin at home. To be honest, I really thought Michigan would win by 21 plus points. I watched this entire game and all that I can say is this…I can’t wait for November. I don’t see how people are so high on the Wolverines. Michigan managed 349 yards of total offense versus the stingy Badger defense. The Wolverines again struggled to run the ball as they only had 130 yards on 44 carries. Wilton Speight added 219 yards and a touchdown through the air.

This Week: Michigan travels to New Jersey to face the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. This game can be seen on ESPN at 7:30 pm.

Michigan State (2-2 overall, 0-2 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Indiana, 21-24. The biggest surprise of this young season has been the complete ineptitude of Michigan State. I don’t think anyone could have imagined them having two losses at this point and one of them not being to Notre Dame. Tyler O’Conner had a decent bounce back game as he threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns in the losing effort.

This Week: Sparty looks to rebound as they host BYU in a non-conference game. The game can be seen at 3:30pm on ESPN.

Minnesota (3-1 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Penn State, 26-29. This was a tough loss for Minnesota as they went ahead with 53 seconds left in the game after an Emmit Carpenter 37 yard field goal. The Golden Gophers would then go into the dumbest thing in sports, the prevent defense, which allowed the Nittany Lions to drive 53 yards downfield in 47 seconds to kick the game-tying field goal. In overtime, the Gophers would kick a field goal and the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown for the win. The running duo of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks would combine for 204 yards on 37 carries and one touchdown. Mitch Leidner added 241 yards through the air and one touchdown.

This Week: Minnesota hosts Iowa in what could be a B1G West elimination match. This game can be seen at noon on the ESPN2.

Nebraska (5-0 overall, 2-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Illinois, 31-16. The Cornhuskers needed 21 unanswered fourth quarter points to put away the sometimes pesky Fighting Lovie Smiths. Running back Terrell Newby had a great day on the ground running for 140 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns. Tommy Armstrong continues to be consistent as he threw for 220 yards and two total touchdowns on the day.

This Week: Bye Week.

Northwestern (2-3 overall, 1-1 conference)

Last Week: Beat Iowa, 38-31. After not scoring more than 24 points in a game all season, the Wildcats had an offensive explosion against the usually stout Hawkeye defense. Using a balanced attack (164 passing/198 rushing), Northwestern was able to score 21 straight points in about nine minutes of game time in the third and fourth quarters to put the game out of reach. The Big Ten leading rusher Justin Jackson had 171 yards on 26 carries on the day. Clayton Thorson added three touchdowns through the air.

This Week: Bye Week.

Penn State (3-2 overall, 1-1 conference)

Last Week: Beat Minnesota, 29-26. As I spoke about before, the Golden Gophers left the door open for Penn State and the Nittany Lions pulled off the big win against Minnesota. Trace McSorley had his best game of the year throwing for 335 yards and rushing for 73 yards while adding two touchdowns. Saquon Barkley struggled to get anything going as he only rushed for 63 yards on 20 attempts. Free Safety Marcus Allen had an amazing day racking up 22 tackles (8 solo/14assist).

This Week: The Nittany Lions host Maryland this week on BTN at noon.

Purdue (2-2 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Maryland, 7-50. Purdue struggled mightily offensively and defensively. On offense the Boilermakers only managed ten yards rushing on 27 carries. Throwing the ball was not much easier as they only threw for 195 yards on 53 pass attempts. Think about that for a second, they averaged 0.4 yards per rush and 3.7 yards per pass attempt. There is not much positive Darrell Hazell can spin out of this performance. Defensively, they gave up 496 yards to the Terrapins with 439 of those bad boys coming on the ground.

This Week: The Boilermakers will travel west to take on the Fighting Illini. This colossal match-up can be seen at 3:30 pm on BTN.

Rutgers (2-3 overall, 0-2 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Ohio State, 0-58. As you all know already, Rutgers struggled to get anything going against the Buckeyes. They were outgained in yardage 669 to 116. Chris Laviano completed three passes in the first six plays of the game and would not complete another pass for the entire game. Tylin Oden would come into the game for Laviano and he would not complete any passes. For the day, the Rutgers passing attack was 3-16. Robert Martin, who led the B1G in rushing entering this game, also struggled as he only managed 40 yards on 13 carries.

This Week: Rutgers hosts Michigan at 7pm on ESPN2.

Wisconsin (4-1 overall, 1-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Michigan, 7-14. The Badgers ran into a buzz-saw in the Wolverine defense as they only managed 159 yards for the day. Alex Hornibrook really struggled on the day throwing three interceptions and only managing 88 yards on 25 attempts. His arm strength has to be a major concern for the Badgers. If he starts against Ohio State in two weeks, I foresee a few pick-sixes. With no help from his offensive teammates, the Wolverines were able to focus on Corey Clement and he was held to 68 rushing yards. Defensively, the Badgers were tough as they had four sacks, six tackles-for-loss, five pass break-ups, and one interception.

This Week: Bye Week.

CURRENT STANDINGS:

EAST CONF. OVERALL WEST CONF. OVERALL
Michigan 2-0 5-0 Nebraska 2-0 5-0
Ohio State 1-0 4-0 Wisconsin 1-1 4-1
Maryland 1-0 4-0 Iowa 1-1 3-2
Indiana 1-0 3-1 Northwestern 1-1 2-3
Penn State 1-1 3-2 Minnesota 0-1 3-1
Michigan State 0-2 2-2 Purdue 0-1 2-2
Rutgers 0-2 2-3 Illinois 0-1 1-3

The post Around the B1G: Week 6 Edition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes clicking on all cylinders - ABC17News.com
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Buckeyes clicking on all cylinders
ABC17News.com
Four games into the season, second-ranked Ohio State is 4-0 and has looked absolutely dominant. The Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) are averaging 57.0 points per game (third in the nation). Their 228 points are a school record for the first four games in a ...
Ohio State Buckeyes see Indiana as the 'real deal'MyDaytonDailyNews
Buckeyes say they won't overlook HoosiersYoungstown Vindicator
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Big Ten Network -Toledo Blade
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Martell continues to recruit for Ohio State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Bishop Gorman QB has become the Buckeyes biggest recruiter.

When Tate Martell (Las Vegas, NV / Bishop Gorman) committed to Ohio State this past summer, the Buckeyes didn’t just add the country’s No. 2 dual-threat QB to their top-rated recruiting class, the team also added an elite recruiter.

Martell, a four-star QB in the class of 2017, has already been one of Ohio State’s most important recruiters, helping bring in two top-five wide receivers. Martell helped convince his current teammate, four-star WR Tyjon Lindsey, to join him in Columbus and he is also one of the key reasons the Buckeyes were able to add five-star WR Trevon Grimes (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas) to the class, too.

The high school senior doesn’t seem to be finished. Somehow, Martell has been finding time between his last year of academics and football to reach out to his peers across the country. All of this in an effort to help make his freshman class one the best in Ohio State’s history.

Martell spoke with Rivals after his team’s impressive victory over Grimes and St. Thomas Aquinas Friday, and brought up multiple players he is determined on getting to join him in Columbus, including two more of his current teammates in 2017 four-star safety Bubba Bolden and 2018 four-star outside linebacker Palaie Gaoteote. Both are currently viewed as Ohio State leans.

Outside of Bishop Gorman, Martell wants to add 2017 five-star running back Cam Akers (Clinton, MS / Clinton) to his list of weapons at Ohio State. Akers has the Buckeyes listed as one of his top 10 schools and is the favorite to land him.

Elite Buckeye targets set to visit Michigan


Two elite Ohio State targets will be visiting the Buckeyes’ arch-rival Michigan this weekend as the Wolverines take on Illinois, including one of the Buckeyes biggest remaining recruits in the 2017 class, Jay Tufele (South Jordan, UT / Bingham).

Tufele has taken his time in his recruitment process, as this will be his first official visit. The four-star DT has the Buckeyes listed in his top seven schools, and the school will likely earn an official visit from the blue-chip prospect. Because he has been taking his time, it is tough to determine which direction Tufele is leaning and his visits will likely play a large role in his decision. Right now, though, the money is on either Ohio State or Oregon.

Along with Tufele will be 2018 tight end Jeremy Ruckert (Lindenhurst, NY / Lindenhurst). Ohio State will more than likely not add a TE to its 2017 class and because of this, has already shown plenty of interest in Ruckert.

The four-star TE attended the annual Friday Night Lights camp during the summer and is currently a heavy favorite for the Buckeyes. However, Ruckert still has two more years of high school remaining, and he already holds 25 offers from prestigious schools like Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Florida State, Tennessee, UCLA, LSU and Miami.

Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes will have to continue to express interest in these two players, if not just to ensure them not playing at Michigan.

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Ohio State football | Buckeyes aced Urban Meyer's intensity test - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Buckeyes aced Urban Meyer's intensity test
Columbus Dispatch
“Four years in a row, it's been swing as hard as you can,” Meyer said of the Buckeyes' games with the Hoosiers. “This is by far their best team. … Their game Saturday, that was a great win for that program.” Even against an overmatched Rutgers team ...
Ohio State's defense held Rutgers to how many passing yards? Buckeyes notes, quotes and nuggetscleveland.com
Barrett sets touchdown record in Buckeyes' routToledo Blade
Dienhart: It's October, and the Ohio State Buckeyes are scary goodBig Ten Network
Eleven Warriors -New York Times
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Buckeyes end Husker run - Kearney Hub
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Buckeyes end Husker run
Kearney Hub
The architect of the Buckeyes' latest humbling was Hughes, who frustrated Nebraska (12-1, 3-1 Big Ten) all night with her own attacks. Hughes hit .500 on the night and had six kills in the pivotal second set where Ohio State (12-4, 2-2) evened the ...

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redguard117 said:

Dang. Since he was never coming here, I was hoping he'd have the decency to go to LSU so we would never have to worry about playing him.

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Well good thing for you EA Sports has yet to bring back NCAA Football. As for the guys over at the WHAC I doubt they worry about playing anybody LOL Sorry man I had to. Just ribbin ya

‘Journey’ features Barrett, Butt, others at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

On a brand new The Journey: Big Ten Football 2016, at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, we'll feature a former Super Bowl coach and a trio of Big Ten stars.

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LitlBuck said:

I still do not understand why the media make such a big deal out of their bus ride. I mean they get out of their locker room on one side of the stadium and get into 3 buses and go to the other side of the stadium just to pet that stupid rock or whatever.

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Go a 10th of a mile to pet a small rock and have an opportunity to have a career ending injury!

Has anyone broke an ankle jumping down that thing?