NFL | Ohio State football: Ezekiel Elliott hitting his stride - Columbus Dispatch
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NFL | Ohio State football: Ezekiel Elliott hitting his stride
Columbus Dispatch
Already a college legend for his exploits at Ohio State, former Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott has quickly earned a stellar reputation down in Texas, where tall tales are part of the landscape. Four games into his career, Elliott leads the NFL ...
Ohio State Football: Former Buckeyes Ezekiel Elliott and Carlos Hyde swap pro jerseys in rivalryUPI.com
Former Buckeye Running Backs Carlos Hyde & Ezekiel Elliott Trade ...Eleven Warriors

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Can the Ohio State defense stop the explosive Indiana passing attack?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The numbers suggest that the matchup with the Hoosiers could be tougher than many think.

Indiana has been relatively tough for Ohio State in recent years. They Hoosiers have been explosive enough to keep it interesting, losing by just a touchdown last season for a 34-27 final.

Avg team talent Turnover margin Net explosiveness (10+) Net explosiveness (20+) IsoPPP
Ohio State 91.43 +8 (3rd) +35 +14 1.24 (85th)
Indiana 82.73 0 (58th) +15 +8 1.46 (14th)


Talent-wise the Hoosiers are far below Ohio State, and actually less talented than Rutgers, too. But they are out-performing their talent and are actually the second-best opponent the Buckeyes will have faced this season outside of Oklahoma. Where Rutgers had negative net explosiveness scores, the Hoosiers have been explosive on offense all year and not too bad on defense either.

This Hoosiers team lost to Wake Forest, but it would be a mistake to treat this matchup like those against Rutgers or Bowling Green -- Urban Meyer wasn't kidding when he said that "They're really good." It wasn't really a fluke that Indiana was able to upset Michigan State either.

When Ohio State has the ball

S&P+ Rush S&P+ Rush SR Rush IsoPPP Pass S&P+ Pass SR Pass IsoPPP Avg FP Drives
Ohio State 10 3 1 79 40 25 43 11 1
Indiana 37 22 17 81 80 28 85 12 49


We tend to treat Indiana like they're the Big Ten version of Texas Tech: all passing offense and no defense. But that would be a mistake this year, particularly with how well they stop the run.

• Ohio State's offense doesn't match up extraordinarily well with the Hoosiers defense. The Hoosiers have been solid in run defense this year, ranking 22nd in rushing S&P+ (we now have opponent-adjusted rushing and passing ratings after five weeks of data). They held Michigan State to 4.27 yards per carry and are very effective in limiting opposing run game efficiency. They're really break-don't-bend: they rank 17th in rushing success rate and 15th in rushing opportunity rate -- their opponents have gained five yards on only 31.2% of their carries -- but they're also 81st in rushing IsoPPP. That means that when opposing running backs do find some running room, it's often for a big gain. As we've said every week, the Ohio State rushing attack has specialized in 11-19 yard runs that don't really register much in the rushing IsoPPP metric (which measures how explosive a successful play is).
• Ohio State was finally able to break a few runs against Rutgers (who ranked 105th in rushing IsoPPP) with Mike Weber and Demario McCall recording multiple 30+ yard runs. Indiana's run defense numbers suggest that they should be able to do something similar, but with lower overall efficiency. There's no question that Ohio State will have the best rushing offense the Hoosiers will have seen so far, but the Buckeyes might have lower standard down efficiency than we've been used to.
• Then again, the Buckeyes had similar rushing efficiency against Oklahoma as they did Rutgers (66% rushing success rate against both). Oklahoma is 8th overall in defensive rushing S&P+, Rutgers is 39th. Indiana is 22nd. If Ohio State has similar rushing success as they did against those two opponents, then all of this is a non-issue.
• The Buckeye offense has two options: to lean more heavily on the passing game, given the Indiana defense's relative weakness, or stick to a balanced attack that is slightly more run-heavy than not. The offense has run on 61.2% of standard downs (54th) and 46.5% of passing downs (15th), meaning that they're generally balanced between rushing and passing on first and second down, but generally are so efficient on those two downs that they can run the ball more often than other teams on third and fourth down. This offense is built heavily around standard downs efficiency -- they rank first in standard downs success rate, S&P+, and line yards per carry.
• One thing that might favor the Buckeyes is the battle between the lines. Ohio State's offensive line is 1st in adjusted line yards, 3rd in power success rate, and 1st in stuff rate -- they win short-yardage situations, very rarely allow negative plays, and often generate holes for successful plays. Indiana's defensive line is 67th, 84th, and 100th in those metrics despite their overall rushing success.
• Finally, Indiana's defense, as you'd expect, has trouble allowing explosive passing plays. They rank 85th in passing IsoPPP. Ohio State has averaged only a few explosive passing plays (20+ yard) per game, but this could be a game where the Buckeyes find more a few very long gains through the air.

When Indiana has the ball

S&P+ Rush S&P+ Rush SR Rush IsoPPP Pass S&P+ Pass SR Pass IsoPPP Avg FP Drives
Ohio State 6 7 28 19 6 15 27 1 6
Indiana 48 51 74 74 8 17 10 61 116


Indiana is the second-best offense the Buckeyes will have seen up to this point, behind just Oklahoma. Their overall offensive S&P+ numbers aren't too impressive, but that's mostly due to an underwhelming run game -- the Indiana passing offense is predictably great. Get ready for some bend-don't-break defense.

• The Indiana run game is fairly mediocre at 51st in rushing S&P+ and 74th in both success rate and IsoPPP. Lead running back Devine Redding is efficient but not incredibly explosive, averaging five yards on 41.7% of his carries but just 3.7 highlight yards per opportunity. Overall there's not much to suggest that the run game should be much of a concern.
• The Hoosiers are much more effective through the air, ranking in the top twenty in passing S&P+, success rate, and IsoPPP. Interestingly, the offense is fairly balanced between running and passing on standard downs, actually running slightly more than the national average, despite being far more effective through the air. The main threats are extremely explosive -- Nick Westbrook and Ricky Jones both average over 20 yards per catch, and Jones even has a 76.2% catch rate as well. These two will be tough assignments for Conley and Lattimore.
• The Hoosiers are solid on passing downs (44th in passing downs S&P+), but are actually relatively more explosive on standard downs (18th in standard downs IsoPPP to 34th in passing downs IsoPPP), which suggests that their big passing plays are mostly on first and second down.
• Besides how well the pass defense can limit big plays, the biggest thing to watch will be how the defense performs in the red zone and when Indiana has a scoring opportunity. I expect the Hoosiers to be able to move the ball fairly effectively through the middle of the field, but the defense should be able to force a high percentage of field goals when the Hoosiers do get in the red zone. They rank 116th in points per trip inside the 40, while Ohio State is sixth in the country at defending scoring opportunities. Further, the Buckeye defense (and special teams coverage) has incredible starting field position, ranking tops in the country. That will be important for forcing the Hoosiers to drive the full length of the field and ensuring that the Hoosiers have a low average for points per scoring opportunity even if they do hit explosive plays. That is, the keys will be preventing explosive plays from being scoring plays, and then locking down the red zone.

The 4 most important stats

• Standard downs rushing success rate/average third down distance. Given Indiana's relative success against opposing run games, can the Buckeyes still move the ball efficiently on the ground or is standard downs success lower, leading to more third-and-long situations?
• Passing success rate. Will the Buckeyes throw the ball more against the Hoosiers, given their relative defensive weaknesses?
• Standard downs IsoPPP. Can the Buckeye defense limit the Nick Westbrook and Ricky Jones' explosiveness, particularly on standard downs?
• Points per trip inside the 40 allowed. Can the Buckeyes finish drives on defense, keeping explosive plays from becoming scoring plays?

Picks


S&P+: Ohio State 45, Indiana 19. 93.1% win expectancy

F/+: Ohio State by 26

My pick: Ohio State 45, Indiana 20

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What FPI reveals about the season so far - ESPN
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What FPI reveals about the season so far
ESPN
After months of anticipation, the first five weeks of the 2016 college football season did not disappoint. There we wild endings (ahem, Tennessee), spectacular individual performances (looking at you, Lamar Jackson) and a record 17 matchups between ...


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Know Your Opponent: Indiana (Quiz)
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 post Know Your Opponent: Indiana (Quiz) appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Indiana QB Richard Lagow will test Ohio State’s secondary
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 JUCO transfer has made a home for himself at Indiana.

This is not the same Indiana offense that battled Ohio State to the very end last season, in a 34-27 loss to the Buckeyes... It’s better.

In 2015, when Ohio State visited the Hoosiers, Jordan Howard was the nation’s leading rusher at the time. This season, their highly touted junior college transfer at quarterback, Richard Lagow, is currently 16th in the country in passing yards per game, at 319.5 yds/game.

Lagow was ranked the third-best pro-style quarterback in junior college last season, out of Cisco College (Plano, TX) and has the size and arm of a NFL-ready quarterback. He stands at 6’6”, 240 lbs, has excellent arm strength and fits Indiana’s up-tempo style. He was also able to join the Hoosiers and beat out Zander Diamont — who spent two years in Indiana’s offensive system and performed pretty well on the ground against the Buckeyes last season. Lagow has the tools, the scheme fit and the supporting cast to be great at Indiana, but he also can be shaky at times.

The perfect example of his shakiness was the Hoosier’s only loss of the season, coming against Wake Forest. Lagow threw for an incredible 496 yards on only 28 completions, yet he threw five interceptions. But if there is one silver lining in that 33-28 loss to the Deacons, it was that his coach, Kevin Wilson, continued to have the utmost confidence in his signal-caller, and never thought to bench him.

“Nah,” Wilson said, when asked if he wanted to bench Lagow during an interception-riddled afternoon. “He was making plays.”

Making plays


Here’s a big-time throw that Lagow made against Ball State:


Lagow read the inside blitz, showed poise in the pocket to trust his blockers and put just enough air underneath the throw to hit Nick Westbrook for a 43-yard pitch-and-catch. That was an excellent deep-ball throw from the JUCO transfer.

In that five interception game against Wake Forest, Lagow continued to sling the rock:


The Wake Forest defense bit on play-action, and the quarterback loaded up and attacked single coverage on the outside. Once again, he showed his touch on the deep-ball, when he placed the ball perfectly on his receiver’s fingertips for a big gain.

Lagow showed how clutch he was, in their upset victory over Michigan State:


Once again, Lagow faced an interior rush, as Michigan State sent the house on a blitz. He stayed poised in the pocket, took a huge shot from a Spartan linebacker and lofted the pass over an outstretched defender’s finger tips for 6. That’s a big-time throw against a big-time opponent, in a huge spot.

Making him pay


This aerial attack is legitimate and this will be a huge test for the Ohio State secondary. Lagow will throw into double-coverage — since he has extreme confidence in his arm strength — which could give Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, Malik Hooker and the rest of the secondary a chance to make plays on the football


He looks like the typical big-armed quarterback — such as Cardale Jones -- who makes a ton of plays vertically, but sometimes puts too much velocity on the ball in the short-to-intermediate part of the field. Hooker, who has Ed Reed-esque range, will be put to the test, since Lagow throws such a perfect deep-ball.

Even if Lagow makes a mistake or two, expect his coach to tell him to keep slingin’, even against one of the best secondary’s in the country.

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Washington looks to end a long losing streak against Oregon in Week 6’s college football bets, odds
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Huskies have lost 12 in a row against Oregon, but this year has a different feel for Chris Petersen’s squad

Last week was a step in the right direction, but the national games are still proving to be a problem. At least this week there are five good games on tap to try and improve on the spotty record.

Last week ATS: 7-4-1 (2-3 National, 5-1-1 B1G)

Season ATS: 34-38-2 (13-17 National, 21-21-2 B1G)

National games:


Texas v. No. 20 Oklahoma (-10) - 12:00 PM EST - Fox Sports 1

Here we go again. Texas is floundering and Charlie Strong is on the hot seat heading into the Red River Rivalry. Last year, the Texas win over the Sooners pretty much saved Strong’s job. A win this year might not be enough to give Strong another year in Austin, but it would be a step in the right direction.

Last week Texas was awful in a 49-31 loss to Oklahoma State, where the Cowboys rolled up 555 yards on offense. The performance led to the demotion of defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, and now Charlie Strong will be making the defensive calls for the Longhorns.

The Texas defense could have their hands full with a Oklahoma offense that started to find their way last week against TCU. After falling behind the Horned Frogs 21-7 in the first quarter, Oklahoma went on a 49-3 run, on their way to upending TCU 52-46 in Fort Worth. All wasn’t perfect in the win, as Oklahoma’s defense still showed some holes, but they got back on track after a rocky start to the year.

Neither team is on solid ground right now, but I have more faith in Oklahoma when it comes down to it. Mayfield hasn’t been the same since Sterling Shepard went to the NFL, but he still has Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon to lean on. The Sooners get some revenge for their loss to Texas last year.

Oklahoma 48, Texas 34

No. 8 Tennessee v. No. 9 Texas A&M (-7) - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

Tennessee’s luck has to run out at some point, right? The Vols must think they are Auburn from a few years ago with all these close wins they have had so far this year. Not only did the Vols need overtime to take down Appalachian State and a second half comeback against Florida, but last week they got a Hail Mary on the final play against Georgia to stay undefeated.

Texas A&M is also undefeated, and aside from a season-opening win in overtime against UCLA, they haven’t needed quite the theatrics to get to their five wins. Oh, the Aggies are 5-0 you say? If the last two seasons are any indication, it is time for Texas A&M to completely fall apart.

I’m still not sold on Tennessee at this point. While they are undefeated, I’m not all that impressed with who they are doing it against. Sure, the same thing can be said about Texas A&M’s schedule, but I think they are a little more of a complete team than the Vols at this point. Add in the Aggies having home field, while Tennessee is playing their second road game in a row, and I’ll take Texas A&M by 10 points.

Texas A&M 38, Tennessee 28

No. 1 Alabama (-14) v. No. 16 Arkansas - 7:00 PM EST - ESPN

In looking at what Alabama has left on their schedule, and this might actually be the toughest game they have left. The last time the Crimson Tide traveled to Arkansas, the Razorbacks nearly upset them. So far this year Alabama has handled every test that has been thrown their way with little problem, but don’t sleep on Arkansas.

One of the keys for Alabama if they want to dominate this game in their usual fashion is to get pressure on Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen. Texas A&M was able to punish Allen in the second half a few weeks ago and ran away from the Razorbacks 45-24. The Crimson Tide certainly have the talent to do the same to Allen.

If Arkansas is somehow able to get their running game going against the stout Alabama defense they’ll have a chance to stay inside the number. Austin Allen also has been really accurate with his throws this year, so if he is able to get time to throw, there is a chance that he can keep the offense moving through the air, and the football out of Alabama’s hands. The Razorbacks don’t quite give Alabama the scare that they did two years ago, but they at least keep it within two scores.

Alabama 31, Arkansas 21

No. 5 Washington (-9) v. Oregon - 7:30 PM EST - FOX

The world has changed a lot since the last time Washington beat Oregon. The Huskies have lost their last 12 meetings with the Ducks, and only one of those, last year’s 26-20 Oregon win, was decided by less than 17 points. This year will likely be a lot different though.

Last week Washington put the rest of the country on notice with their 44-6 demolition of Stanford, and I could see them having little problem with Oregon this week. Last week the Ducks gave up 280 yards rushing to Washington State, which most years for Wazzu is around their yearly total. Freshman quarterback Justin Herbert will likely start for Oregon in this one, which is a tough task considering just how good Washington’s defense looked against Stanford last week, when they racked up eight sacks.

Of course Washington has to be on alert for a letdown after their biggest win in quite a while, but I think Chris Petersen will have his team ready to go on Saturday night. Even if they aren’t fully focused, it isn’t like Brady Hoke’s swiss cheese defense is all that complicated to figure out. The Huskies finally end their losing streak against Oregon, and add even more doubt into whether Mark Helfrich will return next year as head coach in Eugene.

Washington 44, Oregon 28

No. 23 Florida State v. No. 10 Miami (-3) - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

Miami has lost six in a row to Florida State, so what makes them think they can end that streak? Just because they have a new coach? Because Florida State is very bad on the defensive side of the football right now? I mean it makes sense as to why people would think now might be the time for the Hurricanes, but I’m not convinced.

Florida State nearly came into this game at 4-1 but North Carolina hit an insane field goal to upend the Seminoles in Tallahassee. Dalvin Cook is still gonna be out there on Saturday night, and DeAndre Francois has been great so far as Florida State’s quarterback, it is just the defense that has been a special brand of awful so far.

Miami certainly has the personnel with Brad Kaaya at quarterback to exploit the Florida State defense, but I’m not totally convinced that is going to happen. Miami’s schedule has been cupcake soft so far, and even though they’ll get this game at home, take Miami just seems too easy. With the talent Florida State has on defense, they can put it together at any time and I feel like this is they week they tighten up a bit.

Florida State 30, Miami 27

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Buckeyes on Buckeyes: Best shooter, passer and dunker - Columbus Dispatch (blog)
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Buckeyes on Buckeyes: Best shooter, passer and dunker
Columbus Dispatch (blog)
This evening, Ohio State will take to the outdoor courts near Ohio Stadium to put on a show for the student population. The second-annual Buckeyes on the Blacktop event is scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. and will feature a shooting competition, basketball ...

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tBBC Fans Interact: Rutgers; OSUSteelersJen, Buckeyetxgirl, bhammer1965, JTows
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


I really enjoy doing the weekly fans interact! Most times I get to bring in twitter folks who I am interacting with and they appear to have some great insight’s with their tweets. This week is no different with the four I have. Give them a follow and compliment them on their work!











What would you say was the turning point after the slow start for the offense and why was it working?


@osusteelersjen/Jen – Getting the running game established. Mike Weber reminds me of a little more of El Guapo than Zeke. Also, the true freshman have adapted on WR, TE and RB and are able to play and score (and score and score) . The Oline has come together and is playing well as a unit.

@buckeyetxgirl/Jessica – I’ve almost gotten used to slow offensive starts by the Buckeyes but they still make me uncomfortable! After that tipped ball and interception I reminded myself JT doesn’t seem to ever get rattled, and everything would be ok. So during the second or third drive, the Buckeyes got into a rhythm. I feel like this happens almost every game. It’s like Meyer and staff can read and adapt so quickly to the defense, and once they get it, there’s no turning back.

@bhammer1965/Brad – I’m going to respectfully disagree with premise of the question the offense did move the ball & set the tone on the first drive remember they started at their own 9 yard line. JT had a little too much on the pass to Clark that deflected off him to a Rutgers db had that not happened the offense more than likely cashes in on a 91 yard drive. Defensively yes Rutgers moved the ball on their 1st 2 series but both times Defense made plays to blow it up. Was anyone really worried that The Scarlet knights were in any danger of scoring.

@JTows/Jon – They established the run game! The defense was soft on the early drives (no points of course), but once the offense got the running game established and kept the D off the field, the route was on! I hate bye-weeks. Once they “knocked the rust off” and “woke up” the team got into a groove. I can’t point to any specific play, but it was perhaps on the third or fourth drive once the O really got into gear… The O-line was opening holes and the running backs got into a rhythm!

The Silver Bullets are setting a ridiculous standard for themselves as a scoring defense and being scored against. What is the difference between this year’s version and last years NFL player laden team?


@osusteelersjen – Last years defense, 3 first round NFL draft picks, had pressure on them and it seemed like nothing was ever good enough. This year, the Silver Bullets are very aggressive and again, that talent was sitting there on the bench They just didn’t get much of a chance to play.

@buckeyetxgirl – Without knowing the official times on these players, I’m guessing they are slightly faster than last year’s version. The are better at getting no separation.

@bhammer1965 – As a group they seem to want it more & I think they got better at several positions. Baker is a far better LB than Josh Perry. Conley, Hooker & Lattimore will all 3 likely be 1st round NFL Picks to the dismay of Buckeye Fans. Should this Team do what we think they are capable of this season.

@JTows – The secondary is much more aggressive! Strong run support and excellent open field tackling, not to mention very tight coverage. Somewhere in the second quarter, it felt like the D was getting better penetration and getting more stops at or behind the line of scrimmage.

Why will this offense be able to continue to spread the wealth to so many play-makers. Explain why not if you don’t think they can.


@osusteelersjen – They’ll keep spreading the wealth, keep everyone smiling. Remember, a lot of these guys are freshmen or red-shirt freshmen, so we’ll be lucky to see their faces for the next two or three years. And to think, next years class has how many five stars????

@buckeyetxgirl – This team is so young and so hungry. Only a hand full of these guys were part of the NCG team. As a result, I think they are so grateful each and every time they touch the ball. There are so many stars yet they all support one another. They are united.

@bhammer1965 – The offense has picked up where the 2014 offense left off before JT’s injury. However how many of us would’ve love to have seen Noah Brown paired with Mike Williams last season giving Cardale a true deep threat. I really think they are going to be a juggernaut as the season goes on though. Believe it or not they actually have more weapons than last season.

@JTows – The talent on this team is amazing! They graduated so many talented players and only got stronger with younger players. These young players are play makers!

(BONUS) Is this team surprising you and what is your prediction for the rest of the season?


@osusteelersjen – I’m not surprised at this team. NFL scouts said on pro day that with what talent was leaving, the talent on the bench could still make an NFL roster. This team seems to mesh together better. I think Indiana and Wisconsin might make it close in the first half of their game, but the Buckeyes will prevail. This team will be playing in mid January.

@buckeyetxgirl – If JT stays healthy, I think they win it all.

@bhammer1965 – No anyone who has the misfortune of following me on Twitter knows I’ve said along this could be a repeat of 2014. We are at the point now where Buckeye fans will be asking who’s going to be Urban’s next Curtis Samuel , it’s safe to say he has ended the Percy Harvin question. So I will go out a limb & say anything short of a National Title will be a disappointment.

@JTows – This team is further ahead at this point than I thought they would be. I think back to the offensive line on the 2014 Buckeyes and how much they developed and progressed over the course of the season. This team is much further ahead at this point in the season. I can’t wait to see how well they perform heading into the playoffs! Of course they have a stronger schedule this year, but I believe that this will prepare them better for what lies ahead!

The post tBBC Fans Interact: Rutgers; OSUSteelersJen, Buckeyetxgirl, bhammer1965, JTows appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes take winning streak to Wellston | Local Sports ... - Athens Messenger (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes take winning streak to Wellston | Local Sports ...
Athens Messenger (registration)
NELSONVILLE — The Nelsonville-York Buckeyes are currently enjoying a turnaround season on the gridiron, and one of the reasons has been a strong ...

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This year's Buckeyes remind Schlegel of 2006 Ohio State team - Lima Ohio
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This year's Buckeyes remind Schlegel of 2006 Ohio State team
Lima Ohio
ST. MARYS — Anthony Schlegel sees a lot of similarities between the 2006 Ohio State football team and this year's Buckeyes. He just hopes the comparisons stop at some point. “It's very similar to 2006 but you don't want the outcome of 2006 (losing to ...

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Will Ohio State have room for 4-star WR Jaylen Harris?
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The home state star holds the Buckeyes high on his list.

Spot available for Harris?


As of today, Ohio State’s top ranked 2017 recruiting class features 17 prospects across the country. Of those 17, two come at the wide receiver position — Trevon Grimes from St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) and Tyjon Lindsey from Bishop Gorman (NV).

As we all know, spots quickly filled up in the class and very few remain for Head Coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes. However, ‘17 WR Jaylen Harris of Cleveland Heights (OH) believes that he has nothing to worry about, if he wants in.

In a video interview with Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com, the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder stated that Ohio State would take him, if he wanted to commit right now. “The coaches told me they would make a way,” Harris said.

For now, despite Harris confirming that Ohio State was his dream school and that he loves the program, the Buckeyes are no sure bet for the four-star pass-catcher from the 216. Rounding out the Top 5 for Harris, which he revealed in early August, is Alabama, Michigan State, Penn State and Tennessee. It is also worth mentioning that Harris will be roaming the sidelines at Ohio Stadium this weekend, according to Bill Kurelic of 247Sports, to check out the Ohio State-Indiana contest.

In the end, we will wait and see if Harris selects the Buckeyes, and becomes a member of the already highly touted class of 2017. If that is ultimately the case, it’s a safe bet to say the Scarlet and Gray would be bringing in one dangerous and dynamic trio to Columbus. Harris is the 171st overall player in the class, the 27th best player at the WR spot and the 5th highest ranked player from the state of Ohio.

Will the Buckeyes have room or will an in-state standout prospect choose a different path as a student-athlete? Stay tuned.

Scott to see OSU


As mentioned above, Jaylen Harris will be in Ohio Stadium on Saturday to take in the Buckeyes battle with the Hoosiers at 3:30 p.m. EST. However, he won’t be the only in-state prospect inside of The ‘Shoe this weekend.

According to Bill Kurelic, 2018 offensive guard Blaine Scott (Portsmouth, OH / Sciotoville High School) will make the trip to Columbus to take in the weekend contest. Scott is currently graded as the 15th best player in the state for next year’s recruiting cycle.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder has yet to receive an offer from the Buckeyes, but as you can see, Ohio State is keeping close tabs on the three-star offensive lineman. As for who has offered Scott thus far, 26 programs have been tallied, which include the likes of Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Penn State, Miami (FL), Michigan State and North Carolina

Perhaps a good visit on Saturday for both parties could result in Scott picking up that offer from the home school. If it were to happen, make no mistake that the Buckeyes would be on commitment watch.

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Robert Landers thriving with Ohio State Buckeyes | www ... - Dayton Daily News
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Robert Landers thriving with Ohio State Buckeyes | www ...
Dayton Daily News
Robert Landers doesn't like being the center of attention, but he was Wednesday night at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, meeting with the media for the first ...
Robert Landers thriving with Ohio State Buckeyes - WHIOWHIO
Buckeyes freshman Mike Weber leads Big Ten in rushing per game ...MyDaytonDailyNews

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Women's volleyball: Two top-25 teams await No. 14 Buckeyes in Michigan - OSU - The Lantern
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Women's volleyball: Two top-25 teams await No. 14 Buckeyes in Michigan
OSU - The Lantern
14 Buckeyes will play two more teams ranked in the Top 25 this weekend – No. 21 Michigan State on Friday and OSU rival No. 23 Michigan, on Sunday. On Saturday, OSU stunned fans as it took down undefeated, No. 1 Nebraska in four sets. This was the first ...
Game Data: Buckeyes set to host hot Hoosiers247Sports
Ohio State vs. Indiana | Kevin Wilson has Hoosiers believing in themselvesColumbus Dispatch
Is Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett special? Buckeye Talk Podcastcleveland.com
The SkyBoat (blog) -Comcast SportsNet Chicago -Eleven Warriors
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TFF: Buckeyes offensive line is rock solid heading into Indiana game - ABC6OnYourSide.com
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TFF: Buckeyes offensive line is rock solid heading into Indiana game
ABC6OnYourSide.com
COLUMBUS-- The Buckeyes offensive line have only allowed 2 sacks on the season, while the defense has racked up 10. While they don't get as much praise as the ball carriers, the offensive line has been at the core of the offensive plays we've seen this ...
Ohio State football | Offensive line quickly molds into solid unitColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State Football Recruiting: 5-Star LB Intrigued By Buckeyes, Top 2019 Prospect Sets Decision DateChat Sports
Elite 2019 prospect set for Ohio State visit247Sports
Eleven Warriors
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Game Data: Buckeyes set to host hot Hoosiers - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Game Data: Buckeyes set to host hot Hoosiers
247Sports
The Buckeyes 42-14 in 2013 and 42-27 in 2014. Last year, Ohio State escaped Indiana with a 34-27 win. OSU trailed 10-6 at halftime before RB Ezekiel Elliott broke off second-half touchdown runs of 55, 65 and 75 yards. Elliott ended up with 274 yards on ...
Ohio State vs. Indiana | Kevin Wilson has Hoosiers believing in themselvesColumbus Dispatch
Is Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett special? Buckeye Talk Podcastcleveland.com
Big Ten Power Rankings: Buckeyes, Michigan separate themselvesComcast SportsNet Chicago
Eleven Warriors -Toledo Blade -Dayton Daily News
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Flashback: Buckeyes blasted Penn State 38-7 20 years ago today - 247Sports
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Flashback: Buckeyes blasted Penn State 38-7 20 years ago today
247Sports
EDITOR'S NOTE – This season, we will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ohio State's 1996 Rose Bowl championship season. That was a landmark year for the Buckeyes with their first Rose Bowl win and highest AP poll finish (No. 2) in 23 seasons.

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Buckeyes bounce back against Tomcats - Athens Messenger (registration)
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Buckeyes bounce back against Tomcats
Athens Messenger (registration)
The Buckeyes quickly turned the tables however. The second set was tied, 9-9, but a Trimble error and a Jessie Addis ace gave N-Y an 11-9 lead. The Bucks eventually stretched that lead out to 20-12 after Jordan Fick's ace, seizing the upper hand.


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Ohio State football | Buckeyes 'could be the most dominant offense in college football,' Parris Campbell says - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State football | Buckeyes 'could be the most dominant offense in college football,' Parris Campbell says
Columbus Dispatch
Enlarge Image Request to buy this photo Courtney Hergesheimer | Dispatch Receiver Parris Campbell, pictured during the 2015 spring game, says “I think it can only go uphill from this. I think we've got a lot left in the tank.” ...

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Robert Landers thriving with Ohio State Buckeyes - WHIO
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Robert Landers thriving with Ohio State Buckeyes
WHIO
Robert Landers doesn't like being the center of attention, but he was Wednesday night at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, meeting with the media for the first time since he made his Ohio State Buckeyes debut Sept. 3 against Bowling Green. In a season ...
Mike Weber putting up big numbers for Ohio State BuckeyesMyDaytonDailyNews

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Ohio State Women’s Basketball: Day One
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State women’s basketball under fourth year head coach Kevin McGuff, is probably in the best position to make a final four run since arriving. He has arguably the best player in the country in Kelsey Mitchell and one of the best classes just arriving.

They kicked off their practices today in style and we picked up the video from their official twitter account.









The post Ohio State Women’s Basketball: Day One appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Updates on Ohio State LB Dante Booker, Buckeyes offensive line: 5 things to know from Urban Meyer - cleveland.com
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Updates on Ohio State LB Dante Booker, Buckeyes offensive line: 5 things to know from Urban Meyer
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Another week of Ohio State football practice, another chance to check on the status of Buckeyes linebacker Dante Booker. Urban Meyer said after Wednesday's practice that Booker is "probable" for Saturday's game against Indiana.
TFF: #2 Buckeyes to take on upstart IndianaABC6OnYourSide.com
Pair of Ohio teammates visiting Buckeyes this weekend247Sports
Ohio State football | Noon start for Michigan gameColumbus Dispatch
Comcast SportsNet Chicago -Chat Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
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This year's Buckeyes remind Schlegel of 2006 Ohio State team - Lima Ohio
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This year's Buckeyes remind Schlegel of 2006 Ohio State team
Lima Ohio
ST. MARYS — Anthony Schlegel sees a lot of similarities between the 2006 Ohio State football team and this year's Buckeyes. He just hopes the comparisons stop at some point. “It's very similar to 2006 but you don't want the outcome of 2006 (losing to ...

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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: B1G Upsets, View Beyond the Shoe, Indiana Depth
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary and links to the author’s twitter account!






@bzimmerman9 wraps up the B1G and the upsets that were



@mmeals covers TTUN fans who are a little salty



@bzimmerman9 coverage of the depth chart for Indiana



Daily Funny



The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: B1G Upsets, View Beyond the Shoe, Indiana Depth appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State is dominating in the way we expected them to last season
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


Better late than never.

“Ohio State looks like the killing machine it was supposed to be last year.”

- Bill Connelly, SB Nation


SB Nation’s Bill Connelly, who always provides the best insight when it comes to number crunching in college football has outlined the 28 teams that he believes to be left in contention for the College Football Playoff. With the Buckeyes off to a great 4-0 start and having shown very few signs of weakness, it only makes sense that the Bucks rank No. 1 in S&P+ win probabilities. They also possess the greatest chance of running the table out of any team in college football leading up to conference championship weekend.

Next to the Buckeyes are the Clemson Tigers. They stand as the only two teams with greater than 20 percent chance at remaining unbeaten. Connelly also points out that the odds of Ohio State and Michigan meeting for The Game undefeated are very high, and it would be almost exactly 10 years since the last time it happened. And we all know how that one ended up. An undefeated Urban Meyer coached team vs an undefeated Jim Harbaugh coached team almost sounds too good to be true, but let’s hope it happens. So far, it’s looking pretty good.

“As frustrated as some Chargers fans may be with Joey Bosa, rest assured that Bosa is doing all he can to work back from a hamstring injury and make his long-awaited NFL debut.”

- Tom Krasovic, The San Diego Union-Tribune


Joey Bosa and the Chargers are past their contract dispute, but Bosa has yet to step on the field. His lingering hamstring injury has been a huge nuisance for Bosa, and as much as he would like to try and push his way back, that’s just not realistic with an injury like that. The restlessness of Chargers fans isn’t helping Bosa’s morale, but former teammates at Ohio State are helping Bosa keep his mind right as he fights through this tough time early in his career.

Joshua Perry, who also happens to be his teammate in San Diego told Krasovic that every time he asks Bosa about the hamstring he’s frustrated. But that he and everyone else understand this isn’t something he can just fight. “He’s a tough kid, so if it was something else, he’d try to push through it,” Perry told Krasovic. “But that’s one of those things that, the more you try to push through it, the worse it gets.” Vonn Bell, who is now with the Saints, has been encouraging for Bosa, telling him to just get healthy, and that, “I know that he’s going to tear it up as soon as he gets out there.”

“J.T. Barrett already has the Ohio State career record for touchdown passes but, by the end of his career, he could finish at or near the top of a number of OSU career listings.”

- Rich Exner, Northeast Ohio Media Group


This past Saturday, J.T. Barrett passed Bobby Hoying for the most career touchdown passes in Ohio State history. That’s pretty impressive, considering how quickly Barrett has done it, and with very limited snaps last season. Barrett might not be done breaking records, as Cleveland.com’s Rich Exner points out. He’s currently No. 1 in passer rating ahead of Troy Smith and Cardale Jones. To keep that record, he would have to keep up his current pace, and he should be fine. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

As far as passing yards, that’s a much different story compared to the two aforementioned records. Barrett is currently 11th in career passing yards with 4,714. Art Schlichter holds the record at 7,547. According to Exner, at Barrett’s current season average at 222 yards per game, he would have to play another 13 games to pass Schlichter. If Barrett goes pro after this year, Schlichter’s record is safe, unless Barrett goes on a historic tear for the rest of this season (which, I wouldn’t count on). Rushing yardage for quarterbacks is another climb, but he’s already up there. Barrett stands in 4th at 1,825 yards, behind Cornelius Greene, Terrelle Pryor, and Braxton Miller at No. 1. Miller has 3,314, and just like Schlichter’s record, that seems pretty hard to touch. Nonetheless, Barrett has been a hell of a quarterback for Urban Meyer the past few seasons.

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The Buckeye Battle Cry Weekly Power Poll: Week 5
Shannon Sommers via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Big Ten schedule is in full swing. This is the first year each team will play nine conference games, six divisional opponents and three crossover games. Let’s take a look how our secret balloting has shaken out so far.

1. The Ohio State University Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0)


140 Pts.



Can anyone really debate that Ohio State is unanimous again this week? I know Michigan fans clamouring that Ohio State hasn’t played anyone and they have a tougher schedule. The question remains for any sane non-homer college football fan. You only allowed 33 passing yards against Rutgers offense this past Saturday. 116 yards total. I don’t care who you are playing that is shut-down defense.

Last Week: Defeated Rutgers 58-0

This Week: Indiana



2. Michigan Wolverines (5-0, 2-0)


126 Pts.



Michigan welcomed Wisconsin to Ann Arbor this past week. The Wolverines couldn’t kick their way to victory but Wisconsin found was to throw the game away. No Wolverine fans you don’t deserve the top spot since you haven’t put together a complete dominate game in our staff’s eyes.

Last Week: Defeated Wisconsin 14-7

This Week: @Rutgers



3. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-0, 2-0)


118 Pts.



This year you can say that so far its the polar opposite of 2015. Cornhuskers are winning the games they are suppose to and no last minute defensive meltdowns, so far.



Last Week: Defeated Illinois 31-16

This Week: Bye



4. Wisconsin Badgers (4-1, 1-1)


110 Pts.

Badgers only fell one spot last week by having a close game against Michigan. Yes, the score should have been more for the Maize and Blue but if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump their butts.



Last Week: Defeated by Michigan 7-14

This Week: Bye



5. Maryland Terrapins (4-0, 1-0)


100 Pts.

The Terps have jumped up from the #8 spot. DJ Durkin has the team humming along with being undefeated. This is the case of don’t care the schedule just the results for the first year coach.



Last Week: Defeated Purdue 50-7

This Week: @Penn State



6. Indiana Hoosiers (3-1, 1-0)


96 Pts.



Indiana is a team that you wonder who they really are. Struggled in Week 1, lost to Wake Forest but defeat Sparty last week. Sure the Hoosiers defense is better than years past but the offense isn’t as potent as years past.



Last Week: Defeated Michigan State in OT 24-21

This Week: @ Ohio State



7. Michigan State Spartans (2-2, 0-2)


74 Pts.

I’m sure everyone had the Spartans starting off the Big Ten season at 0-2 so far right. Spartans offense had many questions before the season, they haven’t answered any of them with positive results. Sparty defense seems very suspect also this season.

Last Week: Defeated by Indiana in OT 21-24

This Week: Northwestern



8. Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1, 0-1)


67 Pts.

If you’re the Golden Gophers you cannot lose games like you did this past week. Every game is extremely important to this team to try and stay in the hunt for the West title.



Last Week: Defeated by Penn State 26-29

This Week: Iowa



9. Northwestern Wildcats (2-3, 1-1)


56 Pts.



The Wildcats make the biggest move in our Power Poll this week jumping up from the bottom spot. See what winning can do. Sure it was over an over-rated Iowa team but a win is a win.



Last Week: Defeated Iowa 38-31

This Week: @Michigan State



10. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-1)


51 Pts.

With the offense that Iowa is supposed to have and having one of the best corners in the league, there is no reason for this. Just remember Iowa you have extended Kirk another ten years.



Last Week: Defeated by Northwestern 31-38

This Week: @Minnesota



11. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-2,1-1)


45 Pts.

Reports have come out that James Franklin is safe. Apparently PSU doesn’t want to win anymore. Remeber when they would do anything to win and be relevent?



Last Week: Defeated Minnesota 29-26

This Week: Maryland



12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-3, 0-2)


33 Pts.

Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knights, it’s going to be a tough and long season. Losing your best players to injury without having depth built up is bad. Don’t worry I have said it multiple times Ash is the right man. He has the toughest rebuild of anyone.

Last Week: Defeated by Ohio State 0-58

This Week: @Michigan



13. Purdue Boilermakers (2-2, 0-1)


17 Pts.



You can tell the type of year Purdue is having when even their field develops a major sink hole. Rebuilding is in their future.



Last Week: Defeated by Maryland 7-50

This Week: @illinois



13. Illinois Fighting Illini (1-3, 0-1)


17 pts.

You knew this was going to be a long year. Lovie Smith was put in place with his back against the wall.



Last Week: Defeated by Nebraska 16-31

This Week: Purdue





















The post The Buckeye Battle Cry Weekly Power Poll: Week 5 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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