Ohio State is one of the 5 more talented teams in the country
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


When the team is loaded with talent, this tends to happen

“When Alabama meets USC this weekend in Dallas, the two most talented teams in the country will be butting heads. Not surprisingly Alabama is the most talented program in America after six straight No. 1 recruiting classes. USC has underachieved with its roster but there is no shortage of talent. This game will be an NFL scout's dream.”

– Barton Simmons, 247sports


Even though Ohio State has been considered a football magnet since, essentially, the dawn of time, Alabama leads the pack as this year’s most star studded program.

247sports broke down their total team composite scores for this year, and the Buckeyes ended up at No.5. The score was created by calculating the recruiting caliber (e.g. amount of five-stars, four-stars, etc.) of each program, and then coming up with a final number. Urban Meyer’s squad enters the year with two five-stars, 52 four-stars, 22 three-stars and two two-stars – good enough to give the Buckeyes a final score of 908.16

Looking over at what Nick Saban is doing, his Alabama program boasts a staggering 17 five-star recruits and 44 four-star recruits. The Crimson Tide were by far the best team with a composite score of 985.82. The second best program: USC. The Trojans collected 10 five-stars and 43 four-stars en route to earning a score of 944.80. We’ll see which team is really the best, as Bama and USC square off this weekend.

While the recruiting ranking is important, it’s how the coaching staff teaches the player. Meyer’s staff has done extraordinary well with that – just look at the talent that went to the draft this past spring.

“It’s pretty amazing. It’s really…it’s really humbling. You know, to be in a stadium with 105,000 seats or whatever it is and to to know that all those seats will be filled, but there’s always going to be one here right in front of the ROTC in the heart of the student section that will remain empty.”

– Beth Del Ponte’s story on the POW-MIA seat installment at Ohio Stadium (NBC4 Columbus),


No matter how packed The Shoe will be for football games, there will always be a seat left open for the military members that didn’t make it back home.

On Thursday, a POW-MIA seat was dedicated; the seat is located in the front row of the North endzone – and is just to the right of where the marching band comes out for their pregame entrance.

The connection to military service and OSU runs deep, as an estimated 2,300 students are in some way connected to the armed forces, according to the article by NBC4 Columbus.

If you want to see the story NBC4 did, you can see it below.

“They didn't play freshmen last year -- 21 of 25 redshirted. They are reluctant to take starters off the field even in blowouts. Watch what happens if they get a big lead on Bowling Green on Saturday. You'll see the top guys out there longer than necessary, which again is fine. The best players earn the right to play.”

– Doug Lesmerises (cleveland.com)


On the eve of Ohio State’s first game of the season, there is speculation for what exactly Meyer and company are going to do with a huge cast of freshman. Are they going to rotate players? How much playing time will freshman actually get?

The first part of the question was asked by Doug Lesmerises of cleveland.com during one of the media’s opportunities to talk to coaches at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Kerry Coombs was able to answer the question on rotating players, and knowing if they are ready or not to play.

The video of the interaction is seen below.

Stick to Sports


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• Bear fights man, but the man knows karate.

• Man declared dead, but was actually kidnapped to teach English to North Korea’s leader.

• FDA puts the kibosh on antibacterials in soap.

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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: WWWW, Non-Revenue, Guest writer says Rest Easy
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!


Brandon Zimmerman takes us on a ride with this week’s What Would Woody Watch



Charles has returned with a good article about non-revenue sports at Ohio State



Kenny Galvin jumps in with both feet as he tries out for our team!



WVaBuckeye has a nice sit down with Parris’ Campbell’s mom, Shelly Woodruff



The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: WWWW, Non-Revenue, Guest writer says Rest Easy appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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A closer look at Ohio State’s recent struggles with G5 opponents
Max Littman via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Not every cupcake game turns out that way.

Ohio State is about to open the season against Bowling Green, a proud member of the MAC. Based on recruiting rankings, facilities, program resources, or whatever other metric you want to think of, Ohio State should win comfortably. But that doesn’t always happen.

Over the years Ohio State has seemed to struggle at times when taking on mid-major opponents, even ones where they’ve been very heavy favorites. With close games in the past few years against Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Navy, Cincinnati, Buffalo and UAB, all of whom are Group of 5 (Mid-Major) teams, there have been plenty of scares for the Scarlett and Gray, even if the final box score tells a different story.

With consecutive games coming up against G5 competition in Bowling Green this week and Tulsa next week, the Buckeyes may be tested more than expected.

It seems as if the Buckeyes always manage to squeak out the victory, but how does a team that only beat Navy by 17 points in the same season win a national championship by 22 over Oregon?

This trend has been going back for years. In 2004, it took a last second Mike Nugent 55 yard field goal to beat Marshall 24-21. Although the team struggled that year, finishing 8-4, almost losing to Marshall is inexplicable. OSU has always dominated the MAC, with an incredible 32-1-0 record against them (the only loss coming against Akron in an 1894 thriller), but multiple teams have come close to pulling off the unimaginable.

Just last season, the high powered and top-rated Buckeyes barely got past Northern Illinois, winning just 20-13. With just one offensive touchdown in the game and an insane five turnovers, the Buckeyes were on the brink of actually losing.

One of the main problems for the Buckeyes is the timing, since out-of-conference games almost always come at the beginning of the season. In years like 2014, where there was a freshman quarterback unexpectedly starting, running an offense can be difficult. And this year, the Buckeyes will certainly be breaking in a lot of new faces.

Another leading factor is the expectations. Ohio State isn’t expected to have close games with small schools, the fans and team expects to win every game every year. High expectations can lead to mini-letdowns.

Although the team hasn’t lost to a non (current) power conference school since losing to Air Force in the 1990 Liberty Bowl, they’ve certainly come close a few times. With expectations sky high for another year, the question is, could it happen this season?

There’s no reason to suggest that Bowling Green will have a similar or better performance against Ohio State than say, Northern Illinois did, (BGSU is breaking in a ton of new faces themselves), but this is a weird sport. It’s the biggest game of their regular season and comes against a former coach, and emotions should be high for at least one of the teams playing.

Ohio State needs to be fully prepared to encounter teams that will be playing their hearts out in their biggest game.

They’re going to have the talent advantage, but they had talent advantages over Northern Illinois and Marshall too. They have a coaching advantage, but they had one over UAB and Ohio too. Will that be enough this weekend? At the end of the day, almost certainly, but that doesn’t mean the Falcons can’t make the Buckeyes sweat an awful lot over the course of the game.

It’s certainly happened before.

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The complete history of Ohio State-Bowling Green
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Grab a chair, cause we’re covering all the games of this in-state battle

The time has finally come for the return of Ohio State football. With Bowling Green coming to town this weekend, it’s another time the Buckeyes have had a date with the Falcons in Columbus, Ohio.

Open up your history textbooks, as we begin to go through time and revisit the matchups between BGSU and OSU.

For the first time


The first time the Falcons faced off against the Buckeyes was back in 1992. Bowling Green was fresh off an 11-1 year in 1991 that included a win against rival Toledo, and a win in the California Bowl against Fresno State. Before the 1991 season, the Falcons suffered five straight losing seasons before hiring Gary Blackney to turn the tide in 1991.

Blackney, in his second season, was up against John Cooper – now in his fifth year of coaching at Ohio State. Like Blackney, Cooper guided the Buckeyes to a bowl game. However, Cooper lost said bowl game, the Hall of Fame Bowl, to Syracuse by a final score of 24-17.

Ohio State’s date with Bowling Green happened on Sept. 12, 1992 and occurred in Week 2 of the season. The Falcons were 1-0 after defeating Western Michigan, 29-19, and Ohio State was 1-0 after narrowly defeating Louisville, 20-19, at home.

Slated for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff, a modest 94,808 people walk through the turnstiles at The Shoe to witness Kirk Herbstreit and Eddie George take on the Falcons.

Bowling Green scored first in the second quarter by way of an Erik White 9-yard rush. The drive wasn’t a long one, as the Falcons first (and only) scoring drive began on the OSU 22 following a Bobby Hoying interception. There was a silver lining for the Buckeyes, though: BGSU’s extra point sailed wide right.

Eventually, the Buckeyes shifted their scoring machine into drive. A few minutes, and a couple of drives after the first score of the game, George found six-points by leaping over top of the offensive line – giving the scarlet and gray a 7-6 advantage heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, a fumble by White set up a Buckeye field goal. Tim Williams connected from 47 yards out to increase the home squad’s lead to 10-6. The following drive for Blackley’s squad stalled on their own 34, and led to Ohio State getting great field position following the punt. With a tired Bowling Green defense, Herbstreit guided the offense back to the BGSU redzone, which culminated with a Raymont Harris 7-yard rush to the house.

Getty
Run Herbie, Run!!

Down 17-6, the Falcons didn’t give up – but turnovers plagued scoring chances. Right after the Harris TD, BGSU went on a 14-play excursion to the Buckeye redzone. However, faced with a 4th-and-goal from the OSU 6, White could only come up with three yards. After the turnover on downs, the Falcons only had one other drive that didn’t end with a turnover.

Ohio State came out victorious, 17-6, in the first meeting between the two schools.

A Wiley Time


In the second edition of Buckeyes-Falcons in 1997, both Cooper and Blackney were still in charge of their respectful teams, but the trajectories were completely different.

Bowling Green had slumped since the start of the Blackney era. The 1995 and 1996 campaigns were sub-.500 years, and 1997 had the feeling that it wasn’t going to end up any better. To start of the 1997 campaign, Blackney’s Falcons lost to Louisiana Tech on the road, 30-23.

On the other side, the Buckeyes were the defending Rose Bowl champions, and opened up the 1997 season with a win against Wyoming. Entering their matchup with Bowling Green, Ohio State touted the No.9 ranking in the AP Poll.

From the start, things were shaky for the Falcons. A three-and-out gave the Buckeyes prime field position around the 50. Quarterback Stanley Jackson drove the Buckeyes down the field, and set up Dan Shultz for a 47-yard field goal. BGSU did retaliate with a 12-play, 60-yard drive that resulted in three points.

Getty
The majestic Gary Blackney. He won bowl games in each of his first two years at BGSU

At this point, things snowballed out of control for the visitors – and that 3-3 tie was the closest they would come to beating the Buckeyes.

The ensuing kickoff landed in the hands of Michael Wiley at the goal line. From there, Wiley pulled off a 100-yard dash, and housed the Garrett Fowler kick. Bowling Green started their next drive on the OSU 36 following a great return from Leon Weathersby. However, the first play of the drive featured quarterback Bob Niemet getting picked off by Buckeye Ahmed Plummer.

In the second quarter, running backs Pepe Pearson and Wiley carried the Buckeyes to another touchdown, as the scarlet and gray were pulled away 17-3. The Falcons, weren’t done, though. Niemet connected for a 29 yard touchdown to Damron Hamilton, and a Buckeye fumble on a kickoff led to three more points being added to Bowling Green’s total.

With the score 17-13 late in the second quarter, the Buckeyes had to apply the afterburners. Joe Germaine stepped into the QB role, and got OSU an insurance touchdown in the waning moments before halftime by way of a deep out pass to Dee Miller from 29 yards out.

At the halfway point, John Cooper’s squad held a 24-13 advantage – and didn’t look back. The third quarter began with Ohio State getting great field position because of a short kickoff. Pearson did his thing on the ground, while Jackson went to the air to collect yardage. It took six plays for the Buckeyes to find the endzone again.

As Ohio State eased the pressure on offense, the Falcon offense stalled repeatedly. In the early minutes of the fourth quarter, Bowling Green needed a touchdown to get back into the game. Faced with a 4th-and-15 on the OSU 34, Blackney elected to go for the first down. The decision to go for it made sense, but the Buckeye defense was having none of a Falcon comeback. OSU defender Jerry Rudzinski got around the Bowling Green protection, and sacked Niemet for a loss of 14. With the ball now on their own 48, the Buckeyes took advantage of the short field; Jackson ended the drive by hitting David Boston for a touchdown.

Bowling Green materialized a couple three-and-out followed by a fumble on their final three drives. Stultz and the Buckeyes capitalized on the sluggish Falcon ending by putting two more field goals through the uprights.

The second contest ended with Ohio State finishing on top, 44-13. This would be the final time Blackney and Cooper would face each other as coaches of their respective teams.

“And Ohio State hangs on, again”


The third installment of Ohio State-Bowling Green featured Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes fresh off a national championship. Leading up to this one, Senator Tressel’s tradmark style of football featured narrow wins against San Diego State and then-No.24 NC State in Columbus.

Bowling Green just lost their up-and-coming head coach, Urban Meyer, to Utah, and brought in Gregg Brandon to lead the charge. Brandon’s first three games at the helm were solid victories; he won his opener against Eastern Kentucky, 63-13, and defeated a top 20 Purdue team in West Lafayette.

If Bowling Green was going to pull off the upset, this would’ve been their best chance. The Buckeyes were without running back Maurice Clarett due to a suspension and quarterback Craig Krenzel was out due to an injury sustained the week prior against NC State.

The Buckeyes first drive was collecting real estate from running back Lydell Ross, Drew Carter and a pretty accurate Scott McMullen. As the scarlet and gray found themselves in the redzone, disaster struck; McMullen completed a pass to Michael Jenkins, but the star receiver lost the ball after being hit by Jordan Jelani.

There was nothing to worry about, though. On the immediate drive, Bowling Green’s quarterback, Josh Harris, telegraphed a pass to Dustin Fox on the BGSU 29. Six plays later, McMullen found Drew Carter for a seven yard touchdown.

Like you’ve read in the previous part of this piece, the Falcons had always clawed their way back from an early deficit. The 2003 edition with the Buckeyes was no different. Right after Ohio State jumped to a 7-0 lead, Harris led his team down the field on a 13 play, 87-yard drive to knot the game at 7-7.

But, as more things change, the more things tend to stay the same. Turnovers have been the bugaboo for the brown and orange – as well as squandering premium opportunities from the Buckeyes – and 2003 kept to the status quo. After getting a gift of a fumble from Maurice Hall, Harris was sacked by Buckeye linebacker Bobby Carpenter and coughed the ball deep in their own territory. Tressel, as usual, manufactured three points on the board after starting at the BGSU 21.

However, The Sweater Vest did take some risks with play calling. Two drives after taking the 10-7 lead, Senator Tressel elected to go for it on a 4th-and-1 from the Bowling Green 33. Ross was given the rock and went straight up the middle; the hole that opened allowed for Ross to fly past the Falcon defense for a touchdown.


Entering halftime, the scarlet and gray were pulling away with a 17-7 lead – or at least they thought.

Foreshadowing is a tremendous thing. The third quarter featured an Ohio State interception immediately followed up with a Bowling Green interception. Most of the time in the penultimate frame was spent on a Buckeye drive that last a total of 7:15. The troubles continued for Brandon’s squad, as the tenacious defense concocted by Mark Dantonio (yes, that Mark Dantonio) marred any chance of a scoring drive. The fourth quarter arrived with Tressel’s boys leading comfortably 17-7.

With just over 11 minutes left in regulation, Ross opened up a drive with a nice carry of 13 yards; then, McMullen uncorked the fine wine of the deep ball and found Jenkins for a smooth 46-yard pick up. The ground game chipped away at the remaining 17 yards, punctuating the drive with Ross taking a pitch out from three yards out to the barn.

Normally, when you’re nursing a 17 lead with just a hair under nine minutes remaining, the win seems almost certain. Almost – only good with horse shoes and hand grenades.

The (Millennium) Falcon comeback was fast and furious; after a touchback, Harris marched his team 80 yards to pay dirt – which included a miraculous recovering of their own fumble courtesy of a play made by the late great Will Smith – and then the brown and orange collected their onside kick. The onside kick spotted Bowling Green at the Ohio State 44-yard line, but the Falcons couldn’t pull off the touchdown working with the short field. A Shaun Suisham field goal from 33 yards out cut the Buckeye lead to 24-17.

On the Buckeyes final drive, the park the bus mentality set in. A three-and-out gave BGSU one last chance to tie the game. Harris operated out of the shotgun formation for a majority of the drive, and was at least able to cross the Falcons into OSU territory. The comeback fell short as Harris threw an interception to Will Allen, who would run out the clock on the pick.


Again, the Buckeyes held on to beat the Falcons. This time, it was a little too close for comfort.

On the road to Phoenix


The fourth meeting between the two schools happened in 2006, the year Ohio State made it to the BCS Championship Game in Phoenix. This edition of the in-state battle took place on Oct. 7, 2006 – the latest these two have faced each other during a season.

The Buckeyes, at this point, were the No.1 team in the country. Prior to playing Bowling Green, the Buckeyes laid waste to ranked programs in Texas, Penn State and Iowa. The Falcons played Wisconsin to open their year, but lost, 35-14. Even though BGSU had Big Ten playing experience, it wasn’t enough to face the top ranked scarlet and gray.

By halftime, Ohio State was up 21-0. Troy Smith opened up the Buckeyes scoring ways early with a pass to Rory Nicol. On the ground, Antonio Pittman found the endzone twice, with both touchdowns coming from 8 yards out.

This going wasn’t anything close to what Brandon’s squad was able to assemble in 2003; there wasn’t going to be a furious comeback late in the game. Ohio State was at full strength, and primed to go the distance without letting the Falcons back into the game. The only thing Bowling Green could muster was a touchdown midway through the third quarter.

Even with a 21-7 lead entering the fourth quarter, Tressel’s team still took to the air for more points. Smith connected with Ray Small from 11 yards out to push the the lead to three touchdowns. Another stalled BGSU drive set up the Bucks for another score. This time around, Smith dialed long distance to the incomparable Ted Gin Jr. for a 57 yard strike.

In the box score, Bowling Green had only 50 yards less of total offense compared to Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes were able to score points when they had the opportunity. The loss in Columbus was the tipping point for Bowling Green’s season, as they only mustered one more win in their 2006 campaign.

In the now


The 2016 edition of Ohio State-Bowling Green is the fifth time these two schools will meet. As you have read, the Falcons have failed to put up a ‘W’ in the win column against the Buckeyes in their previous four tries. The Falcon faithful shouldn’t feel that down, though, because OSU has compiled a 32-1 record against MAC opponents.

This edition will be the second time Bowling Green introduces a first year coach to the Buckeyes. Mike Jinks makes his first appearance as the big cheese for the defending MAC champions after coming from Texas Tech, where he spent time as an associate head coach. Jinks has the honor of being the 105th coach to face OSU’s head cheese, Urban Meyer.

For Meyer, this will be the first time he faces off against the school that gave him his head coaching start. In his time spent on the Falcon sideline, Meyer collected a 17-6 record that includes a win on the road against Missouri in his ever game as coach, a win in the Battle of I-75 vs. Toledo and a win on the road against Kansas in his second year.

Obscure facts from the Ohio State-Bowling Green history (that will make people think you have no real life friends)


• The hottest it was when the game was played was: 77 degrees (1997)

• The coldest it was when the game was played: 65 degrees (2006)

• Longest elapsed time: 3:10 (2003)

• Latest start time: 3:40 p.m. (2006)

• Most Yards OSU rushed: 205 (2003)

• Most Yards OSU passed: 274 (1997)

• Most yards returned on kickoffs: 9-571 (1997)

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Buckeyes reach out to intriguing in-state prospect - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes reach out to intriguing in-state prospect
247Sports
A year ago, football was not on the radar for then Cleveland Heights (OH) basketball star Tyreke Smith. But after realizing that at 6-foot-4 and 241-pounds his future might be brighter on the gridiron as a tight end or defensive end, Smith returned to ...


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Who will win the national championship? Our staff makes national predictions
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s part III of our staff predictions series

In LGHL tradition, our staff has voted on our Ohio State specific predictions, and our Big Ten specific predictions. Now, we’ve had a chance to vote on our thoughts on the national college football scene at large. Bookmark these, because I’m sure we’ll be hilariously wrong on at least two of them.

Which team in the preseason AP Poll Top 10 is most likely to disappoint?


Tennessee: 6 votes

Michigan: 5 votes

Notre Dame: 3 votes

Others: 4 votes

It takes a special kind of skepticism to triumph over blind homerism here in the LGHL newsroom, but for whatever reason, Tennessee brings that out from the group. The talent and the experience is there, but the coaching may not be, and it feels like ages since Tennessee has won a big game. Their performance last night...well...it’s making me feel a little better about this pick.

Also, somebody voted for Alabama. That seems...brave.

Which team in the preseason AP Poll 11-25 range do you see as having the best chance of making the playoffs?


TCU: 8 votes

Houston: 3 votes

Others: 8 votes

Washington, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Oregon and UCLA all got love from at least one writer, but TCU was far and away the biggest choice as a possible darkhorse to make the Playoff, and why not? They’ve got the schedule, the experience, and the coaching to make a run.

Which team outside the top 25 do you see a potential sleeper?


Texas: 3 votes

Miami: 3 votes

A bunch of other teams: 13 votes

Others that picked up multiple votes include Washington State, Texas A&M, BYU {NOTE-neither came from me}, Utah and Arizona. Your guess? Well, it’s probably just as good as ours. But chances are, somebody will come out from this group and win 10 games or something.

Which team outside of the Power 5 and Houston do you see as the most dangerous?


Boise State: 6 votes

San Diego State: 3 votes

Everybody else: 7 votes

I left Houston out here, since they’re almost certainly the runaway favorite to be the class of the G5, and some of our writers had trouble coming up with anybody who might challenge for that mantle. Boise State is the name brand team, but don’t sleep on the Aztecs.

Who is the highest profile coach that's going to get axed this year?


Gus Malzahn: 4 votes

Charlie Strong: 3 votes

Other people: 8 votes

A few other coaches got multiple votes, like West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen, or Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, but opinions are wide and varied here. The spotlight will certainly be on in Texas, and on the Plains, as well as places like Penn State and LSU.

Who is winning the Heisman Trophy?


Deshaun Watson: 9 votes

Christian McCaffrey: 3 votes

Other people: 6 votes

A little bit of love here for J.T. Barrett, which hey, is possible, but the rest of the group took off the Scarlet and Gray glasses enough to make a perfectly reasonable, if chalk-heavy, pick. If they can stay health, both Watson and McCaffrey should put up monster stats for excellent teams.

Who are your four playoff teams?

Clemson: 14

Ohio State: 12

Alabama: 10

LSU: 8

TCU: 8

Oklahoma: 6

Florida State: 5

Stanford: 3

Michigan: 2

Houston: 2

Oregon: 2

Since it’s probably unlikely two teams from the same conference make it this year, let’s say the consensus picks are Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama and TCU, with lots of love for LSU, Oklahoma and Florida State. Houston and Oregon wold be surprising, but hey, this is a weird sport.

Who is going to win the national title?

Clemson: 8 votes

LSU: 4 votes:

Ohio State: 2 votes

Florida State: 2 votes

Others: 2 votes

Let the record state that there are limits to the homerism of LGHL writers. While Ohio State was a very popular choice to make the playoff, the experience of LSU and Clemson won out, as most writers see one of those two teams carrying home the hardware at the end of the season.

Which, of course, means, Cal is going to beat Indiana for the title this season.

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MAC Power Bowling Green Will Try to 'Shock' Buckeyes - New York Times
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


MAC Power Bowling Green Will Try to 'Shock' Buckeyes
New York Times
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Bowling Green will be a four-touchdown underdog coming into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but new Falcons coach Mike Jinks said he welcomes the chance to "shock the world." If Jinks' squad can knock off the mighty Buckeyes at Ohio ...
Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread?cleveland.com
Eleven Warriors Roundtable: Buckeyes Hope To Strike Fast Against Bowling GreenEleven Warriors
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
Columbus Dispatch -Land-Grant Holy Land -247Sports
all 449 news articles »

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@BTNStatsGuys: 10 things to know about BGSU at Ohio State
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Before the Buckeyes, the preseason Big Ten favorite, kick things off, BTN researcher Harold Shelton has 10 Bowling Green-Ohio State facts for your consumption.

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Making The List: Eddie George
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Football Season is finally upon us. This coming weekend (Saturday the 3rd) our Buckeyes begin the 2016 Season with an opening game against the Bowling Green Falcons. The excitement is in the air. For us Scarlet and Gray junkies – this is a tremendous time of the year.

With this precious reminder it is only appropriate that this week’s Making The List goes to a Football player. I cannot think of anyone more worthy than the great Eddie George. In truth, I should have chosen him last year when we began this acknowledgement of Buckeye Greatness. But things happen for a reason. And, now as I review a few things, this week appears to be the perfect match to include Mr. George.

In 1992 Eddie came to The Ohio State University via way of Fork Union (VA) Military Academy where he was a national focus. In the Buckeyes first game of the season, versus Louisville, the end score would be 20-19 – OSU winning. Eddie in that game would get only a quick look, one attempt for three yards. The following week, September 12, the Buckeyes met up with the Falcons of Bowling Green. The final would be a closer than imagined 17-6 Buckeyes victory.

What made this game appropriate for Eddie being announced as our choice for Making The List is that his first TD ever as a Buckeye came in the 2nd Quarter against the Falcons from one-yard out. He would finish this game with seven attempts totaling 38 yards.

In 1992, his freshmen year, Eddie would quickly become a contributor. The week following his first TD in Columbus as a Buckeye against Bowling Green he would stand noticed on the 19th of September in the Carrier Dome against Syracuse. The Buckeyes would win 35-12. George would only have 9 attempts for a total of 23-yards. But he would score three TD’s. This began what would be a tremendous career in Columbus for Eddie George.

By the time George was a senior in the 1995 season, George rushed for a school record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns, an average of 148.23 yards per game, while also catching 44 passes for 399 yards and another score (George only caught 16 passes in his first three seasons). One of his best performances of the year was in a 45-26 win over Notre Dame, where he rushed for 207 yards, his third 200-yard game of the season. He also rushed for a school-record 314 yards and scored 3 touchdowns in OSU’s victory over Illinois.

George would end his career in Columbus as the third all-time rushing leader with 3,768 yards; at the time though he was second. Ezekiel has since passed him to be # two and, of course, Archie’s # one position is quite secure. George is also second on the all-time list for most TD’s in a season with 24. He is third in career TD’s with 44. And, lest we forget, he is third in career 100-yard games while playing for the Buckeyes, with 20.

In 1995 along with the Heisman Trophy, Eddie would receive the Walter Camp Award, the Chic Harley Award, the Doak Walker Award, and the Jim Brown award. He would be a Consensus All-American. His #27 would also eventually be retired.



George would go on to be a first-round draft selection (14th overall pick) of the Houston Oilers (eventually becoming the Tennessee Titans) in the 1996 NFL Draft. George won the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 1996, and was the Oilers/Titans’ starting tailback through 2003, never missing a start. He made the Pro Bowl four consecutive years (1997–2000), and assisted the Titans to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV, where they lost to the St. Louis Rams 23-16. George gained 391 combined rushing and receiving yards in the Titans’ three playoff games that year and went on to rush for 95 yards, catch two passes for 35 yards, and score two touchdowns in the Super Bowl.

George is only the second NFL running back to rush for 10,000 yards while never missing a start, joining Jim Brown. Only Walter Payton (170) started more consecutive regular-season games than George’s 130.
His NFL career totals include 10,441 rushing yards, 268 receptions, 2,227 receiving yards, and 78 touchdowns (68 rushing and ten receiving).

On May 19, 2011, it was announced that George would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Eddie George is a Buckeye legend. Plain and simple. All of us who recall his days in Columbus were completely thrilled week in and week out. Eddie George falls into the category that everyone remembers in a running back – big and strong. And not only big and strong, but productive beyond imagination. It is time that I bring Eddie George within the house of our growing community of Making The List. He was everything that defines a great Buckeye in a single word: Dominant

P.S. Did I mention Broadway is looming in Eddie’s future?




The post Making The List: Eddie George appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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It’s time to revisit Urban Meyer’s first win against The School Up North
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


In his first try, Meyer knew what the main requisite was to being a great coach for the Buckeyes. Simply, beat Michigan.

“History is written by the victors.”

That phrase has become a truism throughout the history of time. From Winston Churchill allegedly saying it, to Walter Benjamin loosely stating the same in his Theses on the Philosophy of History in 1940, to imprisoned politician, and future first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru declaring that “history is almost always written by the victors” in his book Discovery of India in 1946. The phrase was also made popular this century by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – a video game.

Of all the times the phrase has been thrown around, Nehru’s interpretation rings especially true to the 2012 Ohio State Buckeyes. Even though the Bucks could cap off an undefeated season, they couldn’t write their name in the history books as undefeated National Champions.

Serving a one-year postseason probation, the engraving machine for conference championships and bowl game trophies would get a rest from putting ‘Ohio State’ on any of the nameplates. However, there was still something at stake for the Buckeyes: beating Michigan.

The Gold Pants, a trinket given to the winner of the Ohio State-Michigan game, would be the championship trophy for the scarlet and gray.

While winning conference and national championships are great, beating Michigan (and often) is the absolute requisite needed to be deemed a great coach at Ohio State. Woody Hayes did it en route to a handful of national championships, and Jim Tressel’s string of wins in The Game was partially the reason why The School Up North tossed two pretty good head coaches.

Let’s go back down memory lane to Nov.24, 2012, the day where Urban Meyer secured his first win against Michigan – as well as OSU’s first undefeated season since 2002.

Geoff Hammersley
How’d We Get Here


The Buckeyes were fresh off a thrilling victory against the Wisconsin Badgers. Ohio State went into Madison, Wis. and denied Badger running back Montee Ball from getting the outright honors of being the NCAA career touchdown record holder. On top of that, the scarlet and gray silenced Camp Randall Stadium by winning in overtime.

Now sitting at 11-0 and No.4 in the polls, OSU awaited a Michigan team that entered at 8-3, while also being ranked at No.19.

Michigan surged up the polls by going on a three game win streak – taking down Minnesota, Northwestern and Iowa in the process – before rolling into Columbus, Ohio. Things looked good for the Wolverines in their last contest before the Buckeyes; quarterback Devin Gardner was part of six touchdowns, and played a huge roll in the 42-17 win in the Big House versus Iowa.

An undefeated season was on the line for the Buckeyes, but equally as important was the fact that they could take the bragging rights of winning The Game away from the Wolverines. In 2011 under the Luke Fickell regime, OSU fell in Ann Arbor, Mich., 40-34.

With Meyer at the helm, he looked to avenge Buckeye Nation in the one game that defies careers in Columbus. Historically, The School Up North has wrecked havoc on undefeated Buckeye squads five times since 1968. From Woody Hayes to John Cooper, the Wolverines found a way to burrow into the Buckeye loss column.

For Meyer, he wasn’t having any of it.

...It’s free real estate


As is tradition, this kickoff found itself on national television. But before the game, the 21 seniors in the class of 2012 were recognized before the kickoff. Zach Boren, Reid Fragel, John Simon and Jake Stoneburner were just some of the notable Buckeyes to suit up for the final time inside The Shoe.

Geoff Hammersley
Goodbye, and Good Luck: The 2012 seniors graced the program cover

Once Senior Day festivities wrapped up, like clockwork, the Wolverines made themselves known by winning the coin toss – they deferred and the Buckeyes got the ball first.

Fast starts were things that weren’t seen all that much in year one for Meyer at Ohio State. In the regular season opener against Miami (OH), the Buckeyes took about a quarter to get their act together. In Big Ten contests against Michigan State and Purdue, the Buckeyes offense had issue putting points on the board in the early going.

In the opening drive against Michigan, it was going to be established that the run game was going to lean heavily on the pass game. After Braxton Miller took the snaps, he went right to Carlos Hyde on the handoff. The first three plays were Hyde rushing – the first going toward the left tackle side; the second and third rushes making a break for the right side.

Through the first three plays on the ground, Hyde accumulated 15 yards. That’s not too bad. However, it paled in comparison to the next play by the Buckeye offense. With the run game being established, it was time for Miller to go to the air.

One throw, 52 yards worth of real estate collected. Devin Smith hauled in the catch down to the UM 8. This followed a five yard completion to Michael Thomas – who was just a freshman at the time – that would in turn be the setup for Hyde to punch the ball in from three yards out.

Six plays, 75 yards in just over 2:15 seconds. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead for once, but the Wolverines weren’t backing down.

Michigan’s first drive was clicking; Denard Robinson picked up huge chucks of yardage on the ground, while Devin Gardner was making sideline passes to Jeremy Gallon. As the Michigan men marched down deep into Ohio State territory, the Buckeye defense got a break. Adolphus Washington forced Gardner to fumble on a sack, leading to Boren scooping the ball up.



Senior day was off to a right start. Well, at least it seemed that way at the time.

Ohio State’s next drive fell flat, and became a three-and-out. While the Buckeyes were able to punt the ball to the UM 17, the Wolverines took no prisoners on the first drive back after fumbling. Faced with a 3rd-and-2, Gardner went down the sideline for Roy Roundtree.

Remember those old Gatorade commercials, where the characters are trying to one-up each other by saying “whatever you can do, I can do better?” Well, that’s basically what the Wolverines were saying at this point. While Miller connected for 52 yards with Smith, Gardner hit Roundtree with a 75 yard touchdown.

Tie game.

At this point in the game, the realization set in: this wasn’t going to be a runaway for either side; the winner was going to pull this game out by less than a touchdown.

Both teams opening two drives mirrored each other in terms of plays – first drives went six plays, second drives went three plays. The Buckeyes looked to break up this monotony on their third drive. Braxton Miller literally took control of the whole drive. Ten of the 11 plays on the drive featured Miller either passing or rushing. That last play? A field goal attempt by Drew Basil that sailed through the uprights.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
Repressed Memory: Yea, Braxton fumbled on this drive, but the Buckeyes recovered the ball

With one quarter in the books, the Buckeyes held on to a 10-7 lead. OSU had 10 carries on the ground that accounted for a net total of two whopping yards. Passing wise, Miller uncorked 129 yards while going 8-of-9. On the other hand, Michigan put 32 yards of rushing into the stat box, while throwing an additional 96 yards.

If the first quarter was a wild ride, then the second quarter was about to be the ride that you reconsider all of your life choices you’ve made as it stops at the apex, and then races to the bottom at almost a 90 degree drop.

The Escalation


The second quarter began with the Wolverines having possession of the ball. As they twiddled away a couple minutes through rushing, incomplete passes and an offense pass interference call, the Buckeyes were set to get the ball back.

Well, that was the theory. On the punt, Corey Brown muffed the catch, and the Wolverines got it back. Now sitting on the OSU 25, it took the recollected visitors five plays to get into the scarlet endzone.

Both teams traded drives without scoring again, but the fact remained: Wolverines on top 14-10. Ohio State wanted to get momentum back heading into halftime – after all, the 2002 national championship team was being honored, and the atmosphere was going to be electrifying.

OSU’s second real drive of the second quarter went back to tradition: running. Hyde took a few carries for around 30 yards. Miller then conducted the drive by going to the air, and scampering when needed. As the Buckeyes chipped away and got to the UM 14, it was time for them to take the lead back. Miller went back to air and hit Corey Brown toward the sideline. The scarlet and gray had reclaimed the lead, 17-14, with 1:30 left before in the half.

As Lee Corso of ESPN’s College Gameday would say, “not so fast, my friend.” On the ensuing UM drive, Robinson busted through a tackle, and raced down the field for a 75 yard touchdown.



Big plays proved to be the difference maker, as the Wolverines found another touchdown that went for at least 50 yards.

Ohio State got the ball back on their own 35 yard line with 32 seconds left. Like before, Miller was about to earn another ‘Man of the Drive’ honor. A rush of 17, followed by two quick passes got the Buckeyes down to the Wolverine 35 yard line. Basil got called in, and digged deep to bury a 52 yard field goal as time expired.

A frantic final two minutes of the half led to three scores, and the away team holding a one point advantage. Even though the Buckeyes didn’t have the lead, they did register one of the more iconic images of the Meyer days in Columbus.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Boren’s sack of Gardner is now part of Ohio State-Michigan lore. Just like when Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson housed touchdowns on the Buckeyes in the 1990s, this sack was another big moment in the history of The Game.

Why this moment?


Ohio State was able to get two field goals on the board in the second half – enough to hold off Michigan for a 26-21 win. Even though scoring came at a premium, the hits kept coming, and the strategies utilized kept the game close. Brady Hoke, like Bret Bielema, found a way to slow down the Buckeye machine in the second half. However, in both cases, Meyer was better at shutting down the opposition.

Beating Michigan is always a noteworthy achievement. The players get their gold pants, the band members get gold pant patches for their jackets, and the students (and fans) get to celebrate the win. This win in particular left a weird feeling, though.

The Buckeyes ran the table and went undefeated, but had nothing besides that. While fans rushed onto the field at the end of the game, there was a bittersweet moment realized: you witnessed this team go undefeated and beat Michigan, but that’s it.

We’ll never know if the 2012 Ohio State team would’ve defeated Notre Dame in the national championship game. Better yet, if Ohio State did play for the national championship, they would’ve shut out one-loss Alabama.

Geoff Hammersley
Boren got the sack on Gardiner, and an appearance in the gameday poster

But we do know this: after one year at the helm, Urban Meyer had assembled an undefeated team. What lurked on the horizon, even by Ohio State standards, was unconscionable. One of the winningest four-year stretches in college football was now a quarter of the way done.

The lesson learned from the 2012 Ohio State season was this: Meyer was back, and Ohio State was better than ever before.

Quiz Time


We’ve covered all the moments from Ohio State’s 2012 undefeated season, now take the quiz.

The state of the college football world


• The SEC Championship was solidified with the Alabama Crimson Tide facing the Georgia Bulldogs. Whoever pulled out the win in Atlanta (spoiler: it was the Crimson Tide) would punch their ticket to Miami Gardens, accumulated. to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the National Championship.

• Montee Ball broke the NCAA career touchdown record at Penn State. Even though Ball’s Wisconsin Badgers lost to the Nittany Lions, they already clinched a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game.

• Johnny Manziel and his Texas A&M Aggies cruised past Missouri, 59-29. The win capped off a 10-2 year, and undoubtedly cemented the fact that Manziel was winning the Heisman Trophy as a freshman.

Current Events happening around The Game


• Fresh off a re-election campaign, President Barack Obama faces a potential fiscal cliff that is compounded by Bush-era tax cuts and a stimulus measure ending on New Year’s Eve.

• ‘Gangham Style’, the wildly famous song by Korean singer Psy, becomes the most viewed video on YouTube, surpassing Justin Bieber. At the time of Psy dethroning Bieber, ‘Gangham Style’ was being viewed roughly between 7 million and 10 million times per day, according to the LA Times.

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Idaho Vandals open with (Big Sky) victory over Montana State


Idaho running back Aaron Duckworth breaks away from Montana State’s Tre’von Strong for a touchdown during their season opener at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. Lewiston Tribune via Associated Press AP
Staff and wire reports

MOSCOW
Idaho junior quarterback Matt Linehan didn’t play as expected, and the Vandals failed to score in the second half of their opener against Montana State on Thursday night in the Kibbie Dome.

Didn’t matter.

Idaho is happy to be going to Washington on Sept. 10 with a 1-0 record.

Junior running back Aaron Duckworth ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns to help Idaho stave off a second-half charge from Montana State, winning 20-17 despite producing only a field goal after a 17-point first quarter.

The announced attendance for the season opener was 11,987.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/article99465647.html

Bowling Green-Ohio State, LSU-Wisconsin, and the rest of Week 1’s Big Ten college football bets, odds
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


While the Buckeyes will try to cover a four touchdown spread, the marquee matchup is LSU-Wisconsin at Lambeau Field

A couple Big Ten games kicked off on Thursday night which MC&J split, with Oregon State covering against Minnesota but Indiana ended up running away from Florida International in the second half.

Last year ATS: 108-105-4 (51-48-3 National, 57-57-1 B1G)

B1G games:


Hawaii v. No. 7 Michigan (-40.5) - 12:00 PM EST ESPN

I wouldn’t blame Hawaii if they don’t have any idea where they are at noon on Saturday. Last Friday night they were in Australia to take on California, and now they make the trek to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines. Nick Rolovich’s team didn’t show much to think they’ll be all that competitive against Michigan, but stranger things have happened in Michigan season openers. At least the 31 points Hawaii scored against Cal was their most against an FBS opponent since 2014, but they likely won’t come close to that against Jim Harbaugh’s squad

With 14 starters returning this year, expectations are high for the Wolverines. A starting quarterback hasn’t been named by Harbaugh for this contest, but it’s likely both Wilton Speight and John O’Korn will see time. Hawaii may be exhausted after all of the travel, but the spread still seems a touch high.

Michigan 45, Hawaii 17

Western Michigan v. Northwestern (-5) - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNU

After slumping to 5-7 records in 2013 and 2014, Northwestern got back on track last year as they tied a school record with 10 wins. The Wildcats got their season off to a strong start with a 16-6 win over Stanford in the season opener behind a defense that played lights out for most of the year. This year Northwestern starts the year against Western Michigan, and while the Broncos aren’t in the same class as Stanford, the Wildcats can’t afford to sleep on P.J. Fleck’s team.

The most notable return for Northwestern is running back Justin Jackson, who has rushed for 2,605 yards the past two seasons. Clayton Thorson was serviceable at quarterback as a redshirt freshman, but it was the defense who powered the Wildcats. Last year Northwestern only allowed five passing touchdowns, but they’ll be tested early by Western Michigan quarterback Zach Terrell and his favorite Corey Davis, who caught 90 passes for 1,446 yards last year.

Northwestern will need their defense to stand up in this one, because if Western Michigan can get their offense going they very well could pull the upset here. Luckily for Northwestern they have Pat Fitzgerald as their head coach so he’ll have the Wildcat defense ready. It might be tight most of the way, but Northwestern covers in the end.

Northwestern 28, Western Michigan 20

Rutgers v. No. 14 Washington (-26.5) - 2:00 PM EST - Pac-12 Network

Even with Chris Ash taking over as head coach, Rutgers is going to be so bad this year. Can Ash turn the Scarlet Knights around? I wouldn’t put it past him, but it’s going to take time. A trip to Seattle certainly doesn’t help things early on.

Washington found their stride at the end of the year, scoring at least 44 points in their last three games. After throwing 16 touchdowns last year, Jake Browning returns at quarterback for the Huskies, and so does Myles Gaskin, who ran for 1,302 yards last season.

With all the Washington touchdowns that are likely to happen, at least Janarion Grant will get to pad his career stats. Grant comes into the season with 2,411 kickoff return yards and two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

Washington 55, Rutgers 21

No. 5 LSU (-10.5) v. Wisconsin - 3:30 PM EST - ABC

A couple years ago these two teams squared off to open the season in Houston, and had it not been for Melvin Gordon disappearing in the second half, the Badgers might have taken down LSU. This year the scene will be Lambeau Field in Green Bay, but the contest might not be quite as close as the 28-24 game from 2014.

Not only does LSU have Leonard Fournette to hand the football off to, but during the offseason they hired Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to the same position. After seeing what Aranda did with the Badgers, it’s scary to imagine what he might be able to do with the talent LSU has on defense.

Fifth-year senior Bart Houston will be taking the snaps for the Badgers in the opener, but he’ll probably be under hefty pressure from the Tigers. I don’t think the Badgers are a bad team at all, but I think LSU is a couple notches above Wisconsin. It’s not a blowout, but LSU covers the number.

LSU 31, Wisconsin 17

Kent State v. Penn State (-22) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Bless your heart if you’re watching this game at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon, you’re most twisted than me. If there is any reason to watch this game it is to see if Saquon Barkley can do things like he did in his freshman year, where he ran for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns.

Kent State finished third in the MAC in defense last season, but their offense was non-existent. I don’t trust them to magically find their offense this year against what should be a stout Nittany Lion defense. New Penn State offensive coordinator will favor a no-huddle offense so I could see this one getting out of hand.

Penn State 44, Kent State 13

Miami (OH) v. No. 17 Iowa (-27.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPNU

Last year Iowa had a season for the ages, completing the regular season undefeated and narrowly missing a spot in the College Football Playoff after suffering a loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game. With a lot of talent coming back, as well as a manageable Big Ten schedule, I wouldn’t put it past Iowa to approach that level again this year.

Last year the RedHawks struggled to a 3-9 record, but at least head coach Chuck Martin has 10 starters returning on offense, so they’ll definitely be better this year than in Martin’s first two seasons, but that’s not saying much. Even with the returning starters, I’m not confident the RedHawks can crack Desmond King and Iowa’s tough defense. The high number does scare me a little bit but in this matchup I could see Iowa blowing out the RedHawks more than I see Miami keep it closer with the Hawkeyes.

Iowa 41, Miami (OH) 10

Fresno State v. Nebraska (-28.5) - 8:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

The honeymoon could very well be over for Tim DeRuyter at Fresno State. After amassing a 20-6 record in his first two years with the school, the Bulldogs have seen their record plummet to 9-17 the last two years. The 3-9 record for the Bulldogs last year was their worst since 1973.

What a strange first season at Nebraska it was for Mike Riley. The Cornhuskers beat Michigan State and topped UCLA in their bowl game, but still finished 6-7, which was only their third losing season since 1962. Six of the seven Nebraska were by eight points or less, which made Riley’s first year even that more difficult. Riley does have Tommy Armstrong Jr, Jordan Westerkamp, and Tyrell Newby returning so brighter days could soon be ahead for Riley and the Cornhuskers. Nebraska gets off to a strong start this season with a matchup with Oregon looming in a couple weeks.

Nebraska 52, Fresno State 20

Bowling Green v. No. 6 Ohio State (-28) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Finally the moment we all have been waiting for. How will Ohio State’s season opener play out? With only six starters returning from last year’s team that question isn’t as easily answered as in past years. At least the Buckeyes don’t have any questions to answer at quarterback with J.T. Barrett taking the snaps for the Buckeyes. What remains to be seen is if any of the wide receivers will be able to make a name for themselves early on and become Barrett’s favorite target.

Bowling Green has plenty to replace from last year’s offense that put up the third-most points in the FBS. Matt Johnson is gone after throwing 46 touchdowns last year, but James Knapke does have experience at quarterback, as he started 13 games for the Falcons when Johnson was injured in 2014. Bowling Green also loses their leading rusher and four of their top receivers from last year.

Can Ohio State cover this number? Certainly. I just don’t have much confidence in them doing so. They are definitely the better team than Bowling Green, but I could see a bit of a sluggish start due to the volume of new starters. With the way Bowling Green can move the football, even with the amount they lost on offense, I could see the Falcons putting together a couple late touchdowns to secure the cover if the Buckeyes have a big lead.

Ohio State 43, Bowling Green 24

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Buckeyes contact, offer four-star lineman from Florida - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes contact, offer four-star lineman from Florida
247Sports
... ** Lone Star love … The Buckeyes have a Class of 2017 commitment from one of the top prospects in the state of Texas: running back J.K. Dobbins. They also are making a strong push for defensive back Jeffrey Okudah and linebackers Baron Browning ...
Heat Check: New Buckeye Targets Emerge After A Pair of the ...Eleven Warriors

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MAC Power Bowling Green Will Try to 'Shock' Buckeyes - ABC News
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MAC Power Bowling Green Will Try to 'Shock' Buckeyes
ABC News
Bowling Green will be a four-touchdown underdog coming into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but new Falcons coach Mike Jinks said he welcomes the chance to "shock the world." If Jinks' squad can knock off the mighty Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium, it would be a ...
Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread?cleveland.com
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
Gameday+ | Recruiting watch: Buckeyes' 2017 class set to be a chart-topperColumbus Dispatch
Scarlet and Game -Eleven Warriors -Dayton Daily News
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Same place, new faces for 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


Are you a freshman or sophomore at Ohio State? If so, you’re probably playing tomorrow!

After eight long months of waiting, it’s finally here. No more preseason polls, fall camp speculation, or Jim Harbaugh pandering to every professional sports team in the country. Just honest to goodness regular season college football. In those eight months, much has changed for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Gone is the backbone of a program that’s finished a combined 38-4 the last three seasons, and brought home a national championship, a Big Ten championship, and a victory in the Fiesta Bowl in the process. That success has also paved the way for a pipeline of talent from Columbus to the NFL.

12 Buckeye names were called in the first four rounds of this season’s draft, leaving Ohio State the with one of the youngest, and most inexperienced teams in the country this season.

While it’s a bummer that we won’t get to watch Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa, Michael Thomas and co. dunk on Michigan again, 2016 provides the Buckeyes an opportunity to hit the reset button on the roster, and develop a whole new crop of stars with national title aspirations. It also allows us as fans to once again enjoy an experience that at times became tedious last season.

Are the Buckeyes likely to win the Big Ten and go to the College Football Playoff again? Who the hell knows. But it should be a pretty damn fun ride, starting tomorrow against Bowling Green. Ohio State football is back, everyone. Let’s enjoy it.

With that in mind, here are five things to watch for in the Buckeyes’ opener against the Falcons:

Our time is now


With the departure of 16 starters from last year’s team — many from the heralded 2013 recruiting class — the fate of the 2016 Buckeyes resides in the hands of the 2014 and 2015 recruiting classes.

Of the 51 players listed as offensive or defensive starters on this week’s depth chart, 29 come from those two classes, with 15 listed as either outright starters, or having the ‘OR’ distinction next to their name.

While a few — Raekwon McMillan, Curtis Samuel, and Sam Hubbard — are already household names, it’s mostly a group of players with backup experience. While that may sound like a negative, it certainly wasn’t for lack of talent.

It’s hard to see the field in a bigger role when the guys in front of you are not only great players, but also 1st-or-2nd day draft picks. That amount of high-end talent makes it unsurprising that last season’s starting rotation was pretty tight.

But with the stars of 2015 gone, players like Jayln Holmes, Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, Dante Booker and Noah Brown now have the opportunity to receive the lionshare of playing time.Each has shown promise at one point or another, and nearly all have the recruiting pedigree to turn promise into production.

The 2013 class has a case as the best in school history, but now it’s time to see what the players of 2014 and 2015 can accomplish. It just so happens that even under a new head coach, Bowling Green presents a good first test for the new-look Buckeyes.

Manning the trenches


Bowling Green’s offense exploded in 2015, ranking 11th in S&P+ behind one of the most devastating rushing attacks in the country. The Falcons weren’t a one trick pony, however, and complemented their ground attack with a solid passing game and the ability to efficiently move the ball, as well as generate big plays. Their success came at a price, however, as head coach Dino Babers took the Syracuse job, and the Falcons lose their starting quarterback, running back, and three of their top four receiving options from last season.

Enter new head coach Mike Jinks, who probably isn’t going to change much about the offense. Despite the losses, he’ll still have much to work with, starting with a physical offensive line that will test the Buckeyes’ ability to stop the run.

They bring back six players with 140 career starts along a line that finished last season 4th in adjusted line yards, 15th in stuff rate, and 36th in opportunity rate. Only Texas Tech ranked higher in rushing S&P+, which Jinks played a major part of as the Red Raiders’ running backs coach. Even with the loss of Greene, Jinks is sure to put running back Fred Coppet — who made the most of his touches last season — in a position to succeed behind a stellar offensive line.

This makes for an intriguing matchup with the Buckeyes defensive line, especially at tackle. Tracy Sprinkle, Michael Hill and the rest of the young Ohio State interior are likely to be tested often, and there’s a legitimate chance that Bowling Green pushes them around and has a big day on the ground. But, if they’re able to hold their own, it could be a very good sign of things to come this season, and also provide an inexperienced secondary needed help.

Falcons will fly


Ohio State’s secondary was awesome last season. The Buckeyes ranked in the top ten nationally in both yards per attempt, and completion percentage. Their sticky coverage allowed the front seven the freedom to attack, and tee off on opposing quarterbacks. For a school with rich history in the secondary, last season’s group has a place among the best. The problem is that most of those players are now in the NFL.

Between Vonn Bell, Eli Apple, and Tyvis Powell, the Silver Bullets not only lose a combined six interceptions and 20 passes broken up, but experience at an area where it’s a necessity:

Experience in the secondary is worth more than experience in the front seven. And it appears that the skill of being able to either pick off or bat down passes is far more difficult to replace than other skills.

Outside of Gareon Conley, Marshon Lattimore’s three passes defensed are all the production left from 2015’s secondary. The good news is that Malik Hooker looks like the real deal at safety, and nearly all the other players vying for time have were blue-chip recruits. It may take some time, but it’s a solid bet that multiple playmakers emerge. Until that happens, the new group will cut its teeth against capable passing attacks to begin the season, starting with Bowling Green.

A new quarterback and wide receiving corps should give the defense a bit of a break, but wideout Ronnie Moore is a proven playmaker, with the necessary quickness to give the secondary fits, much like Daniel Braverman did last year.

Despite working with new pieces, Jinks also knows a thing or two about throwing the ball given his background in Texas high school football and his three seasons spent at Texas Tech. Ultimately, it won’t be surprising if Bowling Green decides to test the young Buckeye secondary early and often, to complement their interior running game.

Sticking to your words


On this week’s podcast (Which you can now find at our sweet new soundcloud and iTunes pages) Matt Brown and I delved into Urban Meyer’s Monday press conference, in which he dropped a couple of interesting nuggets.

In response to a question about balance on offense, Meyer mentioned the idea of it being “50/50” between passing and running, before expanding on the topic further:

We'll know more obviously Saturday but we have depth at receiver. We have a returning quarterback that understands what we're trying to do. And at the end of the day it's 250, 250 is the perfect. And we've had some close to that, but last year it was imbalanced and we have to be very balanced.

In Meyer’s four seasons, Ohio State has achieved that sort of balance in 11 games; Three times in 2013, and 8 times in 2014, including their dominant three game postseason run to the national championship. It’s a lot to ask of an offense, but it’s possible to achieve. But let’s disregard the arbitrary number of 250, and assume Meyer’s bigger point may be as much about the threat of balance as the actual distribution of yardage.

When Ohio State’s offense was at its best in 2014, it attacked defenses from all angles. Both Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott were efficient and explosive runners, giving the Buckeyes the best rushing offense in the country.

Out wide, Michael Thomas, and Jalin Marshall were efficient targets for Barrett (and Cardale Jones) to keep the chains moving. What tied it all together was Devin Smith’s proficiency as a deep ball threat.

When defenses overcompensated against the run, it usually meant corners in one-on-one for Buckeye receivers. Smith punished them in response, stretching the field and preventing opposing coordinators from creeping safeties into the box too often.

That was not the case in 2015. Whether they were unwilling, or just unable to take deep shots last season, it was clear that the offensive threat that made the Buckeyes so dangerous the year before wasn’t present.

It remains to be seen if one of the new receivers can bring to the table what Smith did (we’ll get to that next), but they at least need a chance to do so. We heard Meyer mention balance a lot last season — which includes running Barrett less, another theme of the press conference — but a lot of times, the gameplan reverted back to the old “Braxton left, Braxton right” strategy, this time with Barrett and Elliott. While it was effective, Ohio State still was still held back by lack of a consistent passing game.

History indicates running the ball likely won’t be an issue, despite the loss of Elliott, but if Ohio State wants to reach that lofty 250/250 status, it’s going to fall on the passing game to hold up it’s end. They not only need receivers to step up, but also consistency from Barrett, and the willingness of the coaching staff to make it a possibility. Tomorrow is the first chance for Meyer make good on his words.

Don’t let me get in my zone (six)


So, who exactly will be playing at wide receiver tomorrow? Per Meyer’s call-in show, expect the playing time for ‘zone six’ to look like this:

• Noah Brown (starter)
• Parris Campbell (starter)
• Terry McLaurin
• Austin Mack
• James Clark
• KJ Hill

We’ve already seen what Brown and Campbell can do as blockers, and both figure to also be Barrett’s top efficiency options this season. Brown in particular has earned high marks for his play this offseason:

Kerry Coombs (cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator): "Noah Brown is a phenomenal player...He's back, so I'm not worried about last year. I'm on to this year. He's playing. He's going to be a great player. He's hard to cover. He's a big, strong buck who can catch the ball. He is a tough dude."

Keep a close eye on the receiver rotation behind them and how they are used. Are Mack, Hill and Clark used as deep threats? Is McLaurin given the chance to use his quickness and turn short passes into long gains?

As the season goes on and other players step up, injuries occur, etc. the rotation is sure to change, but Saturday provides a good litmus test as to how ready these young receivers are. If one can step up as a big play threat — starting against Bowling Green — it could unlock the missing piece to eventually becoming the balanced offense that last season’s team didn’t have.

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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 9/2/2016
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


Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!

#Supreme18



September 1st marked the beginning of the fall evaluation period for high school juniors, and it didn’t take long for college coaches to begin hitting up recruits social media. The Ohio State coaches were at the ready at their computers last night at 12:01. Bill Kurlic of Bucknuts has a breakdown of who contacted who last night ($).

Ohio State reached out to 5-star offensive tackle and Ohio star Jackson Carman last night.





The Buckeyes also reached out to Jaelen Gill, Palaie Gaoteote, Taron Vincent, Jeremy Ruckert, Leonard Taylor, Emory Jones, Anthony Cook, Dallas Gant, Mustapha Muhammad, Derrik Allen, Max Wright, Christian Tutt, Al Blades Jr. and Alex Reigelsperger.

The Buckeye coaches can not only direct message recruits on Twitter as often as they want during the contact period, but they can also make one phone call per week to the recruit as well. Expect 2018 recruiting to heat up as 2017 recruiting is starting to hit the home stretch. More and more 2018 prospects will start to receive offers and we will keep you updated on all of them here.

Buckeye WR Target Makes First Official to Nebraska:


If the Buckeyes decide to take another wide receiver in this class, I would expect Donovan Peoples-Jones to be one of the two they would possibly take, the other would be Jaylen Harris. Peoples-Jones has set up his first official visit and he will be in Lincoln this weekend while the Cornhuskers play host to the Bulldogs of Fresno State.



Peoples-Jones is a 5-star wide receiver out of Cass Tech in Michigan. Cass Tech has sent current Buckeyes Mike Weber and Joshua Alabi to the team, so there is certainly a connection between the programs. It has long been believed that he will make Michigan the school of choice when he makes his decision. Right now 80% of the crystal ball predictions are in for the Wolverines, while the Buckeyes hold down 8%.

Buckeye Commit on Hand this Weekend:


Maybe one of the lesser talked about recruits in the class of 2017 is Jerron Cage, the 4-star defensive tackle out of Winton Woods, Ohio. While he doesn’t get the fanfare that a Tate Martell, Trevon Grimes or Josh Myers gets, he is an important piece of the class of 2017. The Buckeyes have a definite need at defensive tackle and Cage along with Haskell Garrett look to fill that void for this recruiting class.

Cage spoke to Landof10 about his recruitment recently as many people have projected him to flip to Notre Dame because his older brother plays there currently.

“I’m pretty tired of hearing about (a potential flip),” Cage told Landof10. “I am committed. I have love for Notre Dame, but I am all Ohio State.”

He also stated that he would be on hand this weekend as the Buckeyes kick off their 2016 season against Bowling Green.

2019 Wide Receiver Offer:


Like we have said before, it is never to early to get started on the recruiting trail, and the Buckeyes are not waiting. Yesterday they offered 2019 wide receiver and current Tennessee commitment Kendrell Scurry out of Thompson’s Station, Tennessee.



Scurry committed to the Volunteers even though he only had that offer as well as one from Toledo at the time. He committed back in July and opted to shut down his recruitment before it even really began. He told SEC Country about the decision:

“Why wait when you know you found the right place?” the Thompson Station (Tenn.) Independence rising sophomore said. “I’m from Tennessee. I wanted to stay at home so my mom could come watch the games. I want to be the hometown hero.”

While there is a long way to go until the class of 2019 is able to sign a letter of intent, the Buckeyes will have to do some serious work if they want to pry Scurry away from the home town Volunteers.

The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 9/2/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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4 reasons Bowling Green football will beat the Ohio State Buckeyes: O-Line nightmares from 2014 - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


4 reasons Bowling Green football will beat the Ohio State Buckeyes: O-Line nightmares from 2014
cleveland.com
They're the members of Navy's starting defensive line that gave Ohio State's offensive line some real problems in the 2014 season opener. The point is that you don't need a line full of All-Americans to give an inexperienced offensive line fits. So ...
Mansfield relatives root for MJ, freshman OSU starterMansfield News Journal

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Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread?
cleveland.com
The part of the offense I'm most curious about for the Buckeyes is the red zone. J.T. Barrett the runner saved Ohio State there last season, as he became the red zone quarterback before he took the starting job back. But without Ezekiel Elliott, and ...
Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Bowling GreenDayton Daily News
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
The 3 most important Ohio State Buckeyes for 2016Land-Grant Holy Land
Scarlet and Game -MyDaytonDailyNews -Marion Star
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Tennessee was almost eliminated from the College Football Playoff in September: Buckeye Breakfast - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Tennessee was almost eliminated from the College Football Playoff in September: Buckeye Breakfast
cleveland.com
But when the teams went into overtime, that changed. Ohio State's season opener against Bowling Green on Saturday doesn't carry any playoff weight either. Unless, you know, the Buckeyes lose. Ohio State doesn't want to be sweating things out like the No.


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BM5: OSU dodge bullet with Kareem Walker? 'Game day eve' chatter - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: OSU dodge bullet with Kareem Walker? 'Game day eve' chatter
247Sports
And of course game day is almost upon us. The Buckeyes will kick off the 2016 season tomorrow against visiting Bowling Green, and we give our thoughts about the game, OSU's wide receivers and much more. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're ...


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BG Falcons Fly Back To Ohio Stadium For First Time Since 2006
Chip Minnich via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Embed from Getty Images​

The 2016 season is finally here. All of the prognostication within the various football preview magazines will be laid to the side. College football returns in all its glory and splendor in Ohio Stadium at 12pm EST, televised by The Big Ten Network, with Bowling Green taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes.

September 3rd is shaping up to be one of the best in terms of overall quality games ~ Oklahoma takes on Houston. UCLA travels to Texas A&M. LSU will venture to the not-so frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to play Wisconsin. Alabama and USC highlight the prime time contest on Saturday night.

Personally, I believe Ohio State is taking on a perfect opponent in Bowling Green. Yes, playing a high-profile opponent is appealing, but Bowling Green is a decent team that will challenge this very talented but very inexperienced Ohio State squad. In my estimation, this is the kind of opponent that is just what the doctor ordered.

Bowling Green is no stranger to Ohio Stadium, having played in 1992, 1997, 2003, and 2006. While the 1997 and 2006 games were comfortable wins for the Buckeyes, the 1992, and especially the 2003 games, were not. Urban Meyer left Bowling Green for Utah prior to the 2003 season, but left behind a talented team that outplayed the Buckeyes in every respect except the final score. Urban Meyer will be preaching that message to every member of his coaching staff and team leading up to this contest. Bowling Green defeated Indiana in 2014, and won on the road at Maryland and at Purdue in 2015. Ohio State cannot, and should not, take Bowling Green lightly.

There are three distinct areas I will be focusing upon when toe meets leather in Ohio Stadium at 12pm…

1. Ohio State LT Jamarco Jones ~ Jones won the starting left tackle position coming out of spring practice. A highly-touted recruit, Jones has played sparingly in 2014 and 2015, and was groomed to replace Taylor Decker at this spot. How will Jones do at protecting quarterback J.T. Barrett’s blind side?
2. Ohio State WR Noah Brown ~ Brown returns to action for the first time since the 2014 season. While Brown was the talk of fall camp in 2015, Ohio State fans should be excited to see if Brown can live up to the expectations that have built up over the past year.
3. The rebuilt Ohio State secondary ~ Gareon Conley returns at one cornerback, but all of the other players listed on the depth chart for Bowling Green will be making their first start. With a Bowling Green offense that will be throwing the football early and often, led by experienced quarterback James Knapke, how well the Ohio State secondary covers and tackles will be of paramount interest.

Ohio State has listed eighteen freshmen on its initial depth chart. This is a young team, but as former Ohio State head coach John Cooper liked to say, “If a dog is going to bite you, it will bite you as a pup…”. While there may be some mistakes made, look for this team to fly around on the field and to wreak havoc. Bowling Green will keep it interesting for a while, but Ohio State’s superior speed and depth will be too much for the Falcons in the second half. I have it Ohio State 42, Bowling Green 17.

The post BG Falcons Fly Back To Ohio Stadium For First Time Since 2006 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State vs. Bowling Green 2016: Game preview, prediction, and 6 things to know
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


In 2001 Urban Meyer got his head coaching start at Bowling Green. Now his Buckeyes open up the season against the Falcons.

Coming off of their best four-year stretch in school history, Ohio State looks to continue their success under Urban Meyer when they kick off the 2016 season on Saturday at Ohio Stadium against Bowling Green. Expectations for the Buckeyes in 2015 were sky-high after Ohio State was named the first unanimous number one ranked team in the history of the Preseason AP Top 25 poll. Had it not been for a 17-14 loss to Michigan State in November, the Buckeyes might have been able to live up to the hype last season. Ohio State quickly rebounded from the loss by beating Michigan 42-13 in Ann Arbor and Notre Dame 44-28 in the Fiesta Bowl to close out the season.

While not quite as much is expected from Ohio State this year, expectations around the Buckeye State are still high. Ohio State comes into this season as the sixth ranked team in the country, and are still a pretty popular pick to end up making the College Football Playoff. The youth of the Buckeyes will be tested early in the year when they travel to Oklahoma in a couple weeks, but before that they’ll get home games against Bowling Green and Tulsa to get their feet under them.

In his first four years at Ohio State, Urban Meyer has amassed a ridiculous 50-4 record as head coach. Currently Meyer has the highest win percentage among active FBS coaches, registering a 154-27 win percentage, which translates to a 85% win percentage. Meyer started his head coaching career in northwest Ohio, heading up the Bowling Green program for two years before heading off to Utah. Prior to Meyer’s arrival at Bowling Green, the Falcons hadn’t had a winning season in six years. Meyer kicked started the program, putting together a 17-6 record over the two seasons he was with the school. Including the two years Meyer was at the helm, Bowling Green has registered at least eight wins in nine of the last 15 seasons.

As he squares off against the team he dipped his toe in the head coaching waters with, Meyer will be up against Bowling Green’s new head coach. After two seasons at Bowling Green in which he put together a 18-9 record, Dino Babers took over as the head coach at Syracuse. Babers’ replacement is Mike Jinks, who was a high school football coach in Texas just a few years ago. Jinks was the running backs coach for Texas Tech under Kliff Kingsbury the past three years, and last year had assistant head coach added to his job title.

Not only will Jinks have the task of trying to follow up the best season in school history, but for he also has to try to find a way to stop Ohio State on Saturday. In 2015 Bowling Green scored 82 touchdowns and was third amongst FBS teams with 591 points. Last season Matt Johnson threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 46 touchdowns in his senior season, as Bowling Green won their second MAC Championship Game in the last three years. Not only do the Falcons have to replace Johnson, but they also lose four of their top five receivers from last year.

Luckily for Jinks he does a “new” quarterback with some experience. After Johnson was lost for the year due to injury in the 2014 season opener, James Knapke started the final 13 games of the year and led Bowling Green to their first bowl victory since 2004. Knapke didn’t put up number as crazy as some of Johnson’s, but still finished the year with 3,173 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Knapke’s highlight game came in a win against Indiana, where his 73 passing attempts and 46 completions were both single-game school records.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


A culture of winning. It’s easy to think that Ohio State is going to fall off this season, especially when they have to replace the talent they lost from the 2015 season. Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa, and Michael Thomas are just a few of the names that won’t be on the field this year for the Buckeyes. Ohio State returns just six starters from last years team, which is the lowest number amongst the 128 FBS teams. This marks the first time in which Urban Meyer during his head coaching career that Urban Meyer has entered a season with less than eight starters returning.

What Ohio State has going for them is that even though they have an unprecedented number of starters to replace, most of the players stepping into those starter roles have been a part of the recent run of success by the Buckeyes. Most of the Buckeyes on Ohio State’s two-deep depth chart have been with the program for at least a year, so they know exactly what Urban Meyer and the coaching staff expect from them, and how they need to perform on the field.

It also helps that those players that are expected to step up this season have been able to learn over the past few years from the likes of Elliott, Bosa, and the other Buckeyes who are now honing their craft in the NFL. While there is expected to be a learning curve with new starters like Mike Weber, Dante Booker, and others, it might not take quite as long for them to become comfortable on the field since they have had great teaching and are so talented.

King Barrett. Ohio State might be very green on offense, but what will likely make up for that is they have J.T. Barrett back behind center. It has been quite the whirlwind for Barrett the last couple years, but now he is the undisputed starting quarterback for the Buckeyes. In 2014 Barrett was thrust into the starting quarterback role for Ohio State when Braxton Miller reinjured his shoulder prior to the season. All Barrett did was lead Ohio State to a 10-1 record before he was injured in the regular season finale against Michigan.

Miller switch to wide receiver prior to the 2015 season, but Barrett wasn’t able to beat out Cardale Jones for the starting quarterback job. Barrett ended up starting five of the last six games of the year for the Buckeyes, accounting for 13 touchdowns over that span. Ohio State’s offense responded to the change in quarterback, putting up at least 40 points in three of those five starts.

With Jones now in the NFL, Barrett knows all the pressure lies on his shoulders if the Buckeyes have any designs on making it back to the College Football Playoff. Even though he doesn’t have playmakers like Elliott, Thomas, and Miller at his disposal, Ohio State’s offense should be in good hands with the versatility Barrett brings to the team at quarterback. Barrett’s ability to run the football should be able to take some of the pressure off Mike Weber early on, but also won’t allow teams to stack the box since the redshirt junior quarterback can get things done with his arm as well. Barrett’s poise and leadership in the pocket should help to erase some of the questions about the group of new starters he’ll have at wide receiver.

Pour on the pressure. They lost three starters from last year’s team, but the defensive line just might be the most talented unit Ohio State has this year. It’s impossible to truly replace players like Joey Bosa and Adolphus Washington, but the Buckeyes do have a number of players who have already seen plenty of time on the field. Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, and Jayln Holmes will all be called upon to create pressure from their end positions, while Michael Hill and Tracy Sprinkle will be counted on to clog the middle of the line.

Last year as a redshirt sophomore, Tyquan Lewis led Ohio State with eight sacks, and finished with 14 tackles for loss, just two behind team leader Joey Bosa. Lewis has plenty of experience after starting all 13 games for the Buckeyes last year, and ranking second among Ohio State defensive linemen with 731 snaps. With Bosa now gone, Lewis could see some extra attention from opponents, which could help to free up Sam Hubbard on the other end. While Hubbard didn’t see quite as much time on the field as Lewis, he was still very important to the Ohio State defense, racking up 6.5 sacks during the 2015 season. Hubbard held his own in the season opener against Virginia Tech last year when called upon to replace Bosa, who was suspended for the game.

Bowling Green will have three starters back on the offensive line from their 2015 team, but they suffered a major blow before the season when All-MAC left tackle Jacob Bennett was injured for the season. Look for Ohio State to try to exploit Bennett’s replacement not only with Lewis, Hubbard, and Holmes, but talented true freshmen Nick Bosa and Jonathan Cooper could see time on the field for the Buckeyes on Saturday.

Bowling Green’s biggest advantages


Big Ten tested. Sure the competition isn’t quite like what they’ll face on Saturday, but Bowling Green does have a few recent wins against the Big Ten to hang their hat on. The Falcons played four Big Ten teams over the past two seasons, winning three of those four matchups. Bowling Green took down Indiana 45-42 at Doyt Perry Stadium in September 2014, but then fell to Wisconsin 68-17 the next week in Madison. Last year the Falcons demolished Maryland 48-27 in College Park, and followed that up with a 35-28 win against Purdue a couple weeks later. The two Big Ten wins last year were more than Maryland, Rutgers, and Purdue were able to earn, and tied the amount Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana put up.

With over 100,000 people packing Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the atmosphere will certainly be different from what Bowling Green is used to, but the Falcons were strong on the road in 2015. Bowling Green played six true road games in 2015, winning all of them, including wins at Maryland and Purdue. The Falcons know they aren’t going to get any of college football’s national powers to come to Doyt Perry Stadium, so they have to hit the road to try and make a name for themselves, and lately it has been working.

Secondary to none. Bowling Green had their issues on defense last year, allowing over 40 points in all four of their losses, but they did have some bright spots along the way. The Falcons were able to intercept 20 passes last year, which ranked eighth amongst FBS teams. This year will see most of the players accounting for those interceptions returning, most notably cornerback Alfonso Mack, who picked off six passes last year.

The Falcons will have to replace starting safeties Eilar Hardy and Dernard Turner from last year’s squad, but their new defensive coordinator Perry Eliano was the safeties coach for UT-San Antonio the past five years, so the transition for the new safeties Bowling Green will employ could be a little quicker than normal. The secondary could also get some help from the linebackers in pass coverage, as James Sanford broke up eight passes last year and grabbed an interception, while Austin Valdez broke up five passes and had two picks of his own.

Nothing to lose. Despite their success over recent years, there isn’t a whole lot expected from Bowling Green in this contest. It’s hard to blame the prognosticators since Bowling Green had to replace their coaching staff, quarterback, running back, as well as a number of talented wide receivers from last year’s team. The pressure will all be on Ohio State since they’re opening up the season at home and are expected to be a contender for the College Football Playoff this season.

This could allow for the Falcons to open things up a little more and take some added risks during the game. If Bowling Green loses, no big deal. But if they can play loose and keep things close they could find themselves putting a little doubt in the heads of the young Buckeyes. A strong showing at Ohio Stadium could give Bowling Green some added confidence the rest of the season, as they try and win their third MAC title in the last four seasons.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 39, Bowling Green 20

Win Probability: Ohio State 86%

It seems unlikely that Bowling Green will win this contest, but the numbers have them having a good shot to cover the point spread, which has Ohio State as 28-point favorites. Even with their youth, Ohio State is just too talented for Bowling Green to likely keep pace in this one.

J.T. Barrett will be able to provide the steadying hand for the Buckeyes at quarterback, while linebacker Raekwon McMillan will be over the field on defense in this one as they open up their 2016 with a win over their in-state foe. The score won’t be quite as close as the 24-17 game these two teams played in 2003, but Ohio State will improve to 5-0 against the Falcons.

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Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for takeoff against Bowling Green Falcons: Crowquill - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for takeoff against Bowling Green Falcons: Crowquill
cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Buckeyes open the 2016 season Saturday at Ohio Stadium against the Bowling Green Falcons of the Mid-American Conference. Every year, a MAC team seems to come from nowhere to either beat or put a good scare into a Top 20 ...
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
How Will The 2017 Buckeyes Class Finish Up?Scarlet and Game
Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Bowling GreenDayton Daily News
Bleacher Report -Land-Grant Holy Land -MyDaytonDailyNews
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BuckeyeNation27 said:

Harbaugh can't stomp his feet and hold his breath over him going to Rutgers?

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......'course it's ten minutes till Judy....yeah....


He's busy

Editorial: Buckeye fever hasn't cooled - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Editorial: Buckeye fever hasn't cooled
Columbus Dispatch
While doing some research for the Dispatch Sports Department this week, Dispatch librarian and historian Linda Deitch ran across a Dispatch editorial from Sept. 23, 1955, anticipating the opening game of the Buckeyes football season the following day.

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