Column: Big Ten needs to stop letting Notre Dame have its cake and eat it too
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Irish need to join up or get lost for good.

Notre Dame is the F-Boi of college football.

Hear me out.

Thanks to their lucrative media rights deal, the Fighting Irish have no incentive to join a conference. And yet, they get all the perks of high-profile matchups with Big Ten and ACC teams while avoiding any of the real commitments required for membership. Yes, they have a unique arrangement with the ACC, but it still doesn’t require them to actually join a conference.

If one of my friends were dating Notre Dame in real life, I’d lovingly pat her hand and say, “He’s just not that into you.” So this is me metaphorically patting the Big Ten’s hand.

The Big Ten is basically a Notre Dame booty call, and it’s time that we as a conference stop answering. Notre Dame needs to make the relationship Facebook official or hit the road for good.

I recognize that there are perks to playing Notre Dame — they have a huge and very loyal fan following (which, as we all know, equals big dollar signs), and there are historic rivalries against some Big Ten teams. In all reality, NBC — who owns both the Notre Dame media rights deal and has a partnership with the Big Ten — probably wouldn’t be too keen on the conference putting a complete kibosh on matchups with the Irish, but the B1G should do it anyway.

With the shift to NCAA superconferences seeming more and more likely, Notre Dame needs to make some decisions about where they’re going to fall; and the major conferences need to force their hand a bit — why are we letting them have their cake and eat it too?

With the recent addition of USC (a long-time Notre Dame rival) and UCLA to the Big Ten conference, who will join us from the Pac-12 in 2024, talks have turned to Notre Dame following suit. The Big Ten, for its part, claims to be in a “pause period,” but I don’t believe for a second that if Notre Dame wanted to join, they wouldn’t make it work, especially since there are two years to work out any kinks.

The push to get Notre Dame to join the conference is nothing new. Talks of them joining the Big Ten have circulated for decades, and the school considered an offer to join the conference in 1999 before backing out at the 11th hour.

This time, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren needs to draw a line in the sand with the Fighting Irish — get on board now or say goodbye to Big Ten opponents during the regular season.

As the realignment of college football continues to take shape, Notre Dame can either play the long game and make some major decisions about its future with the Big Ten now, or they can call the ACC or SEC later.

ND already plays the majority of its games against the ACC, but they rely on the high-profile matchups against Big Ten schools (and soon-to-be Big Ten schools) to boost their strength of schedule and financial bottom line. On the other hand, the difficulty of an SEC schedule would likely leave them lying on the field needing CPR. So the time is now for the Big Ten to play its cards right and show ND who has the upper hand.

There would be a lot for the Fighting Irish to celebrate by way of tradition, rivalries, geographic perks, strength of schedule, and a much bigger media rights deal by joining the Big Ten. And perhaps, they have more to lose if the conference issued an ultimatum: Sign a deal with the conference or no more Big Ten matchups.

Here’s what’s at stake for the Fighting Irish if the Big Ten took the hard line:

• Historic rivalries: Goodbye, Notre Dame-Michigan. See ya later, Notre Dame-USC. No more Buckeye matchups. Even lesser rivalries with Michigan State or Purdue would be a loss for ND. And Stanford, another regular opponent of theirs, could also potentially end up shifting to the Big Ten, so that could be an added cost.
• Brand power: There’s no question that Notre Dame is a historic program with a rabid fan base. The Big Ten offers the history and tradition that ND fans have come to expect from their school, and it would be a good fit for their brand and image, certainly more than the ACC would be, especially where football is concerned (though considerations would need to be made around Olympic sports). The brand power of the Big Ten could be especially beneficial come playoff time as final decisions are made around seeding, especially if the playoff is expanded from its current four-team format.
• A national stage to boost recruiting: Look at the hype around this Saturday’s game. If Notre Dame hangs in there even a little bit, that’s a major showcase for them that will benefit their ability to recruit on a national level. If we take that away by refusing to play them, it could be costly.

Notre Dame stands to lose in the long run if the Big Ten starts courting other schools for expansion instead. While NBC is encouraging the conference to play nice with the Irish, we need to stop giving away our power and tell the Fighting Irish once and for all — join us now or your luck may just run out.

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You’re Nuts: Who scores the first touchdown of the season for Ohio State?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

We made it! It’s finally game week! This year has the possibility of being a special year for the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the first game of the season will allow us to see where the Buckeyes stand. While Ohio State has had some interesting season-openers over the years, this has the possibility of being one of the most memorable openers in school history.

What is always interesting is to see which player scores the first touchdown of the year. Does the first touchdown predict how the season is going to go? Not at all. It’s just fun to see who gets the honors of scoring the first touchdown of the year, especially if Ohio State goes on to win a national title.

It doesn’t take very much skill to predict who is going to be the first Buckeye to score a touchdown this year. Ohio State could break their drought and return the opening kickoff of the year for a touchdown. Maybe Denzel Burke picks off a pass and takes it for six. Maybe Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson find a way to work out a play for an offensive lineman to score. Anything is possible!

In 2014, Ohio State’s first touchdown was scored by Darron Lee when he returned a fumble against Navy in the third quarter. Lydell Ross scored a two-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter of the 2002 opener against Texas Tech. Lately, the trend has been towards running touchdowns, as the last three seasons have seen rushing scores as the first touchdowns of the year. Miyan Williams broke a huge run last year in the first game of the season against Minnesota to open up the campaign.

Today’s question: Who will score Ohio State’s first touchdown of the 2022 season?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: Marvin Harrison Jr.


If we had asked which Buckeye would score the first Ohio State touchdown of the Rose Bowl, I would have been the winner had I picked Marvin Harrison Jr., as the wide receiver hauled in a 25-yard touchdown in the second quarter of “The Granddaddy of Them All”. Harrison went on to score three touchdowns in one of the wildest Ohio State games that I have ever seen.

TreVeyon Henderson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and a number of others are all solid choices. Who knows, we could even get C.J. Stroud scrambling into the end zone just to get back at everyone that last year questioned his ability and desire to run the football when needed.

So why did I go with Harrison? One reason is because I’m doing college football fantasy football this year, and I drafted Stroud and Harrison, so I’m hoping the duo hooks up for scores early and often throughout the season. Also, Smith-Njigba is going to get so much attention and coverage, it could open things up for Harrison and some of the other receivers. Plus, Harrison’s big frame is quite an inviting target for Stroud in the end zone.

Meredith’s answer: TreVeyon Henderson


Ohio State has so many options for the first touchdown of the year (and that’s not even considering dark horse options, like a defensive or special teams touchdown or, perhaps even more farfetched, a run from C.J. Stroud for a score).

I’m going to continue with the theme of recent years and go with a rushing touchdown, this time from running back TreVeyon Henderson. The true sophomore wasn’t solidly on our radar this time last year, but he broke his way into the starting role, and our hearts, just a few games into the 2021 season.

Now, even with the strength in the passing game, it feels like Ohio State will still work to establish the run early. The receivers on the edge, though enormously talented (seriously, so talented) have seen more limited action than Henderson. Handing the ball off to Henderson and getting the running game rolling also serves to take pressure off Stroud.

The matchup is also there for Henderson. In particular, the Buckeyes will be working to catch Notre Dame’s elite edge rushers off guard. While the Fighting Irish will be looking for ways to catch Stroud, it should open up the run in the middle for Henderson behind a bolstered offensive line.

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Column: The Buckeyes won’t crumble under pressure this season and this is why
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This season is one of the most highly anticipated in history for Buckeye football, but I’m confident that they will shine in the spotlight.

We’re almost there, folks. The moment we’ve been waiting for since Jan. 2. One of the greatest season openers in Ohio State history is just four days away, and with that comes an extreme amount of pressure. In fact, this entire season comes with a lot of pressure. Will the Buckeyes live up to expectations?

In my 20 years of life, I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for an Ohio State football season, nor have I heard this much chatter about a team. The talent is there. A revamped defense is there. An embarrassment of riches on offense? Oh yeah, that is most certainly there. There is no limit to how much success this team can experience. They could go undefeated and end the season with a ring and a Heisman finalist.

That’s the thing. It is almost expected that the Buckeyes win the Natty, have multiple Heisman finalists and one of them ending up hoisting it, a Biletnikoff winner (JSN) and Doak Walker award winner (TreVeyon Henderson). Plus, Jim Knowles put out there that he expects his defense to be top five in the nation after experiencing struggles last year. That’s a lot.

Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Accomplishing all of this is very feasible in my mind. As long as the team stays healthy and plays their game, not getting caught up in all of the hype, there is honestly no reason why these expectations can’t be met.

The common answer all offseason for these players has been to go 15-0 and win the national championship. These guys are extremely selfless. You haven’t heard one peep from Stroud talking about how he wants to win the Heisman, or the individual statistics that JSN or Henderson hope to reach. This team is all in, for each other — and I think that is the difference maker.

Last year, the team was obviously very talented. While the defense wasn’t the greatest, it was still a historic team. Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson did provide some veteran leadership, but it was a fairly young squad. Stroud and Henderson were both starters for the first time, JSN was breaking into his role, and the defense was pretty inexperienced.

Now, with a year of playing with each other under their belts, I see this season turning out very differently. From the Rose Bowl alone, it’s obvious that Stroud meshes well with all of his receivers. Clearly he demonstrated that with JSN all year long, but it was great to see him, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming connect so well, even though it was their first time playing together in starting roles.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

With the quarterback and the receivers comfortable with each other and the running back room probably being the best one-two punch in the nation, the offense is looking 100% solid. That leaves it up to the defense to ensure the team is completely qualified to make it all the way to the second week of January.

I got a good feeling about the D. Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are going to be absolutely unreal as the bookends on the line. Sawyer has majorly bulked up in the offseason, and now with both of them in their second year, they have to feel more confident in their positions.

The secondary is looking mighty fine with the returns of Denzel Burke and Ronnie Hickman as well as the additions of transfer Tanner McCalister and freshman Sonny Styles. The linebacker room is also improved, with five-star recruit C.J. Hicks joining the team (finally— it’s been a long time coming) and Steele Chambers working with Knowles.

This is an experienced team, guided by one of the best coaching staffs in the nation. They weren’t satisfied with last year’s finish and are hungry to win it all this season. I don’t think anything, not even the amount of pressure they are under, will cause them to falter.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 30, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ask LGHL: Will the offensive line be nasty enough to convert on 3rd and short?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


Ohio State 17.5-point favorites over Notre Dame
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Notre Dame offensive lineman Jarrett Patteson ‘questionable’ for Ohio State game
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Ryan Day Tells 97.1 The Fan “The Urgency’s Gonna Be Here” for Top-Five Matchup with Notre Dame
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors




Presser Bullets: Marcus Freeman Excited to Play “Great Team” in “Hostile Environment,” Not Focused on Coaching Against Alma Mater
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Marcus Freeman Pulls Inspiration from Jim Tressel in Head Coaching Role
Jack Emerson, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

What Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman said about Ohio State to start game week
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Marcus Freeman ‘emotionless’ about return to Ohio State
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Gonna be one hell of a season for C.J.


Five Things to Know About Notre Dame Before Its Season Opening Top-Five Clash with Ohio State
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Three Big Storylines as Buckeyes open title hunt with top-five matchup (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Five Questions as Buckeyes set for Notre Dame clash (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Film Study: What does Notre Dame’s Tyler Buchner bring to the quarterback position?
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land


Most interesting betting odds for Ohio State heading into 2022 season
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts


Troy Smith’s Charity Auction Inspired by Personal Struggles with Mental Health, Desire to Give Back to Ohio State
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Sonny Styles role unclear but work-ethic, football IQ impressing Buckeyes
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes

Emeka Egbuka gearing up for breakout sophomore season with Buckeyes (paywall)
Tim May, Lettermen Row

This dude really is the best!


B1G Thoughts: The case for Nebraska to fire Scott Frost
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land

You’re Nuts: Which non-Ohio State game are you most excited for in Week 1?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Chatman, James to visit; Swain set to decide; Sueing ready to go?
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Happy Birthday, DT!


The more things change, the more things stay more or less the same.

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Olympic Recap: Women’s Volleyball Falls to Texas, Women’s Ice Hockey Adds Associate Coach
Braden Moles, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Field Hockey: Ohio State Improves to 2-0 On the Season; Tops UAlbany, 3-0
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes Bounce Mustangs 3-0 in Wolstein Classic Finale
Gaurav Law, The Lantern

Men’s Gymnastics: Buckeyes Seventh on the 2022 CGA Team Academic List
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


Is this going to be the best movie ever or the greatest movie ever?

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Silver Bullets Podcast: Notre Dame Preview
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

A recap of Week 0 and a preview of Week 1.


An Ohio State game week is finally upon us, and the matchups of iconic college football programs don’t get much bigger than Ohio State vs. Notre Dame. This is a massive game from many standpoints — the College Football Playoff picture, recruiting, Midwest bragging rights, etc. — and we can’t wait to see how it unfolds in the Horseshoe.

Before we got to our Notre Dame talk, Chip Minnich and I spent some time discussing the recently launched Ohio State NIL club and what that might mean going forward. We also walked through the “Week 0” results in the Big Ten, particularly the Nebraska meltdown in Ireland against the Northwestern Wildcats. Despite being a guy named Frost, Nebraska’s coach has perhaps the hottest seat in college football. After chatting about what went wrong for the Cornhuskers and the many areas they just simply weren’t good enough on Saturday, we touched on the Illinois opener against Wyoming. We also previewed the upcoming B1G slate that’s scheduled during the work week.

To help us prepare for Saturday, we brought in special guest Brendan McAlinden, a staff writer and podcast co-host over at SBNation’s One Foot Down, which covers Notre Dame. Brendan fills us in on what we can expect from the Fighting Irish on Saturday night. We would have appreciated him being on the show even if he had power, but he didn’t, so kudos to Brendan for finding a workaround with his phone’s personal wifi hotspot just to join our Zoom call. We also appreciate how much statistical homework he did when figuring out what Notre Dame has to do to pull an upset at Ohio Stadium.

Resuming our preview of Week 1, we talked about Jim Harbaugh’s unorthodox approach to his starting quarterback battle to start the year, although it probably won’t have too much of an effect given Michigan’s competition in the non-conference schedule. We walked through the rest of the Saturday slate before getting into the Buckeyes and the Irish.

Chip and I made our “picks to click,” selecting one player each on offense and defense who we think will have a big impact on the game. We also made our score predictions for the big showdown in the Shoe. Let us know what we got right or wrong in the comments section below!

We’ll see you next week, when we’ll check in on how we did with our predictions and picks to click and prepare for the Buckeyes’ next game against Arkansas State.

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2025 four-star safety to visit for Ohio State-Notre Dame
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2025 four-star safety DJ Pickett via @DJPICKETT5 on Twitter

Game week is finally upon us, and the visitor list for the Ohio State home opener versus Notre Dame continues to grow.

Game week officially kicked off yesterday, and Ohio State football on the near horizon is a sight for sore eyes for all of Buckeye Nation. While most of the attention this week will focus on the current team as it prepares for Saturday’s game against the Irish, recruiting never stops for Ohio State.

2025 four-star safety to visit Ohio State this weekend


The ‘Shoe will be full Saturday with hundreds of thousands of fans for the Buckeyes’ home opener. However, fans will not be the only ones in attendance, as Ryan Day and the Ohio State football team will also be playing host to a ridiculously long list of recruits. The list of prospects visiting this weekend continues to grow on the daily, and this occurred again on Monday.

2025 four-star safety DJ Pickett of Tampa, Florida (Zephyrhills) took to Twitter Monday to share that he has added his name to the list of visitors Saturday.


While Pickett is still years away from making any collegiate decisions, he is far from unfamiliar with the Buckeyes. The program offered the blue-chip safety on April 28, and has since camped with the team. Although, the prior visits went as well as possible, they will not be able to compete with the atmosphere that will be present Saturday night in Ohio Stadium.

Ohio State is not alone it its pursuit of Pickett. The rising safety has already received more than 30 scholarship offers from some of the top programs across the nation including the likes of, Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, etc.

Pickett has also been able to take multiple visits to some of the above schools. Arizona State was the first to get involved but teams like Ohio State, Michigan State, Florida State, Florida and Texas A&M appear to have the early edge.

Despite only two years of high school football under his belt, Pickett has shown elite-level potential at safety. There are no 247Sports Composite Rankings yet for the 2025 class, but Pickett is viewed as a four-star prospect in 247Sports own rankings and is viewed as one of the best prospects in thew entire class.

Pickett is the No. 2 safety according to 247Sports and is the No. 10 overall prospect. He is also viewed as the No. 2 prospect in the talent-rich state of Florida.

Quick Hits

• 2023 four-star defensive end Desmond Umeozulu unsurprisingly committed to South Carolina Monday. He chose the Gamecocks over Ohio State, North Carolina and Pitt. Ohio State is still heavily involved in recruiting fellow 2023 DE’s Damon Wilson, Matayo Uiagalelei and Keon Keeley. Of the trio, Uiagalelei looks to be the closest to committing to the Buckeyes. Keeley was once committed to Notre Dame but recently de-committed from the Irish and is expected to take an official visit to Ohio State this weekend.

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Ask LGHL: Will the offensive line be nasty enough to convert on 3rd and short?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

Question: Can the Ohio State offensive line be tough enough to let running backs pick up yards in high-pressure situations?


There has been a lot of discussion during this offseason about whether or not the Ohio State football team was soft last season; whether or not they were a finesse team.

Now, I am certainly never going to tell a group of 100+ grown men that could all easily break me in half that they were soft, but that has certainly been the consensus around the college football world, at least in relation to the other teams at the top of the sport.

So, for the first Ask LGHL column of a 2022 game week, we are looking at whether or not the Ohio State offensive line can reverse that trend thanks to overlapping questions from TJ, John, and J.


We all know that last season saw the Buckeyes lead the country in yards and points, but despite those lofty rankings, they only managed to come in at 47th in rushing yards per game — they were third in passing ypg.

With a passing attack as prolific as the one led by C.J. Stroud, the running game deficiencies were most evident in short-yardage, high-pressure situations; third and fourth downs against the better teams on OSU’s schedule. While Ohio State was second in the country on third-down conversions in 2021 (52.6%), they were 46th on fourth down (57.89%). Of course, the Buckeyes threw the ball in these situations quite a bit, so that throws off the data fairly significantly.

So while improving the toughness of the offensive line will certainly give Ryan Day more flexibility in short-yardage situations — especially against higher-quality opponents — there are better ways to evaluate last year’s deficiencies.

As a whole, Ohio State’s running backs ran the ball 196 times between the tackles for an average of 5.5408 yards per carry. That is more or less that OSU averaged as a whole for the season. In 2021, the Buckeyes put up 5.5414 yards per carry, which was third in the country. Of course, those overall numbers include quarterback yardage, including the 133 yards given up on sacks.

But, if QB totals didn’t really bring down the overall rushing average, what was the counterbalance to those negative plays? The answer would be outside of the tackles. Last year, Ohio State ran for 1,344 yards on 114 attempts inside the tackles according to Pro Football Focus. These rushes, including jet sweeps, end-arounds, and reverses, resulted in an 11.79 ypc average.



Obviously, anytime you can get skill position players as dynamic as the Buckeyes have out in space, you are going to see incredible results. So the question is, will Ohio State be able to improve the interior blocking enough to create a little less separation between the between-the-tackle and outside-the-tackles running? We will see.

Going into the season opener against Notre Dame, the offensive line is one of the most solidified units on the team, with virtually no changes since the end of the Rose Bowl in January, and — as far as we know — no one dealing with substantial injuries.

We should all be shocked if anyone other than Dawand Jones (RT), Matt Jones (RG), Luke Wypler (C), Donovan Jackson (LG), and Paris Johnson Jr. (LT) anchor the offense on OSU’s first series on Saturday. This is a fairly experienced line, but thanks to a new offensive line coach (and running game coordinator) in Justin Frye, guys are finally back playing their natural positions.

Wypler and Dawand Jones started last year and will return to their respective center and right tackle positions. Johnson will move back to left tackle after playing right guard in 2021, and Jackson and Matt Jones have made the expected steps forward to take over at the guard positions.

In my mind, having an experienced and well-established offensive line is always important, but especially so when adjusting to a new position coach. Early during fall camp, Frye said that practices have been productive for all of the guys in his room.

“Right now, they’re just working. They’re buying in,” Frye said. “There’s not a guy out there right now that’s just showing up. Those guys are using their opportunities, whether they win the rep or lose the rep, they’re using them right now.”

That level of focus and intensity will be important for the Buckeyes this season if they are going to make improvements against the better defensive lines on their schedule, including Notre Dame this weekend.

As I showed in the third down and yards-per-carry stats above, those wide-net statistics won’t tell the story of the offensive line’s success, they will need to prove it in a small handful of situations in an even smaller handful of marquee games. For me, the proof will not be in ypc or conversion percentages, but in how confident I feel in the Buckeyes’ ability to have success in those situations, whether they run the ball or pass the ball.

If I can feel confident in their ability to convert on 3rd and 3 either through the air or on the ground, then I will know that Frye has gotten his guys to where they need to be.

We will obviously learn a lot on Saturday, and it is dangerous to take too much from the preseason platitudes of coaches and players, but it sounds like the entire team has a bit of a chip on its shoulder about the whole “finesse” label that has been slapped on them in the past couple of years.

The Ohio State offensive line is made up of bona fide top-tier talent; Matt Jones was No. 68 nationally in 2018, Johnson was No. 9 in 2020, Wypler was No. 108 in 2020, Jackson was No. 19 in 2021, and Dawand Jones transcends recruiting rankings. So, if a new coach can get them in the right positions, they can play with an anger and intensity that they haven’t yet had the opportunity to show, and they can continue to improve throughout the season, this very well might be the best offensive line in the country.

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B1G Thoughts: The case for Nebraska to fire Scott Frost
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Week 0 saw three teams in action including Nebraska, who should’ve left Scott Frost in Dublin, Ireland

Every Monday after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke or two. Be sure to check out the I-70 Football Show in the Land-Grant Holy Land podcast feed for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.

The case to fire Scott Frost


Week 0 has come and gone, and it was a glorious day of wire-to-wire football. Aside from the games themselves, one of the best parts of football is the communal aspect of it. On the field, football is the ultimate team sport, where a roster of over 85 players works as one to achieve a goal. Off the field, it can bring the most people together. Look at the TV numbers. Nothing draws a crowd like a football game. On Saturday, many of us turned on the TV, opened Twitter, and proceeded to watch and tweet the games together like one big community.

It was there, as a community, we saw the epitome of the Scott Frost Era. An era that if the world was merciful would have ended last year. But, seemingly because the Big Ten is a non-serious conference, has been extended due to a reimagined contract, including Frost taking a pay cut and agreeing to a cheaper buyout. A buyout that drops on Oct. 1, in case you want to keep track.

Frost came into this season touting new energy around the program. Frost fired his entire offensive staff, let his starting quarterback walk, and brought in 22 transfers, many of whom are expected to be impact players this season. If you listen to Frost and the national media, this was Nebraska’s year. They were so close last year and with the new staff, the transfers, and a new Scott Frost — so confident in his changes he gave up play calling to new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple — Nebraska was going to finally break through. Despite four mediocre seasons under the tutelage of the former Nebraska quarterback, there was hope.

Yet, what the world failed to realize is that new coaches, a new starting quarterback, a renewed focus on special teams, and 22 transfers to boot cannot fix the core of the issue. Which is simply: Scott Frost is the head coach. The game started so well, as many Nebraska games do, with Nebraska firing on all cylinders. Texas transfer Casey Thompson came out on fire, throwing the ball to transfer teammate Trey Palmer. Thompson also connected with transfers Marcus Washington and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, who went up for an awesome touchdown catch on the first drive and finished the game with four catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Nebraska started fast and looked to be the better team, but Northwestern knew what we all knew — if you keep the game close, the coaches will make a mistake, the players will stop executing, and Nebraska will give you the game in the fourth quarter. Pat Fitzgerald, who does not have his best team in Evanston, coached like a man who knew he did not have to bring his A-game — and trust me, he did not — to leave Ireland with a win.

Nebraska, whose defense was a good unit last year, could not stop the run, got bullied up front all night, and let Ryan Hilinski, who is objectively one of the worst quarterbacks in the Big Ten, look like a world-beater. Despite this, Nebraska went on to hold two 11-point leads. Fitzgerald and his quarterback did everything they could to lose this game. Fitzgerald by settling for field goals, refusing to pick up first downs, running dives, and no other running plays, and ultimately playing not to win, while Hilinski made it his job to throw short on every third down play despite multiple leaks in Nebraska’s secondary.

Frost couldn’t accept the win. Despite Fitzgerald’s good Irish nature trying to hand him the game, Frost refused to be anything other than the worst coach on the field. Up 28-17, Frost decided to kick an onside kick that went straight to a Northwestern player and led to an immediate scoring drive. The Cornhuskers never scored again. Thompson, after starting 17-24 for 230 yards and a touchdown, finished the game 25-42 for 365 yards and two interceptions, one on the final drive to seal the loss.

Nebraska left this game with another close loss, and they have no one to blame but their head coach, who in turn blamed the offensive staff for their lack of creativity. Maybe some of you, including the national media, believed the hype. Believed that Nebraska could turn it around. But with Scott Frost at the helm, there is no hope.

Nebraska should be on their way to their fifth losing season in five seasons under Frost. Hopefully, this story ends with Frost being fired after his buyout drops. But if we must deal with frost in Lincoln for the rest of the year, expect more games to end in the fourth quarter after Nebraska gets out to a double-digit lead. It’s the Frost way.

Until then, Frost and Nebraska will continue to be the laughingstock of college football:

Illinois routs Wyoming


Illinois is going to be a fun football team. If you watched this game, then like me early in the first quarter you had to double-take and make sure you were watching a Bret Bielema-led team. After scoring in 40 seconds on a pass to all-Big Ten candidate running back Chase Brown, the Fighting Illini spent most of the first half in spread formations, including empty, and letting transfer quarterback Tommy DeVito drop back and pass.

Welcome to 2022, where new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who previously led a top offense at UTSA, has been tasked with modernizing Bielema’s run-heavy scheme. As expected in a Week 0 game with a new coordinator, there were bumps. But overall, the offense looked more multiple while maintaining their toughness and overall blue-collar mentality. Brown looks even better than last year, finishing the game with 19 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns while adding three catches and a touchdown through the air.

DeVito is not a world beater, but he is an upgrade over Artur Sitkowski, and when Illinois can keep him clean — they finished the game with zero sacks allowed — he can make throws to keep drives alive and put some points on the board. Wyoming is not the toughest test. They entered 2022 without seemingly every good player from last year’s team as many of them transferred to P5 programs, including two quarterbacks and their star wide receiver. Yet, Illinois came into the game with a plan, dominated a weaker opponent, and end the game with their backups. That’s all you can ask for a Week 0 game.

The schedule isn’t easy, but if Illinois can win the games they’re supposed to, then I fully expect them to make a bowl game in 2022, which would be a major success in Bielema’s second season at the helm.

Chase Brown is still good at football:

Jim Harbaugh makes a decision to not make a decision


Jim Harbaugh, via a university-sanctioned podcast, has announced that he isn’t willing to make a quarterback decision, instead choosing to start incumbent starter Cade McNamara in Week 1 against Colorado State, while J.J. McCarthy will start Week 2 against Hawaii. He will then, somehow, miraculously be able to decide on the starter despite not being able to make one in the nine months since last season ended.

In-season quarterback competitions have never worked. It likely cost Ohio State a national championship in 2015. But Harbaugh is content with bucking trends. Michigan’s non-conference schedule is a joke, so this won’t hurt their chances to win their first three games, but come conference play this has a chance to ruin their season. Watch out for the Maryland game, as Taulia Tagovailoa, Rakim Jarrett, and Dontay Demus Jr. look to upset the reigning Big Ten champions.

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Ohio State 17.5-point favorites over Notre Dame
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes are heavy betting favorites in their season opener.

DraftKings Sportsbook odds: Betting Line: Ohio State -17.5 // Over/Under: 58.5

No. 2 Ohio State is set to kick off its season with a Top-5 matchup at home on Saturday night, as they will host No. 5 Notre Dame in a tough non-conference battle. C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes will look to build off last year’s electric offense by hopefully pairing it with a competent defense under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, while Marcus Freeman enters his first full season as the headman of the Fighting Irish needing to replace both his starting quarterback and running back from a year ago.

The Vegas odds favor Ryan Day’s squad heavily, as Ohio State begins the week as over a two-touchdown favorite in the team’s first contest of 2022. This number is likely leaning heavily on the Buckeyes’ offense, as Stroud begins the campaign as the Heisman frontrunner with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back TreVeyon Henderson at his disposal. Despite losing a pair of first-round wide receivers to the NFL Draft in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, Day’s offense is expected to not miss a beat with a stable of five-star wide receivers, a two-headed monster at RB with Henderson and Miyan Williams, and an offensive line that is playing its talent at the correct positions.

The defense will be the real question mark for the Buckeyes, as Day brought in Knowles as well as Perry Eliano and Tim Walton to try and fix a much maligned unit from the past few seasons. The talent is certainly there, with a trio of former five-star prospects on the defensive line in Zach Harrison, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau up front and a bunch of returning stars in the back seven, but it remains to be seen whether they will be finally able to put it all together after ranking 60th in the nation in total defense a year ago — a number which even feels high given how bad they looked in 2021.

Notre Dame, on the other hand, will be looking to replace both quarterback Jack Coan and running back Kyren Williams — two of the most important players on the offense a year ago. Dual-threat QB Tyler Buchner will be leading the charge for the Irish offense this season, and he will have the luxury of tossing the rock to tight end Michael Mayer. On of the nation’s top talents at the position, Mayer led the team a season ago with 71 catches for 840 yards and seven TDs. They will, however, be without wide receiver Avery Davis, who tore his ACL in the preseason, and will potentially be without guard Jarrett Patterson, who is questionable with a foot injury.

The Fighting Irish defense has some playmakers at all three levels, led by defensive end Isaiah Foskey and safety Brandon Joseph. Foskey, an edge-rusher with some first-round NFL Draft grades, led Notre Dame a year ago with 10 sacks to go along with 52 total tackles. Joseph, whom Ohio State fans will remember from his time at Northwestern, is one of the country’s premier safeties coming off a 79-tackle and three-pick season with the Wildcats. Cornerback depth is a bit of a concern, which could be a significant issue going up against a team like the Buckeyes who will certainly look to air it out.

Despite their preseason No. 5 rating, the oddsmakers are clearly not buying into the hype surrounding Notre Dame. The 17.5-point spread is quite hefty for a battle between a pair of teams ranked this highly, and it makes sense given all that the Fighting Irish lost from a year ago. Notre Dame finished last season at No. 8, and then went on to lose its starting QB and RB as well as its head coach as Brian Kelly jumped ship to LSU. This game could be closer than the spread would indicate if Ohio State’s defense continues to struggle, but if Knowles can right the ship and the Buckeyes’ offense continues to hum as expected, things could get ugly quickly.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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You’re Nuts: Which non-Ohio State game are you most excited for in Week 1?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

We have put Week 0 behind us, and we are ready for the REAL start of the college football season.

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: Which non-Ohio State game are you most excited for in Week 1?

Josh’s Take:


It. Is. Here! Week 1, Gene. We finally made it. We somehow survived the spring and summer seasons without football, which was especially tough for me due to Cincinnati disemboweling their professional baseball team and calling it quits on the season. To borrow a page from Lana Del Ray: I got that summertime, summertime sadness. But the Buckeyes are back to lift my spirits, and I am excited for some college football.

Before we get to the Week 1 matchups we find most exciting, it is important for us to acknowledge Week 0. I do not want to completely ignore it, and proper respect must be paid. So without further ado: Week 0, you were... actual college football for which records are kept. Beyond that, I think we’re better off as acquaintances. I might shoot you the occasional glance or a courtesy nod, but until you spend time reflecting and really improving yourself, I do not envision us having a deep, meaningful, or even friendly relationship. Call me shallow, but I don’t find you attractive. I am into sexy, ranked teams. Always have been. If you “glow up”, maybe we can grab a cup of coffee and talk. Until then, my heart belongs to Weeks 1-14.

With that out of my system, Gene, let’s talk big boy football games. I think there are plenty of interesting ones on the schedule. And I’m not just saying that because, as the kids would say, I am thirsty for CFB. While there are only a few matchups involving two ranked teams, you don’t have to look far to find other intriguing options. West Virginia - Pitt has some history, Penn State - Purdue is a nice Big Ten surprise on a Thursday, the neutral site games on Sunday and Monday will get some eyeballs... I could go on and on. But other than Ohio State’s battle with Notre Dame, I am most interested in the game involving Ohio State’s last opponent. I am of course referring to the Utah Utes, as they go toe-to-toe with the Florida Gators in Gainesville on Saturday night.

Utah gave OSU all they could handle in the 2022 Rose Bowl, and Florida is hoping to return to their previous form under new head coach Billy Napier. So this should be a good game, between two teams (and coaches) that I am either impressed or highly intrigued by. Furthermore, it is just an interesting, sort of off-the-wall non-conference matchup that I typically find appealing. I appreciate when good teams challenge themselves early in the season, going up against another team with which they rarely cross paths. The Utes and the Gators have only played each other once, back in 1977, making this game all the more unique.

As far as players and coaches go, I am slightly more familiar with Utah, given their very recent bowl game against the Buckeyes. On offense, they return the terrific trio of Cameron Rising, Tavion Thomas, and Micah Bernard. Rising and Thomas could find themselves on plenty of watch lists, while Bernard is a perfect complimentary piece. If a receiver or two can make up for the loss of 12-year college vet Britain Covey, the Utes could wind up with an explosive unit — albeit one that smashes your face in, as opposed to throwing over the top. And what is wild to think about, is that if Rising were to miss time, the team has another former Texas QB waiting in the wings. Ja’Quinden Jackson only saw action in three games last year, but was a former four-star recruit and top-10 player in the state of Texas (ESPN had him ranked No. 2 in the talent-rich Lonestar State).

Utah’s defense did lose star linebacker Devin Lloyd and leading sacker Mika Tafua, but their secondary should be better than what we saw in the Rose Bowl, and they added both a stud transfer and a stud recruit at linebacker. The Utes’ defense also gets the benefit of going up against a talented but largely unproven Florida offense. The Gators averaged nearly 31 points per game, but lost their leading rusher and leading receiver.

It might sound like I am making a case for Utah here, but I am genuinely interested to see what Florida looks like under Napier, and with Anthony Richardson entrenched as the starting QB. Napier compiled a 40-12 record at his last stop (Louisiana), and is known to have a strong offensive acumen. He has also been recruiting well, so I would imagine Florida will improve over their 6-7 record in 2021. At the very least, their new coach is not a visor guy — a huge step up from established visor guy.

The Gators’ offense will be led by Richardson, who is a tank of a QB. At 6-foot-3, 230, I have heard him compared to Cam Newton, and I can definitely see it. He was not wildly efficient in a timeshare last season, but I expect improvement now that the job is officially his. Behind him we’ll see Montrell Johnson Jr., who played for Napier at Louisiana, as well (potentially) Trevor Etienne – brother of Travis – and Lorenzo Lingard. The latter has not yet broken through as a college player, but was a consensus five-star recruit in 2018. Can the Gators throw? That is the important question. TBD on the results.

Florida also needs to be better than 74th in scoring defense (2020 & 2021) — which they typically have been. However, they do not return many guys who “wow” you on that side of the ball. The number of recruiting stars is there, but players will have to step up, and maybe they get contributions from freshman Chris McClellan and/or transfer Jalen Kimber. Again, TBD, but that is part of the reason I am excited to watch this game.

Utah and Florida is not a matchup we’re likely to see again in the CFP. But that’s fine. It should be a good football game, featuring two teams potentially on the rise — both possessing a great deal of talent. And that’s all I need, Gene. Let’s really get this thing going!

Gene’s Take:


Josh was kind enough to not pick one of the ranked-on-ranked matchups this coming weekend, and for that he will be getting a (metaphorical) raise. In his defense, however, there are not many to choose from, and those that do exist aren’t all that exciting outside of Ohio State’s game — which is off limits for this exercise. Besides the Buckeyes, the only games that feature a pair of ranked teams are Cincinnati-Arkansas and Oregon-Georgia. The Bearcats are a fantastic story under Luke Fickell, but I worry they’ve lost too much to replicate that success in 2022. The Ducks are led by Bo Nix — need I say more?

There are a bunch of teams I’m interested in seeing for the first time this season. I’m very high on NC State this year and I think they have a legitimate chance to win the ACC, but their opener against East Carolina doesn’t exactly knock my socks off. Penn State at Purdue will be a really fun game on Thursday night, and I’m very intrigued to see what both of those squads look like to kick off the year. Houston, BYU and Kentucky are all teams in the latter half of the preseason AP Poll that are looking to have big years, and I like UCLA and Maryland as a pair of unranked teams who should have made the Top 25, but all begin the year against sub-par opponents.

So, the game I’m looking forward to is one that’s a bit off the radar, as neither team begins the 2022 campaign with a number next to their name. However, it could be one of the more entertaining and hotly contested games of Week 1, and it will be played in one of college football’s most gorgeous venues. I am, of course, talking about the North Carolina Tar Heels at Appalachian State Mountaineers in Boone, NC.

On the UNC side of things, we’ve already seen them in action this season with their Week 0 win over Florida A&M, 56-24. Sam Howell is gone, but in his place is Drake Maye — brother of former Tar Heels hooper Luke Maye — who shined in his debut as the team’s starter, completing 29 of 37 passes for 294 yards and five touchdowns. Josh Downs returns as one of college football’s top receivers, catching nine passes for 78 yards and a pair of scores on Saturday. On defense, Power Echols (phenomenal linebacker name) led the the team with 10 total tackles and a pair of sacks against the Rattlers.

App State, on the other hand, returns seven starters on offense, including quarterback Chase Brice. The former Clemson and Duke QB had a career year in 2021, throwing for over 3,300 yards with 27 touchdowns to 11 interceptions as he led the Mountaineers to an 10-4 record. The core of senior receivers from a year ago are gone, but they return a two-headed monster at running back with Camerun Peoples and Nate Noel. The defense must replace three of their top six tacklers, but senior linebackers Trey Cobb and Nick Hampton will lead the charge, as well as super-senior corner Steven Jones Jr.

This should be a really fun game between two teams from the same state, and the Vegas odds would agree. As things currently stand on Monday morning, North Carolina is a just a 1-point favorite on the road. With things set to kick off at noon on ESPNU, there aren’t a ton of other big games at the time slot to draw your eyes — unless you’re into Colorado State at Michigan or Sam Houston at Texas A&M. I plan on watching as much college football this coming Saturday as my body can handle, and I will be starting things off hopefully with a banger between the Tar Heels and the Mountaineers.

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Get your limited edition Brutus Buckeye bighead bobblehead today
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



There are less than 300 of these bad boys in the world, your OSU memorabilia collection needs one of them.

Let’s face it, the Ohio State fanbase has been accused of having an over-inflated sense of self-worth in the greater college football landscape, so having a bobblehead that depicts our beloved mascot with an exaggeratedly large head, just kind of fits. To be fair, no one is ever going to accuse Brutus Buckeye of having a small, nutty noggin, but the OSU installment of FOCO’s Bigheads collection ups the silliness even more than normal.

Get your limited edition Brutus Buckeye Bigheads bobblehead!



These collectibles are extremely limited, there are only 222 versions featuring Brutus standing on a traditional scarlet and gray platform, and only 72 of him on a gold base; it’s gold, so you know it’s special.

The 10-inch, handcrafted, hand-painted figures retail for $55 and would make a perfect addition to any oversized Ohio State collection. As with everything that you can get from. our friends at FOCO, these bighead bobbleheads are officially licensed, and because they are such collector’s items, they are individually numbered.

Hurry and order yours now, before supplies run out!

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Film Study: What does Notre Dame’s Tyler Buchner bring to the quarterback position?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Buchner is a dangerous runner, but what else does he bring to the table?

As Ohio State makes its final preparations for the Week 1 matchup against Notre Dame, it will be taking a closer look at recently announced starting quarterback, Tyler Buchner. The Fighting Irish QB was used in a change of pace fashion last season due to his ability as a runner that gave a different look to their starter, Jack Coan. For the Irish, they will lean on his ability to make plays with his feet, but there are questions remaining about who he is as a passer.

Buchner entered Notre Dame as a consensus four-star recruit as the No. 71 player nationally. On Aug. 13, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman announced that Buchner was going to be the starter Week 1, leaving no questions to who will be taking the field for those first snaps against Jim Knowles’ new Ohio State defense. Knowles will be looking at Buchner’s ability as a runner as something the Buckeyes will need to takeaway immediately. Buchner’s inexperience as a passer brings an interesting dynamic for the Irish offense, and they will need to throw the football to have any chance.

Buchner has shown in limited experience that he can be a capable starting quarterback. Without seeing him in the Spring Game, that leaves film exclusive to his spot duty, with only significant snaps coming against Virginia Tech. Outside of his running ability, there is not a large sample size, but there is enough to get a semblance of what Buchner is bringing to the table as a quarterback.

Running Ability


This is where Buchner earned his stripes, er, golden dome for Notre Dame. Buchner is a surprisingly physical and elusive runner who is hard to bring down. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees tries to utilize Buchner’s legs in a variety of ways, including zone reads, moving the pocket, and short yardage QB powers. Bringing this dimension as a running threat from the quarterback position will be a challenge for Ohio State’s defense. Looking into a few concepts Notre Dame likes to use, there’s a lot to see from Buchner, even in his limited role.

Zone Read

In this first play, Notre Dame is running a zone read off of a split-zone concept. Buchner is keying on the play side defensive end here. Once the defender commits to taking on the block inside, Buchner pulls the ball, taking it to the outside. Buchner shows his burst by getting to the edge and getting upfield. He also shows his balance with the stiff arm at the end of the run.

Ohio State will need to be well prepared for this. The linebackers and defensive ends will need to be on the same page on who is taking the running back or quarterback on any given play. Staying disciplined is the No. 1 key to slowing down the zone read with a quarterback like Buchner.


QB Power

This next play should look familiar to Ohio State fans, and if you take a look at any Ohio State game in the Urban Meyer era, this play probably gives some mixed feelings. Like Meyer, Rees really trusts his quarterback with the ball in his hands in short yardage situations. This play is a run the whole way. Buchner does a play fake by showing pass to let the running back lead through the hole. Buchner follows and fights through contact to get a first down. Using his size and strength he is able to fight for extra yards.

For a quarterback, Buchner does not avoid contact. This might change with him as the starter, but that would take away a significant part of his skillset.


Elusiveness

The last aspect to look at with Buchner is his elusiveness. He is able to break tackles and shows his escapability here. In the play below, Notre Dame is in a 3rd-and-long situation, which means this is an obvious passing down. Purdue has the play covered pretty well downfield, and All-American, first round NFL Draft pick George Karlaftis applies pressure in the pocket. Buchner is able to break a tackle in the backfield and scrambles for a first down.

Ohio State will need to create pressure, but it will be important for the Buckeyes to maintain their rush lane integrity. If they get upfield or overcommit, Buchner has the ability to do some damage moving the sticks.

Passing Ability


Notre Dame used Buchner as a change of pace quarterback last year due to his ability to run the football. Jack Coan was a much more consistent passer compared to the second-year Buchner, but the Fighting Irish let Buchner loose as a passer at times. We’re going to look at how Buchner was able to do some damage downfield, but we’ll also see the inconsistency he showed as a passer last season.

Downfield Passing

In the first play, Notre Dame uses Buchner’s legs as a weapon. They fake a quarterback run and slip the receivers behind the defenders. Buchner takes a hard step like he’s running to the outside, sets his feet and hits the receiver in wide open space. This is a great concept Rees used here, using the first receiver to clear out and using Buchner’s running ability to suck in the defenders. By using the danger of his legs, Notre Dame created an easy throw and a big play. Buchner did not do anything significant here, but this shows the conflict his skillset can create for defenses.


In the next play, Notre Dame is playing Virginia Tech, who uses exclusively man coverage on the outside. Buchner gets solid protection from the offensive line and steps into his throw after a quick drop. With a one-on-one match up to the outside, Buchner knows if he makes a good throw his receiver will have a chance. For a quarterback with some accuracy issues, the arm strength and touch Buchner puts on this throw is impressive. He throws it where only his receiver gets it, and shows that he can deliver some throws downfield if he is kept clean in the pocket.


In the last play of this section, Buchner once again has some time to throw. This is a classic four verticals concept with all the receivers getting up field. Virginia Tech shows a one high look, which means the slot receiver is going to work across the one-high safety’s face. This is not a challenging throw, but Buchner gets some velocity on the throw with solid ball placement that allows the receiver to turn up the field.

Buchner is not a bad passer by any means, but his struggles with consistency led to some mistakes. If the Buckeyes can get pressure, Buchner has shown a tendency to let that effect him as a passer. As we can see, Buchner has the arm talent to be dangerous from a clean pocket.

Accuracy Issues


Buchner was by no means a perfect passer, and that is a big reason he was a change of pace player instead of a full-time starter. In this play, Buchner is pressured and in a situation in his own half of the field there are a few options. In this case, taking the sack and bringing the punt team on would have been best case scenario, or throwing the football away. Instead he forces the issue and tries to make a big play through contact. This leads to a pick in plus territory for the opponent, and shows that sometimes Buchner is unwilling to give up on a play, leading to mistakes.

If Ohio State can create consistent pressure, Buchner struggled when he was uncomfortable in the pocket.


In the next play, Buchner uses his athleticism once again to try to extend the play. Buchner gets out of the pocket and is looking downfield. Cincinnati has this play well-covered, but Buchner forces the issues anyway trying to make a play that is not there. The throw is late across the middle, but does come up short, showing the limit to Buchner’s abilities.


The last play shows why Buchner is classified as a dual-threat. There is no reason a quarterback should miss a throw on a bubble screen, but here is an example of that. Notre Dame has a two-on-one advantage to the outside, which is why the bubble is being thrown. Buchner rushes his mechanics with two players getting in the passing lane, but if you look closely neither player is in position to alter the play. This shows the levels to Buchner’s passing game. We saw deep throws in great locations and now missed bubbled screens.


For Ohio State to contain Notre Dame’s offense, the Buckeyes will need to stop Buchner from beating them with his legs. Buchner is an athletic, elusive quarterback who doesn’t fear contact and the coaching staff is heavily reliant on his physicality in short yardage. The Fighting Irish will look to get Buchner the ball in a multitude of ways. The quarterback run will be an added dimension that is hard to prepare for, but if Ohio State can remain disciplined in containing the quarterback run, this Notre Dame offense can become one dimensional fast.

As a passer Buchner, has arm-talent, but he is limited as a passer from an accuracy standpoint. Buchner didn’t throw a lot last year, but he had his moments flashing some arm strength. With that sample size, we also saw how pressure can effect him as a thrower. If Ohio State can contain him as a scrambler and get pressure on Buchner, he can be inconsistent as a passer.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 29, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

LGHL Asks: Who do college football fans think will win it all? SBN Reacts survey has that answer and more
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

LGHL Asks: How will Ohio State’s season go? Which position group is going to improve the most?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


Buckeyes announce game-day protocols, unveil new on-field sponsor
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

First Look: Buckeyes pointed toward much-anticipated opener vs. Notre Dame
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Film Study: A look at Jim Knowles’ defense vs. Notre Dame’s offense
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

The Big Ten leaves ESPN and all of a sudden they can’t find anyone from Ohio to be the guest picker?


One thought on each of Ohio State’s 85 scholarship players (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Five young Buckeyes who impressed in August as training camp officially ends (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

2022 Season Preview: The 10 Biggest Questions Surrounding Ohio State
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Breaking down best players Buckeyes will face in nonconference slate (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Best offense ever? Loaded Ohio State unit could prove it in 2022
Bill Bender, The Sporting News

2022 Season Preview: A Final Preseason Projection of Ohio State’s Depth Chart
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

The clown show never ends with this guy...



2022 Season Preview: Key Players, Breakout Candidates and Expectations for the Ohio State Offense
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba be Ohio State’s greatest receiver ever by season’s end?
David M. Wheeler, Land-Grant Holy Land

Emeka Egbuka becoming ‘multifaceted’ as Ohio State kick returner, receiver
Jacob Benge, Dotting the Eyes

Julian Fleming shouldering setbacks, growing on, off football field
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes

Jayden Ballard already ahead of schedule developing into Ohio State football’s deep threat
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Man, I can’t get enough of these videos.


2022 Season Preview: Key Players, Breakout Candidates and Expectations for Ohio State’s Defense
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Jack Sawyer ‘attacking every day’ in new Buckeyes defense
Jacob Benge, Dotting the Eyes

Ohio State Kick Return Unit Searching for First Touchdown in Over a Decade
Jack Emerson, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Three Things to Watch: New Big Ten media contract
Chip Minnich, Land-Grant Holy Land

Funny what happens when you block for your quarterback


Big Ten players to watch for the 2023 NFL Draft
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land

Former OSU great Eddie George says son can’t play for Michigan
Nick Gray, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

2022 Buckeyes in the NFL Fantasy Football Preview: Terry McLaurin
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

#DevelopedHere

On the Hardwood


Buyouts increase in Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann’s new deal
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Column: The curious case of Dailyn Swain
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

Interesting timing...


You’re Nuts: Who is the best Columbus basketball recruit in Ohio State history?
Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Field Hockey: No. 22 Ohio State Begins Season Undefeated, Leaves New York with Two Wins
Greg Wilson, The Lantern

Men’s Soccer: Rookies Lead the Way in Win over Cal Poly
Ohio State Athletics


College notes: Ohio State’s Olney selected in the Major League Rugby draft
Adam Conn, The Columbus Dispatch

And now for something completely different...


I still can’t get over this...


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I-70 Football Podcast: Previewing Ohio State vs. Notre Dame and the rest of the Week 1 slate
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Football season is officially here! With the offseason in the books, the guys into their Week 1 preview.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show we talk all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Welcome to the 2022-23 college football season! The offseason is over, and Week 1 is here bringing us an entertaining slate of games, starting with the helmet game of all helmet games: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame. With a long season ahead of us, the guys put the offseason behind them. No more media deals, no more transfer portal, no more USC and UCLA or realignment talk. It’s all ball as we go back to a podcast that talks about what going on in between the lines from here on out.

In this episode, the guys get into some of the interesting storylines of the season, starting with Michigan’s quarterback competition. While most programs are announcing their starting quarterbacks, Jim Harbaugh won’t commit to a No. 1 guy and Jordan thinks that has a chance to set their season off on the wrong foot. In-season quarterback competitions don’t work — just ask 2015 Ohio State. While Michigan has no chance to lose against Colorado, it’s a bad look for the program if a starter isn’t announced and given full reign. Michigan has an easy out-of-conference schedule, but we will still be looking to see who steps up on their new-look defense and if there are any offensive playmakers they can count on.

After a Week 0 game against Wyoming, Illinois enters Week 1 with a must-win game against Indiana. With four strong teams in the West, if Illinois wants to reach bowl eligibility, they must beat teams that are worse than them. Tom Allen’s campaign to save his job starts here, but the guys do not have much faith in Indiana. Both programs enter this game with new starting quarterbacks via the transfer portal. Connor Bazelak will make his first start for Indiana as they look to move on from Michael Penix Jr., while Tommy DeVito enters his second for the Fighting Illini. Expect a steady diet of Josh McCray and Chase Brown. Can Allen, who has taken back defensive play-calling, fix his defense and put a stop to Illinois’s running game?

Penn State enters the 2022-23 season hoping to regain form. It’s been an interesting couple of years for a program that is used to being at the top of the Big Ten food chart. Sean Clifford returns for a sixth season and James Franklin is fresh off a 10-year extension after rumors of greener pastures ended with USC hiring Lincoln Riley. Purdue is coming off a season where they almost captured Big Ten West glory. Can they improve and finally capture a West title? These are two programs in similar situations with similar strengths and weaknesses. It should be a great game as both programs look to start their campaign with a win

In the final preview of the episode, the guys get into No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame. The AP Poll and the media seem to believe in Notre Dame, but we do not. Expect this game to get ugly, especially in the second quarter. The biggest question for OSU is how their defense looks under Jim Knowles and a revamped defensive staff. This game lost a little luster with Notre Dame dealing with injuries to starters, but OSU will be looking to start dominating as C.J. Stroud looks to lead his team to a national championship,

In our weekly pit stops, we do a combined pitstop where we discuss what we’re most excited to see this season, which teams outside the Big Ten we can’t wait to watch, and our expectations for our alma mater — the Kent State Golden Flashes.


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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Two more blue-chip defensive prospects will take in Ohio State’s contest against Notre Dame
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Keon Keeley | 247Sports

The Buckeyes’ big recruiting weekend grows even more as a pair of defensive targets announce their plans to be in Columbus.

It is officially game week in Columbus, and to the surprise of no one, more prospects emerged this weekend as visitors for the contest against the Irish. Plus, a Maryland defensive lineman that included the Buckeyes as a finalist in his recruitment is set to announce his commitment to the program of his choice later today.

Keeley, West to visit next weekend


As the contest against Notre Dame inches closer and closer, the Buckeyes’ mammoth recruiting weekend seems to grow by the minute. This weekend was no different on that front.

According to On3, 2023 five-star defensive end Keon Keeley of Berkeley Prep (FL) will be making an official visit to take in the action this Saturday. Keeley, a long-time target for defensive line coach Larry Johnson, was formerly committed to the Irish but has since re-opened his recruitment.

Keeley, a Tampa native, is currently graded as the No. 7 overall prospect in the class and the weekend visit with the Buckeyes is one to monitor closely as Ohio State has been in pursuit since December of last year and refused to let his pledge to Notre Dame push away their efforts.

Another prospect that revealed his plans to be inside of Ohio Stadium on Saturday is 2024 four-star cornerback Bryce West of Glenville (OH).


West is an in-state prospect at a premium position, so it is no surprise that the Buckeyes would want to keep him home to suit up for the Scarlet and Gray. West, who is teammates with 2023 four-star linebacker commit Arvell Reese, slots in as the No. 2 player in the state for next year’s cycle and Ohio State is the favorite for the Cleveland native on the 247Sports Crystal Ball with a big visit on tap.

Not to be forgotten, Joe Tipton of On3 reports that 2023 four-star combo guard Bronny James, son of LeBron James, of Sierra Canyon (CA) is eyeing a Buckeye visit with this weekend’s game against Notre Dame being the likely bet. 2024 three-star tight end Aidan Steinfeldt of Bloomington North (IN) will also be in attendance, according to a tweet from Bucknuts.

Decision day for Umeozulu


After narrowing down the list of potential suitors for his pledge earlier this month, 2023 four-star defensive end Desmond Umeozulu of Charles Herbert Flowers (MD) is set to reveal his commitment to his future program later today.


The 6-foot-6, 239-pounder will be selecting between the likes of North Carolina, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and South Carolina. While it is yet to be seen if the door will stay slightly cracked opened for the Buckeyes to circle back to Umeozulu at a later date, the expectation is that the Maryland standout will chose the Gamecocks today.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball favorites the SEC program unanimously, with four analysts expecting an impressive pickup on the recruiting trail for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. Despite the Buckeyes not expected to be the pick for Umeozulu, Larry Johnson still has targets at the position to potentially fill the void, including the aforementioned Keeley.

Quick Hits

• On Sunday, Ohio State became the latest program to send out an offer to 2025 four-star offensive tackle David Sanders of Providence Day School (NC). The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder, who has already eclipsed 20 offers, is currently graded by 247Sports as the No. 1 player in the country for his respective class.
• Buckeye commit and 2023 four-star running back Mark Fletcher of American Heritage (FL) put together an impressive performance on Saturday in the Patriots’ 56-27 victory over Los Alamitos (CA). Fletcher, a Fort Lauderdale native, tallied 224 yards rushing on 19 carries and added two touchdowns in the win.
• Chris Holtmann and the hoops program will welcome a pair of unofficial visitors on campus next month. According to Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com, the Buckeyes will host 2025 combo guard Jalen Haralson of Fishers (IN) on Sept. 10 and 2025 shooting guard Trey McKenney of St. Mary’s (MI) on Sept. 24.
• According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, 2024 four-star athlete Miles Lockhart of Basha (AZ) and 2025 four-star quarterback Collin Hurley of Trinity Christian Academy (FL) will both be in Columbus for the Buckeyes revenge game against Michigan to conclude the regular season. Both blue-chip prospects have already secured early offers from the Buckeyes, among many others, thus far.

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Big Ten players to watch for the 2023 NFL Draft
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletics' Dane Brugler released his pre-season top 50 players, which includes multiple Big Ten players.

The college football season is here. Week 0 has come and gone, and while most of us are turning our attention to the 2022-23 season, draftniks are turning their attention to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Mock drafts and top 50 draft boards before the season starts are useless exercises, yet they do numbers for people like me — and anyone reading this article. We all like to look and see who from our team made the list. It’s hard to determine if we are looking for agreement or arguments more, but every list generates numbers as fans celebrate their players being on the list or get mad when they feel someone is snubbed.

Mock drafts and draft boards are an inexact science, and there is no way to be 100% accurate, but it is a great conversation starter and provides a list of payers for fans to pay attention to during the season. Recently The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who is one of the best in the industry, dropped his pre-season top 50 big board, and multiple Big Ten players made the list, including four in the top 20. There were also a few who were snubbed, so let’s get into it. Just remember if you disagree with the list, don’t blame the messenger!

Dane Brugler’s 2023 NFL Draft Top 50

No. 3 - C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (6-foot-3, 220 lbs.)


This is as easy as it gets. In most cases Stroud is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. His biggest competition is Alabama’s Will Anderson, who is rated No. 1 on this big board. The biggest surprise here may be Brugler’s ability to find two players he thinks are better than Stroud — the other being Georga’s Jalen Carter.

No. 16 - Peter Skoronski, G/T, Northwestern (6-foot-4, 310 lbs.)


A name you will know if you pay attention to offensive line play, Skoronski is fighting to be the top tackle in the draft. Some analysts view him as a guard in the NFL, but he should be drafted highly with another good season. Skoronski is one of the few bright spots on the Northwestern roster after stepping in for Rashawn Slater in 2020.

No. 17 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (6-foot, 200 lbs.)


Smith-Njigba made a name for himself by arguably outplaying Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave — the No. 10 and No. 11 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft — last season. Truthfully, I expected to see Smith-Njigba come in higher on this list, but there are concerns about his size and ability to sustain in the NFL.

No. 18 - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State (6-foot-6, 315 lbs.)


Johnson Jr., a former five-star and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting class, is looking to turn one season as Ohio State’s starting left tackle into a high draft pick. After spending 2021 as the starting right guard, Johnson is hoping that his experience as a guard translates to tackle. In a weak tackle class, a stellar year could shoot Johnson into the top 10 and a chance to be the first offensive tackle taken.

No. 32 - Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State (6-foot-2, 200 lbs.)


Porter Jr., son of NFL linebacker Joey Porter, is a future NFL corner based on size alone. At 6-foot-2, he will get a look at many teams. The NFL pedigree helps. He goes into the season as Penn State’s No. 1 corner. On the edge of the first round, Porter Jr. will need to improve to crack the first round, but don’t expect him to last far into the second round.

No. 40 - Zach Harrison, Edge, Ohio State (6-foot-6, 266 lbs.)


Harrison has not lived up to the pass-rushing hype placed on the former five-star and No. 12 player in the country in the 2019 recruiting class. Whatever he may lack in pass rush production — only 7.5 sacks in three seasons — he makes up for in his ability to stop the run. A strong 2022 campaign can vault Harrison into the first round, but if he doesn’t hear his name in the first 32 picks, expect a team to take a flier on him due to the fact he was built in a lab at 6-foot-6, 266 pounds with 4.5-speed.

No. 47 - Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland (6-foot-6, 288 lbs.)


Last but not least a slightly underrated player in the Big Ten, Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan. Duncan is a major key to Maryland’s success and is tasked with protecting Taulia Tagovailoa. Duncan has guard-tackle flexibility in the NFL and should expect to see his draft profile rise in the coming months.

Biggest Snubs


Dane has seven Big Ten players in his top 50 and that seems low. In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Big Ten had 13 players drafted in the top 51 picks, and I would not be surprised to see double-digit players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s easy to criticize draft analysts for missing out on players, but we can’t match the hours of film and conversation that goes into their big board. Even still it wouldn’t be fun to accept their word for law, so here are some players I believe have a punchers chance at cracking Brugler’s final top 50 big board.

• Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin (6-foot-4, 315 lbs.)
• Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin (6-foot-2, 228 lbs.)
• John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota (6-foot-4, 320 lbs.)
• Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue (6-foot-3, 210 lbs.)
• Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan (6-foot-3, 307 lbs.)

Other names to watch


Some of these players, based on the importance of their positions, have a better chance than others. The most likely risers belong to the positions of need: quarterback, wide receiver, and edge rusher. Positions like center, tight end, and safety aren’t usually the focus early in the draft. This list serves to recognize players who have a chance to improve their draft stock and crack the top 100 players drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. I fully understand that not all these players will be drafted top 50 — or even top 100 — but I hope it serves as a primer for players to watch this upcoming season.

• Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State (5-foot-11, 208 lbs.)
• Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa (6-foot-5, 246 lbs.)
• Julian Fleming, WR, Ohio State (6-foot-2, 205 lbs.)
• Ronnie Hickman, S, Ohio State (6-foot-1, 207 lbs.)
• Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State (6-foot-8, 359 lbs.)
• Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa (6-foot-4, 249 lbs.)
• Riley Moss, DB, Iowa (6-foot-1, 193 lbs.)
• Taron Vincent, DT, Ohio State (6-foot-2, 300 lbs.)

*Players listed alphabetically by last name

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Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba be Ohio State’s greatest receiver ever by season’s end?
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


JSN runs away from a Ute defender | Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Comparing JSN to the Buckeye greats who have come before him.

I guess that it seems a bit odd, given the long and storied history of Ohio State football, that we’d take seriously the question above. After all, JSN has been a starter for only one year. Granted, it was a hell of a year. But do we have enough information to be talking about him in the same breath with David Boston, Cris Carter, Terry Glenn, Joey Galloway, Michael Jenkins, Chris Olave, and Michael Thomas?

Oh, yeah. I think that we do.

JSN in 2021


First, keep in mind that for at least the first half or two-thirds of the season, JSN was the No. 3 receiver. Perhaps he wasn’t covered by opponents’ best cornerbacks or safeties, but he wasn’t usually the first target either. By the end of the season, Stroud was clearly looking for him. Remember the Rose Bowl.

I called JSN’s 2021 performance a “hell of a season.” How good was it? Here are some of the receiving records that he broke. Receptions in a single season: 95. The previous high was Parris Campbell’s 90, set in 2018. Receiving yards in a single season: 1606. He beat David Boston’s 1998 record by 171 yards. Receiving yards in a game: 347 vs. Utah in the Rose Bowl. Previous record was Terry Glenn’s 253 against Pitt in 1995. Receptions in a game: 15. JSN did it twice in 2021, against Nebraska and again against Utah. Boston had 14 versus Penn State in 1997.

Average receptions per game in a season: 7.3. Olave (2020) and Boston (1998) had seasons with averages of 7.1. Average receptions per game in a career: JSN is currently first with 5.3 (just ahead of Boston’s 5.2). Given that Smith-Njigba had hardly any stats for 2020 (10 receptions for 49 yards in seven games), he’s likely to hold onto this record. JSN is also currently riding a five-game streak with 100 or more yards receiving. That ties the record with Cris Carter. 100 yards against Notre Dame will secure the record for himself.

It’s an easy case to argue, I think, that Smith-Njigba in 2021 had the greatest receiving season in Buckeye history. But one year isn’t enough to stake a claim for greatest receiver ever. There are three more criteria and sets of data that we have to examine: career performance at Ohio State, overall career performance (including the NFL), and those intangibles – qualities that are difficult to quantify but define greatness, nonetheless.

JSN’s Buckeye career


We all expect 2022 to be JSN’s final season in scarlet and gray. That will give him really only two full seasons, not the three or even four that most of the other great receivers played. That said, there are some career receiving records within reach for Smith-Njigba and some beyond even his ample reach.

With one more season to play, Smith-Njigba isn’t going to touch the career receiving touchdown mark that Olave set last year at 35. JSN sits at 10 receiving TDs heading into 2022. 26 to break the record? No way. He would have to shatter Terry Glenn’s season record of 17 by nine. The career yards per catch will be beyond him too, simply because he’ll have far more career receptions than the 80 total that Cedric Anderson (1980-83) caught to reach his impressive 21.3.

But the two most important receiving stats – number of receptions and yards gained – are within reach. If the Rose Bowl performance was any indication of how JSN plays without Olave and Garrett Wilson on the field, those records are well within reach. Career receptions: K.J. Hill (2016-19) holds the Buckeye record with 201. Boston is second with 191, Olave third at 176. Smith-Njigba currently ranks No. 23 with 105 catches. He needs 97 to break the record, two more than he had last year. Possible for sure – more likely if his teammates can help him to play 15 games in 2022.

Career receiving yards: Michael Jenkins (2000-03) reigns in this category with 2,898 yards. Again, Boston is second, Gary Williams third, Carter fourth, and Olave fifth. JSN ranks No. 22 with 1,655 yards. He would need 1,244 to set a new career mark. That’s 362 fewer yards than he gained in 2021. I think that he has better than even odds to get this one, despite likely drawing foes’ best cover guy. If he sits atop either of these career categories and holds most of the single-season records, then he’s in the running for greatest. And if he returns, surprisingly, for a fourth season in 2023, he smashes all career records.

NFL?


While we might confidently predict Smith-Njigba getting drafted early in the first round, we’ll obviously have to wait 10 or even 15 years before we can assess his pro career. Of the Buckeye great receivers, Cris Carter, by far I think, enjoyed the best NFL career. He played 16 years in the League, played in 234 games, caught 1,101 passes for 13,899 yards and scored 130 touchdowns. He played in eight Pro Bowl games and was first-team All Pro twice, in 1994 and 1999. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Many of the other Buckeye greats also had stellar pro careers. Here’s how I’d rank them behind Carter: Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn, Michael Thomas (and rising), Santonio Holmes, and Ted Ginn, Jr. Terry McLaurin’s three seasons promise a first-rate career. So much depends upon staying healthy over the long haul. Carter managed it, and David Boston didn’t. We’ll have to see about Thomas this year. As for JSN, I fully expect him to have a great pro career; he has all of the skills.

The intangibles


Clearly, it’s easy (and fun) to compare stats. There are so many of them these days. If you’re at the top of your pile, you’re great. But there are other qualities, qualities without numbers, that contribute to greatness. Are you a good teammate, helping less-experienced players, responding well to coaches’ criticisms? Are you the team’s “go-to” guy, when the game’s on the line, when a big play is needed? Can you carry the team on your back when other players might be struggling? (It’s easier, no doubt, for a quarterback or even a running back to do the team-carrying.) Are you a winner? Does the team win when you’re on the field?

As JSN assumes more of a leadership role this season, we’ll be better able to answer some of these questions and make our judgments about the intangibles. If he leads the Bucks to a national championship, we’ll have one very important answer. And if he ends his OSU career sitting as the leader in receiving yards (or receptions, or both), then I would say that Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as he heads into his pro career, is a frontrunner to go down in history as the greatest Buckeye receiver of all time.

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: Please, sports bars, start playing women’s sports
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Plus, an angry rant about Scott Frost and a not-angry rant about Maria Taylor.

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Jami and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Why aren’t there any sports bars specifically geared toward women’s sports? On this week’s edition of Play Like a Girl, Jami and Meredith dive into the topic, including highlighting two cool bar concepts in the Pacific Northwestern and discussing ideas for making other sports bars more inclusive.

Jami and Meredith also discuss Scott Frost’s recent statements celebrating how his offensive linemen are regularly vomiting during practices. Spoiler: players shouldn’t be vomiting during practice for many reasons, but notably because it’s absolutely bad for players and is a practice that should have died when we all got grossed out by it in Remember the Titans in 2000.

On a more positive note, the pair wrap with a plea to get Maria Taylor in the broadcast booth for “Saturday Night Football” on NBC. Please.

Check out the full pod for more.


Contact Jami Jurich:
Twitter: @jamiurich

Contact Meredith Hein:
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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Here’s the lineup for this week, from Thursday until Labor Day.

Thursday, Sept. 1

St. Francis (PA) at Akron | 6 p.m. | ESPN3
Ball State at Tennessee | 7 p.m. | SEC Network
West Virginia at No. 17 Pitt | 7 p.m. | ESPN
South Carolina State at UCF | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Central Michigan at No. 12 Oklahoma State | 7 p.m. | FS1
Bryant at FIU | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Long Island University at Toledo | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
VMI at No. 22 Wake Forest | 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Penn State at Purdue | 8 p.m. | FOX
Eastern Illinois at Northern Illinois | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Alabama A&M at UAB | 8 p.m. | CBSSN
Louisiana Tech at Missouri | 8 p.m. | ESPNU
New Mexico State at Minnesota | 9 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Northern Arizona at Arizona State | 10 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Cal Poly at Fresno State | 10:30 p.m. | FS1

Friday, Sept. 2

Eastern Kentucky at Eastern Michigan | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Western Michigan at No. 15 Michigan State | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Virginia Tech at Old Dominion | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
William & Mary at Charlotte | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Temple at Duke | 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Tennessee Tech at Kansas | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Illinois at Indiana | 8 p.m. | FS1
TCU at Colorado | 10 p.m. | ESPN

Saturday, Sept. 3

Sam Houston at No. 6 Texas A&M | 12 p.m. | SEC Network
South Dakota State at Iowa | 12 p.m. | FS1
Buffalo at Maryland | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Colorado State at No. 8 Michigan | 12 p.m. | ABC
Rutgers at Boston College | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
North Carolina at Appalachian State | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 13 NC State at East Carolina | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Delaware at Navy | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
Richmond at Virginia | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN3
SE Missouri State at Iowa State | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Bowling Green at UCLA | 2:30 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
No. 23 Cincinnati at No. 19 Arkansas | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 3 Georgia (Atlanta, Georgia) | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Arizona at San Diego State | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
North Dakota at Nebraska | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Bethune-Cookman at No. 16 Miami (Fla.) | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Norfolk State at Marshall | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Tulsa at Wyoming | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
UTEP at No. 9 Oklahoma | 3:30 p.m. | FOX
No. 24 Houston at UTSA | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Troy at No. 21 Ole Miss | 4 p.m. | SEC Network
No. 25 BYU at South Florida | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
Nicholls at South Alabama | 5 p.m. | ESPN3
Morgan State at Georgia Southern | 6 p.m. | ESPN3
Florida Atlantic at Ohio | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at James Madison | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Rice at No. 14 USC | 6 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Mercer at Auburn | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 7 Utah at Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Miami (Ohio) at No. 20 Kentucky | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Elon at Vanderbilt | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
South Dakota at Kansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Army at Coastal Carolina | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Liberty at Southern Miss | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Illinois State at No. 18 Wisconsin | 7 p.m. | FS1
UMass at Tulane | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
SE Louisiana at Louisiana | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Albany at No. 10 Baylor | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Grambling at Arkansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Utah State at No. 1 Alabama | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Memphis at Mississippi State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Georgia State at South Carolina | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
SMU at North Texas | 7:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Murray State at Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
UL Monroe at Texas | 8 p.m. | Longhorn Network
Louisville at Syracuse | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Idaho at Washington State | 9:30 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Boise State at Oregon State | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
Kent State at Washington | 10:30 p.m. | FS1

Sunday, Sept. 4

Florida A&M vs. Jackson State (Miami Gardens, Fla.) | 3 p.m. | ESPN2
Florida State vs. LSU (New Orleans) | 7:30 p.m. | ABC

Monday, Sept. 5

No. 4 Clemson vs. Georgia Tech (Atlanta) | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Hey all! There’s a good chance I’ll be in Canton this coming weekend. Where do OSU alums like to go to watch the games?

Thanks!

Ask LGHL: How good are C.J. Stroud’s odds to win the Heisman Trophy?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

Question: How good are C.J. Stroud’s odds to win the Heisman Trophy?


In 2021, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was one of four finalists invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The Buckeye ended up coming in fourth with 399 total points, behind winner Alabama QB Bryce Young (2,311 points), TTUN edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (954), and Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (631).

However, with Hutchinson and Pickett off to the NFL, Stroud has leapfrogged Young and is now the nearly unanimous favorite to win the Heisman come Dec. 5. While one yahoo from Ann Arbor continued the needling of Stroud that he started at last year’s Heisman ceremony and believes that Young should be the favorite solely because he was the last man to win the award. That kind of lazy, regressive thinking is what gives us nearly useless “analysts” like Desmond Howard and Danny Kanell.


Anyway, back to Stroud and his chances to win the most prized trophy in college sports. Coming into the 2021 season, the Heisman front-runner was Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler (11-2), followed by Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei (7-1). Then came Young (9-1) and Stroud (10-1); neither Hutchinson nor Pickett were anywhere near consideration.

In 2020, the preseason favorite was OSU’s Justin Fields (we know how that worked out for the greatest QB in Buckeye history). Fields finished seventh and was not invited to New York while Crimson Tide WR DeVonta Smith took home the trophy. He was not in the top 20 preseason.

In 2019, it was Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence who entered the season as the favorite, but it was Ohio State legend and forever-Buckeye Joe Burrow who won the award. I could go on, but you get the picture, the preseason favorite rarely wins the Heisman, and that’s not just a function of bookmakers being wrong.

There is always an element of narrative that factors into the Heisman voting. Commentators love to talk about candidates needing a “Heisman moment,” even though the trophy is supposed to be awarded for play throughout the season, not because they juked a defender out of his shoes during the fourth quarter of a rivalry game. So, for guys who come in with loads of hype already at their backs, it is difficult for them to sustain the excitement and the story of their rise to the top of college football.

Instead, because their skills are so well known, analysts, commentators, and fans often start focusing on every perceived imperfection in the players’ game, because their sustained excellence is just not as interesting to talk about, making it difficult for a well-known player to maintain the necessary levels of momentum throughout the year.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen, just that it’s difficult. Coming into the 2022 campaign, Stroud is the favorite amongst fans and bookies alike. According to the SBN Reacts preseason survey, more than one-quarter of all respondents picked the Buckeye signal-caller to receive the individual honor this season.

That plurality puts him in first place, ahead of Young (18%) and his Alabama teammate linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (8%). Oklahoma USC quarterback Caleb Williams was the only other player to warrant a mention at 5%.



Now here’s the thing, Bryce Young isn’t going to win the Heisman in 2022, so you can just go ahead and take him out of consideration right now. Now don’t get me wrong, he is absolutely a quality quarterback; in fact, I’d say he’s slightly better than fine. But he is nowhere near transcendent, and that’s what one would need to be in order to win the trophy in back-to-back years in today’s landscape.

While of course as Buckeye fans, we love that we can claim Archie Griffin as “college football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner,” but this isn’t about my admitted Buckeye homerism; it goes back to that whole narrative thing I mentioned above. In my opinion, Young won the Heisman last year by default. He was the quarterback on the best team in the country, and for whatever reason, voters can’t bring themselves to vote for a defensive player, even if he objectively deserves the award (sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Young averaged 324.8 yards passing per game, while Stroud put up 369.3. Young averaged 3.13 touchdowns per outing, while Stroud went for 3.67. Young did have the slightest of edges in the interception department averaging 0.47 picks per contest to Stroud’s 0.5. The only difference? The Tide were undefeated and the Buckeyes lost two games.

Now, this is not to say that Young isn’t a worthy candidate, he had an unequivocally above-average performance last year, but nothing that is going to make a bunch of crusty old college football writers light five decades of history on fire. So, advantage Stroud.

That could be part of the rationale behind DraftKings Sportsbook giving the OSU QB a fairly sizeable advantage in the pre-season Heisman odds. At +220, bettors who go with Stroud will take home $220 for every $100 they bet, compared to Young, who comes in second at +380. Stroud’s premier receiving target Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in sixth place — and the top-rated WR — at +2,500, while Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson is tied with Miami QB and former Buckeye backup Quinn Ewers in eighth at +3,500.



Numbers and odds and narratives are all well and good, but what I think that Stroud truly has going for him — in addition to perhaps the best offense in college football history — is the fact he still has opportunities to surprise and impress. Obviously, anyone who watched him play throughout 2021 saw the marked improvement that he made from week to week.

However, many non-Ohio State fans and reporters are likely still stuck on the memory of Stroud “struggling” at the beginning of last season and a certain nasty subset of fans calling for him to be replaced. Because of that, if he comes out this fall — especially in the season-opener against a top-five Notre Dame — he has the ability to shock the casuals who dismissed him as a Dollar Store Justin Fields just a year ago.

Will C.J. Stroud win the Heisman in 2022? What do I look like, a Magic 8 Ball? I honestly have no idea, and history suggests that it’s not especially likely, but if there is any quarterback in any situation who could buck(eye) those trends, I’d put my money on No. 7.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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MC&J: Week 0 sees the college football season start across the pond
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

College football in 2022 gets a soft opening with Northwestern and Nebraska kicking off the season over in Dublin.

Last season: 127-100-6 (67-59-2 National, 60-41-4 B1G)

We’re back for yet another season of Money, Cash, & Joes here at Land-Grant Holy Land! Just to think, this all started during the 2011 season with Joe Bauserman being the inspiration for the title of this weekly picks piece. It felt like at first my picks articles were on target about as much as Bauserman was against Nebraska that season. Luckily for those that have stuck around throughout the years, I have improved my accuracy.

Last season was the best year that I can remember for MC&J, and hopefully there is even more success this year. The game is about to change in a few months with sports betting becoming legal in Ohio on Jan. 1. While only five college football games this season are scheduled after Jan. 1, I’ll still be picking games throughout the season so we are in top form once the new gambling laws go into effect.

Week 0 games:


(All lines courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook.)

Northwestern v. Nebraska (-13) - 8/27 12:30 PM EST - FOX

Nebraska is taking their comedy tour overseas! Last year the Cornhuskers were a bunch of lovable losers, dropping eight games by eight points or less. The only game that was decided by more than eight points was a 26-17 setback to Ohio State. Even though head coach Scott Frost is just 15-29 in four years in Lincoln, Nebraska is giving him another shot to right the ship.

Heading into this game all I hear is “How can a Fitzgerald lose a game in Ireland?” Well, it’s pretty easy to imagine since Fitzgerald is an overrated head coach. The best part of Fitzgerald as a head coach is watching him blame technology and everyone except for himself when the Wildcats lose a game.

Nebraska will have a new face at quarterback in Casey Thompson, who transferred from Texas to replace Adrian Martinez, who himself transferred to Kansas State. There are plenty of other new players in Lincoln, with 22 transfers trying to help Frost earn his first winning season as head coach of the Cornhuskers.

Last year’s game between the two teams was a bit of an anomaly, with Nebraska winning 56-7. Of the 11 games between the Big Ten West foes, nine of those games have been decided by 11 points or less. Northwestern not only has running back Evan Hull returning, but they also have Cam Porter returning from injury. Expect the Wildcats to lean heavily on running behind All-American tackle Peter Skoronski to keep things from getting out of hand in Dublin.

Nebraska 27, Northwestern 17


Wyoming v. Illinois (-11) - 8/27 4:00 PM EST - BTN

Wyoming finished last season with a bang, beating Kent State in the Potato Bowl. Unfortunately for head coach Craig Bohl, this led to a number of key pieces of the offense transferring out of the program. Quarterback Levi Williams is now at Utah State, running back Xazavian Valladay moved on to Arizona State, and wide receiver Isaiah Neyor decided Texas was his next stop before suffering a season-ending injury in preseason camp.

Even though I don’t think Illinois is a threat to win the Big Ten West, they aren’t going to be a pushover. The Fighting Illini should have a little more stability with quarterback Tommy DeVito, who transferred from Syracuse. If Illinois is smart, they’ll hand the football off to Chase Brown as much as possible this year. Last year Brown ran for 1,005 yards and five touchdowns. Brown should have a big game against a Wyoming defense that was 99th against the run last year.

Wyoming has just eight starters back from last year’s team, so there should be a lot of growing pains this year. Illinois and Brown should be able to take advantage of the inexperience of the Cowboys, winning by at least two touchdowns in Champaign on Saturday afternoon.

Illinois 31, Wyoming 14


UConn v. Utah State (-27) - 8/27 4:00 PM EST - FS1

Last year UConn opened up the season with a 45-0 loss at Fresno State. The Huskies will start the 2022 season with another trip west, and it’s likely we’ll see a similar result in Jim Mora Jr.’s debut as UConn head coach. Last year the Huskies lost seven games by at least 27 points.

Unlike UConn, Utah State has a lot to be excited about heading into this year. The Aggies finished last season by winning eight of nine games, including a 24-13 win over Oregon State in the LA Bowl. Logan Bonner threw for 36 touchdowns in Blake Anderson’s first season as head coach of the Aggies. Expect Utah State to pile on the points and have some fun since they know they’ll be in for a world of pain next week at Alabama.

Utah State 48, UConn 13


Charlotte v. FAU (-7.5) - 8/27 7:00 PM EST - CBS Sports Network

FAU has a few familiar names in the fold heading into this season. Head coach Willie Taggart will be starting his third year as head coach, and on his staff is former Ohio State assistant Ed Warinner. Starting at quarterback is Miami transfer N’Kosi Perry, who threw 20 touchdowns for the Owls last year.

I’ll be honest that I don’t know a ton about either squad, aside from Charlotte also having a returning starting quarterback. Chris Reynolds threw 26 touchdowns for the 49ers last year in a 5-7 season for head coach Will Healy’s team. Last year Florida Atlantic dominated Charlotte, and while it might be closer this year, the Owls still start their final season in Conference USA out strong.

Florida Atlantic 34, Charlotte 21


North Texas (-1) v. UTEP - 8/27 9:00 PM EST - Stadium

The Mean Green and Aggies both finished the season at 6-7 after losing their bowl games. The two teams had drastically different seasons, with North Texas struggling at the start of the year, and UTEP wasting a great start to the year in the second half.

Last year North Texas squeaked by UTEP 20-17 in November in Denton. Now the Miners are hoping to return the favor with a win to start the 2022 season before they have to take on Oklahoma next week. UTEP returns quarterback Gavin Hardison and running backs Ronald Awatt and Deion Hankins. Even though Hardison will miss Jacob Cowing, who was his favorite target from last season, the Miners prove they are tough to beat in El Paso.

UTEP 24, North Texas 20


Nevada (-9) v. New Mexico State - 8/27 10:00 PM EST - ESPN2

New Mexico State actually hired human gopher Jerry Kill to be head coach and Tim Beck as offensive coordinator. That just screams that they are a deeply unserious program. Nevada might have lost a lot of pieces from last year after Jay Norvell took over as head coach at Colorado State, but new head coach Ken Wilson spend a lot of time in Reno as an assistant, and will have the Wolfpack ready to play with some pride.

Nevada 38, New Mexico State 21


Vanderbilt (-8.5) v. Hawaii - 8/27 10:30 PM EST - CBS Sports Network

This line feels a little weird to me. Even though Vanderbilt is the better team, they are still the class of the bottom of the SEC East. Last year the Commodores went 2-10 in Clark Lea’s first year as head coach, with their wins coming against Colorado State and UConn.

Hawaii will probably have a pep in their step this game just because Todd Graham is no longer the head coach. Replacing Graham is Hawaii hero Timmy Chang. Even though the Rainbow Warriors have a lot of work to do, I expect them to play with passion in Chang’s head coaching debut for his alma mater. Remember, the trip to the big island is never easy. Vanderbilt wins, but Hawaii gives the Commodores everything they can handle.

Vanderbilt 27, Hawaii 24

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See sportsbook.draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Column: Monster media rights means monster coverage
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

Huzzah, NBC!

Last week, the Big Ten announced the largest media rights deal in college football history — by a long shot. Given the reach of the conference, including huge brands and large media markets that make advertisers salivate, the conference engaged a set of networks who were willing to pay up rather than focusing on a more limited partnership. Notably, the $7 billion deal effectively cut ESPN out of the conference’s repertoire in favor of a mélange of CBS, FOX, and NBC.

The move felt shocking, but natural — like when the last carriage left the streets of New York as automobiles took over, because Big Ten football on ESPN, in its glory days, is a vestige of another time.

For many years, ESPN was the gold standard of sports as cable television overtook broadcast production in terms of quality. Monday Night Football, moving from ABC to ESPN, was the premier game of the week. The Disney halo made the event magical, something to brighten the doldrums of Mondays.

More recently and in the collegiate sphere, the College Football Playoff is an example of how that excellent production quality translated to college football. I will always associate the black and gold branding of the CFP when I hear Fall Out Boy’s Centuries, and the pageantry of that first championship in 2014 was on a different level.

But like Icarus, ESPN flew too close to the sun. They went too far with the pageantry to the point where even finding a classic view of the game at hand became a challenge. For elite games, ESPN’s natural goal is to fill all of its many networks and radio stations with content, but the dueling simulcasts, the skycams, the local voiceovers, the competing commentary — it’s all too much and it’s a distraction when I simply want to watch a football game.

Some of these ideas in isolation are cool — who didn’t love Peyton and Eli’s complementary broadcast during Monday Night Football? — but in aggregate, they are overwhelming.

In many ways, College Gameday has gone much the same way as the rest of ESPN: Overproduced, overwhelming and over-the-top. It pains me to acknowledge that, because Lee Corso is all of our grandfathers.

Moreover, the focus on the pageantry seems to detract from the on-field product with core competencies like broadcasting (though I will forever love the crew of Molly McGrath, Todd Blackledge, and Sean McDonough). ESPN has lost some of its high-profile talent in recent years to the networks, including Tom Rinaldi and Maria Taylor.

Does this focus on production impact the bottom line? January’s College Football Playoff Championship, even rebounding from a low in 2021, still saw low ratings. Moreover, the Big Ten and SEC Championship and rivalry games in the final weeks of the season, including Ohio State vs. Michigan, were played on FOX and CBS — and beat ESPN in ratings by a long shot.

Compare ESPN’s production to the incredible quality of what is now the gold standard in football production: Sunday Night Football. From the team in the studio on Football Night in America anchored by Maria Taylor (a smooth transition from the post long held by Mike Tirico, who is moving to fill Al Michael’s role alongside Chris Collinsworth) to the on-field talent, it’s a clean, classy, drama-free production.

In particular, NBC has managed to weave analytics, which had become a buzzword, into an actual differentiator. As much as we might roll our eyes that it is Collinsworth’s company, Pro Football Focus, that supplies the analytics for Sunday Night Football, there’s no denying their analytical focus is far better than the regular analysis of Jon Gruden that “He’s a football player!” It makes the modern game more interesting when viewers can learn about data rather than hear announcers ogling over big hits. How cool will it be to see those tools applied in real-time for Ohio State games?

More broadly, now, the Big Ten can benefit from the halo of production value. From a talent perspective, might we even see Maria Taylor playing a role on the Saturday night crew? She was incredible in her days on ESPN on the sideline, and maybe someday we’ll see her in the booth (I can dream!). Taylor already holds one of the most coveted broadcast roles in sports in her aforementioned new role hosting Football Night in America.

NBC as a network is also no stranger to college football, given their long-standing contract with Notre Dame which is already in the process of renegotiations. If this contract is renewed (though perhaps not at the valuation the Fighting Irish are hoping for), the Big Ten also serves to benefit from advertising for Saturday night football during Notre Dame’s noon and afternoon games.

Even on FOX, Big Noon Kickoff has become an oft preferred alternative to College Gameday, having beaten out the behemoth in ratings for the first time in 2019 and continuing to provide top-tier analysis directly ahead of FOX’s oddly branded primetime slot.

That’s not even to mention the afternoon slot on CBS, which also tends to draw in significant national audiences.

What does all this mean for Ohio State? On the deal side itself, the Buckeyes bring exactly what the advertisers for these major networks want: eyeballs. There’s no doubt that Ohio State pulled the greatest weight of any individual team when it came to negotiating the media rights deal overall. Ohio State has brought broadcast and cable television some of the most highly-rated football games of the last decade (and beyond that), with the Buckeyes regularly in the top three of most-watched games year in and year out.

Naturally, FOX will be looking to book Ohio State in its own primetime spot — Big Noon kickoff — while NBC will be jockeying to put the Buckeyes on Saturday nights. It will be interesting to see how the push and shove of these two networks with their non-competing premier timeslots will play out.

For fans, the new media rights deal means fresh and quality production on networks that have proven themselves experts in college football in recent years.

We also must remember that it’s not all about Ohio State. Negotiation based on one team would have resulted in a Longhorn Network equivalent and we all saw how that turned out. Expansion — and the announcement thereof — only further emphasizes Kevin Warren’s savvy as commissioner. The Big Ten brings a lot to love for advertisers, from the top-three media markets in the US (New York, LA, Chicago) to big brands even beyond Ohio State.

But back to the season at hand — or what the season at hand will be in a few short years: The production value for Big Ten games moving forward looks to be incredible. As a fan, I simply cannot resist — which is exactly what those advertisers were going for.

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Previewing Week 0 in the Big Ten
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


QB Aidan O’Connell will lead the Boilermakers against Penn State. | Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Before Ohio State even takes the field, three B1G rivals will be 1-0 in conference play.

For months (seemingly years), we’ve been waiting patiently (well, maybe not) for Sept. 3, the day that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish come to Ohio Stadium to take on the Buckeyes. Week 1. We regard it as the start of the college football season. But it’s really not. Week 1 doesn’t start on Saturday; it begins on Thursday. And Week 1 isn’t the first week; there’s a Week 0. Go figure. Next year, be on the lookout for week 00 – just like roulette.

While we’re waiting for that evening kickoff with the Irish, it might be fun to take a look at these early Big Ten games. There’s a carnival-like opener on Saturday, Aug. 27. There’s an interesting matchup on Thursday, Sept. 1 that should tell us some things about a couple of teams that hope to contend. And then, on Friday, Sept. 2, there’s a game that looks from here to be in the loser’s bracket.

Saturday, Aug. 27, 12:30 ET, in Dublin, Ireland:
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers


Sponsor Aer Lingus is calling this game a “College Football Classic.” I think that it’s the second game to go by this title, but it hasn’t been played every year. And, when an American college game has been played in Ireland, it’s usually Notre Dame or Boston College – some place with some Irish credentials. Lincoln, Nebraska? Evanston, Illinois? Maybe, but the locals are going all out for this one.

It will be played in the relatively new and architecturally cool Aviva Stadium, a place that usually witnesses rugby or soccer and holds 44,000 when configured for American football. Hoping for thousands of American fans – or Irish pretending to be American fans – the sponsors have scheduled pep rallies for each team on the evening before the game. While you won’t be able to park your pickup next to the stadium for a little tailgating, each team will have a designated “official” team bar. If you’re wearing purple, go to Fitzsimons’ Temple Bar. If you’re wearing a sweatshirt with one of those weird Cornhusker guys on it, your place is Busker’s.

Once the game gets underway, at 5:30 Irish time, it might be fun. Both teams are coming off of very disappointing 2021 campaigns and need to get off to a good start. Although I’ve seen odds for this game favoring Nebraska by around 13 points, it’s really hard to have much confidence in Scott Frost’s team. Frost has hired a bunch of new offensive coaches and stocked his roster with transfer players. With all that’s new, it’s difficult to make a prediction here.

At least Adrian Martinez is gone after playing for something like 12 years. Texas transfer Casey Thompson is the likely starting quarterback, but we’ll have to wait and see about the ‘Husker offense. On the other hand, the defense was pretty good last year and should be again this year, led by preseason all-Big Ten linebacker Garrett Nelson. The team will be hoping to contend for the west championship. Not likely, I don’t think, but they might have a shot at a bowl. If they make it, it will be Frost’s first with the team.

Northwestern was 3-9 last year and probably won’t be much better. (I’m thinking 4-8 for them.) Last year’s offense wasn’t any good, and the quarterback position this year is a question mark. The Wildcats do have a true star in offensive lineman Peter Skoronsky. Tough for him to win a game on his own, though. On the other hand, I’m not sure that I’d want to bet against a guy named Patrick Fitzgerald in a game played in Dublin. I’d take Northwestern with the spread but not straight up.

Prediction: Nebraska 27, Northwestern 17.

Thursday, Sept. 1, 8:00 pm ET:
Penn State Nittany Lions at Purdue Boilermakers


Although both of these teams are likely to finish in the middle of the pack in their respective Big Ten divisions, there’s also a chance that they could both compete for titles. The loser in this early matchup, though, starts in a hole.

The Nittany Lions started off on fire last year, 5-0. We all thought that they were back after a bad COVID 2020 season. But then they won only two more games to finish 7-6 for the year. The defense, a strength last year, loses a lot of its starters from a year ago but has a new coordinator in Manny Diaz. Sean Clifford returns at QB, for better or for worse. He’s been inconsistent, but then again, he often finds himself on his back on passing plays, as PSU gave up the most sacks in the conference in 2021. It will be exciting to watch true freshman running back Nick Singleton play in his first college game. If he’s only half as good as his hype, he’ll be something.

Jeff Brohm’s Boilermakers were 9-4 in 2021, featuring a splendid passing game. Aidan O’Connell is back at quarterback, and I’d rank him as the league’s No. 3 signal-caller. His primary target from a year ago, David Bell, however, will be catching passes for the Browns this season. The running game was a problem last year and was a point of emphasis in offseason practices. The bookies see Purdue by 3. That’s about right in West Lafayette.

Prediction: Purdue 34, Penn State 28.

Friday, September 2, 8:00 pm ET:
Illinois Fighting Illini at Indiana Hoosiers


If this game were being played at the end of the season, rather than at the beginning, we might call it the “who cares?” bowl. A real yawner. But it’s an early game, so we’ll watch it. And I went to Illinois, so I care (sort of) about the outcome.

The Illini, led by running back Chase Brown, could run the ball last year. And I think that they’ll be able to do it again this year. Illinois was thought to be a program on an upswing after just missing a bowl game last year, with a 5-7 record and wins over Penn State, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Without a passing game, Illinois may find those wins tougher to come by in 2022.

I said, in an earlier column, that Indiana was the worst team in the Big Ten. I haven’t changed my mind. After going 2-10 and losing all nine of their conference games last year, coach Tom Allen fired everybody and kept his eyes firmly on the transfer portal. Clearly, he wanted a restart. Whether it happens will depend on how well, and how quickly those transfers at offensive skill positions are able to get the job done. The spread in this game is Indiana by 4.5. Too high, and time for an upset.

Prediction: Illinois 20, Indiana 16.

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