Ohio State assistant DC Kerry Coombs is leaving for a position with the Tennessee Titans, per report
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mike Vrabel, a former Buckeye himself, was named the head coach of the Titans last week.

Ever since Buckeye great Mike Vrabel was hired as the new head coach for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, it was expected that he would take either a current or former Ohio State coach with him; whether it was current offensive coordinator Ryan Day, or former OC Ed Warinner. However, today, Yahoo’s Pete Thamel is reporting that Vrabel will be bringing along an unexpected member of the OSU staff.


Coombs is the excitable, silver-haired assistant defensive coordinator who handles the Buckeyes’ defensive backs and special teams. With his strong ties to Ohio and the midwest, Coombs has proven to be an invaluable recruiter for Urban Meyer during his time in Columbus. A lifelong Ohioan, during his 35 year career, Coombs had successful stints as the head coach at Colerain High School near Cincinnati for 16 years, as well as in the collegiate ranks at Notre Dame and Cincinnati, amongst other schools.

With Alex Grinch coming on board earlier this month, there will now be one vacant coaching position for Meyer to fill. During his time with the Buckeyes, Coombs has been instrumental in creating one of the greatest defensive dynasties in Ohio State history, as his secondary units have routinely turned out All-Americans and NFL first round draft picks.

If the reports prove to be true, this would be a big loss for the Buckeyes, but an exciting opportunity for Coombs.

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Coombs leaving Buckeyes for NFL's Titans, per report - Cincinnati.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Coombs leaving Buckeyes for NFL's Titans, per report
Cincinnati.com
Ohio State Buckeyes assistant coach Kerry Coombs, a former coach for the UC Bearcats who also led Colerain High School to a Division I state title in 2004 and 10 playoff appearances, is taking a job with the NFL's Tennessee Titans, according to a ...


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Ohio State football podcast: Assistant coach Ryan Day staying with Buckeyes, not his job title, is what matters - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football podcast: Assistant coach Ryan Day staying with Buckeyes, not his job title, is what matters
Landof10.com
In the latest edition, Ryan Ginn joins Kyle Lamb to discuss Ryan Day sticking with Ohio State for the 2018 season and his subsequent promotion, which is said to be mostly a title change. Day will continue to coach the quarterbacks this year, but the co ...
Buckeyes pass Georgia for No. 1-ranked class247Sports
Ohio State looking to add another running back in 2018 class?Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State picked to return to the College Football Playoff in 2018 by USA Today: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com
FanSided -The Columbus Dispatch
all 59 news articles »

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Super Sophomores can lead Buckeyes to title once again - 247Sports
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Super Sophomores can lead Buckeyes to title once again
247Sports
The use of back-up quarterbacks has been critical for the Buckeyes under Meyer, so even if that's what Tate is, he could be key to a title run in the fall. Dobbins returns at tailback and will be looked at to help lead a rushing attack that loses a ...


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3 Ohio State Buckeyes are rated highest as NFL draft process ramps up - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


3 Ohio State Buckeyes are rated highest as NFL draft process ramps up
Dayton Daily News
Although there is no shortage of NFL draft information all year round these days, things don't really start to get serious until the senior all-star games roll around. With the East-West Shrine Game having been held last weekend and the Senior Bowl ...


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Ohio State offensive tackle Thayer Munford: Buckeyes to watch in 2018 - cleveland.com
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Ohio State offensive tackle Thayer Munford: Buckeyes to watch in 2018
cleveland.com
In bowl practice, the typical time for young players to step forward, Munford wanted to take advantage of his chances. "I just thought it was a good time to get better with my technique, get better with my plays, ask questions more," Munford said ...


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Ohio State: Ryan Day expected to stay on Urban Meyer's staff; No. 13 Buckeyes edge Nebraska to preserve perfect Big ... - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State: Ryan Day expected to stay on Urban Meyer's staff; No. 13 Buckeyes edge Nebraska to preserve perfect Big ...
Landof10.com
First, the Buckeyes learned that they shot up nine spots to No. 13 in the AP Top 25. It is the Buckeyes' highest ranking in the poll since they were No. 12 in a poll released on Dec. 15, 2014. Here is the full AP poll for this week. Then Chris Holtmann ...
Bates-Diop scores 20 as No. 13 Buckeyes slip past NebraskaTampabay.com
James Palmer scores 34, but No. 13 Buckeyes narrowly edge upset-minded HuskersOmaha World-Herald
McCurdy: Buckeyes show they can grind, tooMarion Star
The Columbus Dispatch
all 128 news articles »

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Ohio State football: Ryan Day gets promotion, will reportedly call plays; Buckeyes rise to No. 1 in recruiting rankings - Landof10.com
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Ohio State football: Ryan Day gets promotion, will reportedly call plays; Buckeyes rise to No. 1 in recruiting rankings
Landof10.com
Ryan Day has more on his plate at Ohio State. Day is staying with the Buckeyes, and he got a promotion on Tuesday. Urban Meyer elevated Day to offensive coordinator. Kevin Wilson will also remain in his role as offensive coordinator. In a press release ...
247Sports recruiting rankings: Ohio State passes Georgia for slim ...247Sports
Ohio State looking to add another running back in 2018 class?Land-Grant Holy Land
Kurelic: Fantastic, exciting finish; Meyer in-home visits; more247Sports
The Columbus Dispatch -cleveland.com -Toledo Blade
all 46 news articles »

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Buckeye Brief: Slowing down Keita Bates-Diop and more notes from Ohio State's game against Nebraska - OSU - The Lantern
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Buckeye Brief: Slowing down Keita Bates-Diop and more notes from Ohio State's game against Nebraska
OSU - The Lantern
When the Buckeyes went to the locker room after the game Monday night, they finally had a chance to really catch their breath. They had just wrapped up their fourth game in eight days with the first three coming on the road. “I definitely am a little ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Comparing midway Big Ten stats to last seasonThe Columbus Dispatch
Why is Ohio State basketball winning? The roster 'fits perfectly'cleveland.com

all 6 news articles »

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Top 25 capsules: TCU upsets No. 7 WVU 82-73 after falling out of Top 25 - The Spokesman-Review
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Top 25 capsules: TCU upsets No. 7 WVU 82-73 after falling out of Top 25
The Spokesman-Review
(13) Ohio State 64, Nebraska 59: Keita Bates-Diop scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and the Buckeyes (18-4, 9-0 Big Ten) beat the Corhuskers (14-8, 5-4) in Columbus, Ohio, the fourth victory for Ohio State in the last eight days. The back ...

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Ohio State looking to add another running back in 2018 class?
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


3-star Maurice Washington may be that guy.

The big news coming out of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program on Tuesday was that Ryan Day got promoted to offensive coordinator. Before getting the new title, Day was the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator in 2017 for the Buckeyes. The promotion comes after Day was being mentioned to be the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, a team that just named former OSU All-American Mike Vrabel as their head coach.

While that may have been the headline on Tuesday, there were some things happening on the recruiting trail.

Flag Planting in Texas


Back on Monday, Kerry Coombs made a tweet about planting flags in the Lone Star State.


While Coombs may be an assistant coordinator that focuses on special teams, his tweet may have alluded to the Buckeyes’ pursuit of an offensive star for their 2018 class.

Three-star running back Maurice Washington (Cedar Hill, TX / Trinity Christian School) was visited by Coombs on Monday, and now, is set to take an official visit to Ohio State on Jan. 26, according to 247sports. Don’t let the star rating deceive you; Washington can play football. He was a selection for the Under Armour All-American Game—and ended up taking home MVP honors.

So far, 11 schools have made an offer for the Texas native. Clemson, Washington State, Nebraska, USC and Ole Miss are just some of the schools that have sent him offers. Additionally, he’s only taken one official visit, with that one being to Arizona State on Jan. 19. For what it’s worth, only one coaching visit has been registered with Washington, according to 247sports, with that one coach being Coombs,

National Signing Day is getting closer with each passing day. So, where will Washington end up? Well, right now, it appears that Nebraska has the majority of the predictions. According to the 247sports Crystal Ball, three of the six projections for Washington have him going to Scott Frost’s program in Lincoln, Neb. However, two of those predictions had a “cloudy” status, and one prediction had Washington heading to Ole Miss.

If things go well on Friday, could that be enough to sway Washington to the Buckeye State? Previous recruits from the Lone Star State have shined in Scarlet and Gray—like J.K. Dobbins.

The 247sports composite has Washington as the 18th best RB prospect in the class and the 55th best prospect in Texas. However, with four running backs already on the team, and three more as part of the ‘18 freshman class, if Washington were to commit to OSU, his role might not be as RB.

We’ll keep you posted if any updates occur with Washington coming to the Buckeyes.

No. 1 again?


A selling point the Buckeyes can pitch to Washington (or any recruit for that matter): they have the best recruiting class in the country for 2018.


247sports released updated rankings for the top recruiting classes, and this latest version has Ohio State overtaking the Georgia Bulldogs—albeit by a small margin.

The Buckeyes’ 23 total commits have a total score of 309.58, while the Bulldogs have 22 commits and a 309.00 score.

While it may be good news to see and hear, there is still time for even more shake ups to occur. Alabama currently sits at No. 6 in the latest rankings, but could their National Championship win boost their strength even more on the recruiting trail? We’ll have to wait and see.

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Ohio State men's basketball | Comparing midway Big Ten stats to last season - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State men's basketball | Comparing midway Big Ten stats to last season
The Columbus Dispatch
When Ohio State tips off Thursday night against Penn State, it will officially be more than halfway through the Big Ten season. The Buckeyes, ranked No. 13 in the nation, are undefeated in conference play and tied with Purdue atop the standings. One ...
Why is Ohio State basketball winning? The roster 'fits perfectly'cleveland.com
Buckeye Brief: Slowing down Keita Bates-Diop and more notes from Ohio State's game against NebraskaOSU - The Lantern

all 6 news articles »

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Two 1000-yard rushers? Dobbins: 'I think you could see that' - 247Sports
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Two 1000-yard rushers? Dobbins: 'I think you could see that'
247Sports
Dobbins became just the fourth Ohio State freshman to rush for 1,000 yards during the 2017 season. Ultimately, he set an OSU freshman single-season record with 1,403 yards and seven touchdowns on 194 carries (7.2 average). He also had one touchdown ...

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Pair of Ohio State pass rushers look to stand out at Senior Bowl - Cincinnati.com
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Pair of Ohio State pass rushers look to stand out at Senior Bowl
Cincinnati.com
The Senior Bowl, one of the NFL's annual pre-draft scouting events, brings together the nation's best senior players for a week of team interviews, practices and the weekend game. It's a chance for some – like Allen – to cement their stock and answer ...
Dre' makes OSU's day: Bypasses draft, looks for more featured role for BuckeyesBucyrus Telegraph Forum

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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes reclaim nation's top class - Landof10.com
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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes reclaim nation's top class
Landof10.com
Going into the weekend, I felt that if the official visit went well, Jean-Baptiste would be the Buckeyes' player to lose. It appears that Jean-Baptiste's official visit to Nebraska and his long-lasting relationships with the Cornhuskers coaching staff ...
Ohio State makes late push for elite 2018 OTLand-Grant Holy Land
Buckeyes pass Georgia for No. 1-ranked class247Sports
Four-Star Wide Receiver Chris Olave Nears Decision While Ohio State Visits Offensive Tackle Michael TarquinEleven Warriors

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Ohio State’s roster is fitting perfectly for Chris Holtmann
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are 9-0 in conference play, and the roster has gelled to success.

“It didn’t happen overnight, but I think we’ve done a great job of fitting each other. I’ve never been on a team where so many people buy in. There’s no hidden agendas in that locker room. None. And you don’t see that a lot.”

- Jae’Sean Tate via Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com


It seems like yesterday that the Ohio State Buckeyes were free-falling in the world of college basketball. Now, with Chris Holtmann at the helm, he’s led the team to a 9-0 start in Big Ten play, with his latest win against Nebraska. The reason for the success might be credited somewhat to former head coach Thad Matta - at least, in terms of the roster. Keita Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate, and the rest of the team have come together very nicely; the balance of both the inside and outside game has made it tough on opponents to defend for the entire game.

The latest projections for the Buckeyes have them currently sitting as a three-seed in the NCAA tournament. When only a month or so ago, Ohio State was considered at best a bubble team. The win over Michigan State has ignited some fiery passion for basketball in Columbus and the Buckeyes are taking full advantage of it. There are only nine games left in the regular season, and a marquee matchup against another top Big Ten team in Purdue.

“I thought we were as good as both teams. I think we’re a very elite group. Us being there would have been enjoyable, but we didn’t make it, so it’s over with. That’s last season.”

- Johnnie Dixon via Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com


Even after the win over USC in the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State players still think about what could have been had they made the College Football Playoff. Players watching the national title game between Georgia and Alabama felt like the Buckeyes could have played at that level just as well. Many of the players mentioned the decision Nick Saban made to bench Jalen Hurts in favor of Tua Tagovailoa and how that move further legitimized Saban as a top coach in college football (as if he needed any more vindication).

But Ohio State players know there’s work to be done if the Buckeyes expect to find themselves in the College Football Playoff at the end of next season. With a new quarterback replacing J.T. Barrett, it will be imperative for them to gel quickly with the seasoned veterans at wide receiver and running back and grab hold of the offense.

“[Top 50 Prospects for NFL Draft] Rank 8: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State”

- Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com


Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com released his top 50 prospects heading into the 2018 NFL draft. Ohio State had three members included on the list of the top 50 including Denzel Ward, Billy Price, and Sam Hubbard. Ward, the highest of the three, was ranked eighth overall and could be a future top 10 pick in the upcoming draft. He sat out the Cotton Bowl against USC and certainly has high aspirations in the NFL. Price meanwhile entered the ranks at 30th, with his versatility to play either guard or center at the next level ensures he’ll be a hot commodity in the draft at some point.

Hubbard was the last Buckeye on the list and he made the cut at 41st overall. Hubbard has played defensive end for Ohio State over the past few seasons and established himself as a true threat in the pass rush. Either way, Urban Meyer has yet again put in top-tier talent into the draft and still managed to bring a lot of it back for the 2018 season.

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Dienhart: Could we see a one-loss, or even no-loss, Big Ten champ?
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Ohio State’s Greg Oden did it. So did Michigan State’s Mateen Cleaves, Indiana’s Calbert Cheaney and Illinois’ Dee Brown. They all led their respective team to a one-loss Big Ten championship, something Ohio State and/or Purdue could pull off this season.

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Ohio State makes late push for elite 2018 OT - Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State makes late push for elite 2018 OT
Land-Grant Holy Land
Following four-star defensive end Tyler Friday's (Ramsey, NJ / Don Bosco) commitment to Ohio State last weekend, the Buckeyes now sit pretty at the No. 2 overall class in the 2018 recruiting cycle. The Buckeyes' impressive class sits behind only ...
Buckeyes pass Georgia for No. 1-ranked class247Sports
Ohio State Overtakes Georgia for Top Spot in 247Sports Composite Recruiting RankingsEleven Warriors

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Who's Next: Jaelen Gill, Ohio State Buckeyes running back - Columbus Monthly
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Who's Next: Jaelen Gill, Ohio State Buckeyes running back
Columbus Monthly
Central Ohioans are ravenous football fans—scarlet and gray to the marrow—yet we can't claim many homegrown superstars who flourished with the Ohio State Buckeyes. True native-born phenoms include Terry Glenn (Brookhaven), Luke Fickell (DeSales) and ...


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Senior Bowl weigh-in numbers for two former Ohio State players - 247Sports
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Senior Bowl weigh-in numbers for two former Ohio State players
247Sports
Two former Ohio State players stepped on to the stage at the Mobile Convention Center on Tuesday morning in order to be weighed and measured in front of NFL scouts, coaches and media members as part of their week at the Senior Bowl. The Buckeye ...


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Ohio State podcast: Buckeyes jump to No. 13, improve to 9-0 with another Big Ten win - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State podcast: Buckeyes jump to No. 13, improve to 9-0 with another Big Ten win
Landof10.com
On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb recaps Ohio State basketball's 64-59 win against Nebraska on Monday night, keeping the Buckeyes with an unblemished record through half of the Big Ten's 18-game schedule. Earlier on Monday, Ohio State soared nine spots ...
James Palmer scores 34, but No. 13 Buckeyes narrowly edge upset-minded HuskersOmaha World-Herald
Ohio State women's basketball | Postgame: Maryland 99, Ohio State 69: Buckeyes reach 'turning point'The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State makes late push for elite 2018 OTLand-Grant Holy Land
The News Center
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Ohio State’s 2018 defensive line will be better than 2017’s
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


No need for a special Rushmen package when every player could be a Rushman.

Earlier I wrote about the concept of above-replacement level talent — not just good, or really good, players, but elite players.

Football Outsiders tracks an NFL stat called Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement, or DYAR, that measures this. Essentially, “a player’s true value can then be measured by the level of performance he provides above that replacement level baseline.” Ohio State’s “replacement level baseline” is already above almost everyone else’s in the country — the Buckeyes were second in total team talent last season to just Alabama (and likely will be in 2018 too). But it’s still important to recruit and identify players that exceed even Ohio State’s own replacement level baseline — truly dominant players that can take over games.

In short, that’s why Ohio State’s defensive line could be even better in 2018. That’s despite losing at least three starters to the NFL from a line that ranked:

• 1st overall in adjusted line yards against the run
• 10th overall in stuff rate
• 19th in adjusted sack rate
• 1st in defensive line havoc rate

No matter how you look at it, Ohio State’s defensive line was elite last year. And now the team is left with just three scholarship defensive ends with any experience.

But the thing is that the returning talent is at a totally different level. As Nick Bosa recently said, “I think it could be the best pass-rushing unit ever.” I think he could be right.

Here’s last year’s starting defensive line:


And here’s a projected 2018 line, assuming Antwuan Jackson Jr is second-team (and not an OR player):


Next year’s defensive line, even if the experienced depth at defensive end is thin, is outrageously talented. Potentially best-in-the-country talented. Here’s how they compare:


As you can see in the chart above, the talent level was already ridiculous, but now every single starter could be among the best in the country.

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Ohio State holds off Nebraska, 64-59, takes over sole possession of first place
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Keita Bates-Diop, the Big Ten's top scorer, had 14 of his 20 points in the second half and surging No. 13 Ohio State ground out a 64-59 win over Nebraska for its ninth straight conference victory.

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Ohio State promotes Ryan Day after NFL flirtation
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Day will now be OSU’s offensive coordinator, along with OSU’s other offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson.

After reportedly considering a jump to join Mike Vrabel’s staff with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, according to an athletic department press release, Urban Meyer has promoted Ryan Day from co-offensive coordinator to offensive coordinator. He will continue to work alongside the other OSU offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson.

“Day will continue to coach the Ohio State quarterbacks and work with Kevin Wilson to lead the Ohio State offense with additional adjustments to his responsibilities forthcoming,” the release said.

At this point, it is unclear how the offensive responsibilities will be distributed, as both Day and Wilson are still on staff. However, as the Buckeyes look to replace the most statistically successful quarterback in school and Big Ten history, Day’s influence and insight as the quarterbacks coach should be invaluable in the upcoming transition.

The Titans’ offensive coordinator job was not the only one that Day was rumored to be in the hunt for this offseason.


Day has had previous stops in both the college and professional coaching ranks, most recently serving as the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, both under Chip Kelly. In Day’s first season at Ohio State, the Buckeyes ranked seventh nationally in total offense, and sixth in scoring offense.

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Bates-Diop scores 20 as No. 13 Buckeyes slip past Nebraska - Tampabay.com
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Bates-Diop scores 20 as No. 13 Buckeyes slip past Nebraska
Tampabay.com
Facing a surprising Nebraska team that upset Michigan last week, the Buckeyes were at risk of letting one slip away. But that didn't happen. Keita Bates-Diop, the Big Ten's top scorer, had 14 of his 20 points in the second half and the surging Buckeyes ...
James Palmer scores 34, but No. 13 Buckeyes narrowly edge upset-minded HuskersOmaha World-Herald
Ohio State: Ryan Day expected to stay on Urban Meyer's staff; No. 13 Buckeyes edge Nebraska to preserve perfect Big ...Landof10.com
Ohio State women's basketball | Postgame: Maryland 99, Ohio State 69: Buckeyes reach 'turning point'The Columbus Dispatch
Land-Grant Holy Land -cleveland.com
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