Another blowout win for Ohio State seems likely versus Illinois
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Podcasting about the Fighting Illini, and how terrible the Illibuck is.

Ohio State has played in a lot of blowout games this season:


The Buckeyes’ eight wins have been by an average of 35 points, and with Illinois on deck, it wouldn’t be a shock to see that average stay the same, or even increase a bit.

The Illini have a legitimate case for being the worst team Ohio State has played this season (112th in S&P+) and are projected to take a modest 32-point beating. So with Saturday’s game likely to get out of hand quickly, what will we discuss on this episode of The Hangout in the Holyland? The Illibuck, of course.

In a conference full of trophy games, the Illibuck is the only one Ohio State plays for, and boy, is it ugly. On today’s episode, Matt Brown and Colton Denning bury the Illibuck —as well as the “rivalry” with Illinois— and talk about why it’s one of the worst trophies in the conference. The guys also:

• Rank the trophies that are better. (Shoutout to the $5 Bits of Broken Chair!)
• Try to find any way that Illinois can pose a threat to Ohio State, and wonder if the Fighting Illini are built for tangible success in modern college football.
• Discuss Arkansas firing Athletic Director Jeff Long, and whether BERT will be back in the Big Ten soon.
• Take a look at the rest of Week 12, why you should keep an eye on non-power 5 games, and more!

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

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Highlights from the Urban Meyer Show: OSU has to win Illibuck - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Highlights from the Urban Meyer Show: OSU has to win Illibuck
247Sports
It's Thursday which means Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer joins Paul Keels and Jim Lachey on 97.1 The Fan at noon. This week should be a bit different than the last show, after the Buckeyes lost 55-24 to Iowa. Now Meyer can discuss the 48-3 win over ...

and more »

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Found this in the interweb tubes. This list is for only teams that were ranked at least fifteen times, though there's a separate table for all teams. Higher is better.

Oregon 58½
Kansas State 56
Texas Christian 45
Michigan State 35½
Wisconsin 28
Alabama 22½
Iowa 20½
Virginia Tech -1
Penn State -5
Auburn -7½
Washington -19
Ohio State -25
Syracuse -34½
Clemson -36
Georgia -47
Texas A&M -47
Miami-Florida -55
UCLA -55½
Florida -56½
Tennessee -59
Louisiana State -72½
Michigan -76½
Florida State -87½
Nebraska -91½
Oklahoma -95½
Notre Dame -103½
Southern Cal -107
Texas -118

http://preseason.stassen.com/over-under/teams.html

Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and Prediction - AthlonSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Preview and Prediction
AthlonSports.com
The Ohio State Buckeyes, fresh off a 48-3 rout of Michigan State, look to continue their winning ways as the team will conclude its home slate of games on Saturday against struggling Illinois. Senior Day in Ohio Stadium is always an emotional affair ...
Ohio State football podcast: There's no sugarcoating Illinois is not the same test Iowa wasLandof10.com
Buckeyes release trailer for emotional Senior Day vs. IllinoisWaiting For Next Year
What To Watch: Texas Southern at Ohio State247Sports
Land-Grant Holy Land -Daily Illini -Eleven Warriors
all 19 news articles »

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The Tigers of Texas Southern coached by our dear friend Mike Davis come to Columbus to see if they can stop Ohio State's quest for an undefeated season.

TEXAS SOUTHERN BREAKDOWN

* Full Texas Southern stats

The Tigers are coached by former Indiana head coach Mike Davis ... Texas Southern comes into Thursday's game 0-2, with losses to Gonzaga and Washington State ... The Tigers play their first 13 games of the season on the road, including remaining games against Ohio State, Syracuse, Kansas, Clemson, Oregon, Baylor and Brigham Young ... Texas Southern won the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season title last year after finishing 16-2 in the league. Guard Trae Jefferson is the reigning SWAC Freshman of the Year ... Tigers center Trayvon Reed is a transfer from Auburn who was the No. 80 overall player in the 2014 recruiting class ... Texas Southern is among the worst teams in the country (No. 286 overall) in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency ... The Tigers are the No. 263 overall team in the KenPom ratings.

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Ohio State basketball vs. Texas Southern preview: TV info, key players, stats, prediction

The Ohio State defense will have their way with the Illinois offense
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Illini quarterback situation is not great.

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith is not sure who is going to start for his football team on Saturday against the Buckeyes, but unfortunately for Smith, it won’t make a difference who he picks.

When re-watching Illinois’ 24-10 loss to Wisconsin, the game wasn’t actually as close as the scoreboard indicated. Smith flip-flopped his two quarterbacks throughout the afternoon, and neither could get anything going against a comparable defense to what they’ll see on Saturday.


On the 41 dropbacks that Jeff George Jr. and Cam Thomas made, they only completed 11 passes. On the 22 incompletions that were thrown, the majority of them were not even close to being completed. The offensive line let up a pressure on 30-percent of the dropbacks and as one can see, it was a complete disaster all afternoon.

Chayce Crouch began the season as the starter before struggling. Crouch struggled so much behind center that he was moved to H-back. Jeff George Jr. took over for Crouch and has completed only 50-percent of his throws to the tune of seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Smith decided to sub in true freshman Cam Thomas, who is a pretty good runner, but will not challenge any secondary through the air. George is the ‘better thrower’ of the two, but that’s not saying much.

• On Illinois’ first series, George went 0-3 with an interception. On this throw, he showed he does not have the arm strength to hit the 10-yard out. The Wisconsin corner wasn’t fooled by the route, and was able to undercut the route for the easy interception. George had to go somewhere else with the football in that situation.

• After subbing out George for Thomas, George was put back into the game and overthrew this receiver who created the most separation on the afternoon. George had a clean pocket and a wide-open receiver, but couldn’t hit him.

• I want to blame this on miscommunication between Thomas and his receiver, but it’s pretty clear that the outside receiver ran a go route to open up the quick out. The receiver actually got some good separation on the defender, but Thomas overthrew the out by about five yards.

• When Thomas enters the game, he’s most likely going to run the ball. They typically like to line up in an empty formation and call a designed QB Draw. After racking up 10-plus yards on a zone read, they never went back to it. Thomas flashes, but he’s extremely raw and inconsistent.
• This is another bad decision by Thomas. This was a slow developing banana route that was easily undercut by the safety. Luckily for Thomas, the safety dropped the interception.

• It’s tough to see what Thomas saw on this play. There were four defenders in the screen to only two receivers, and neither receiver had a chance to make a play on the football. It’s unfair to put all the blame on the quarterback in a situation like this, but he did throw it into an area where nothing positive would occur.

Overall, it’s going to be total destruction for the Ohio State defense against Illinois. The offense has freshman receiver Ricky Smalling as a playmaker, but he’s most likely going to be blanketed by Denzel Ward. The defensive line is going to get pressure on these quarterbacks early and often, which will result in plenty of mistakes. It’s going to be ugly for Lovie Smith and it’s not going to matter who he chooses to start at quarterback.

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Ohio State football podcast: There's no sugarcoating Illinois is not the same test Iowa was - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football podcast: There's no sugarcoating Illinois is not the same test Iowa was
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get insight and reaction to Ohio State football on the Inside the Shoe podcast, brought to you by Land of 10. On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb previews the Buckeyes' game against Illinois on Saturday. Unlike the game against Iowa, ...
What To Watch: Texas Southern at Ohio State247Sports
How to watch Ohio State vs. Texas Southern: Preview, game time, live streaming onlineLand-Grant Holy Land
Touchdown Times: Ohio StateDaily Illini
Eleven Warriors -Sports Chat Place (blog) -OSU - The Lantern
all 12 news articles »

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Ohio State isn't being unfairly targeted, but targeting rule needs to be fixed - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State isn't being unfairly targeted, but targeting rule needs to be fixed
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes have been hit with the stiffest penalty in the game four times this season, earning ejections and one-way trips to the shower because a targeting rule that was created with noble intentions has now become perhaps the most controversial in ...


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Like most normal human beings, I enjoy a cup or three of coffee in the morning. I’m an early riser and like to drink a cup before I head to the gym at 0500. I may drink another cup before I head to the office or first thing when I get to the office. I like coffee all kinds of ways - just plain old black, cold brew, with bourbon/Irish cream etc. I also love a good cup of espresso or a latte. What I don’t enjoy is paying $4-6 for a latte at Starbucks, which brings me to the point of this thread. I’m looking to buy an espresso machine.

I can definitely tell the difference between espresso-like coffee and a good espresso. If you are reading this you probably already know that “espresso” is just a method of brewing coffee (near boiling water pushed through compact finely ground beans resulting in thicker liquid with crema on top). There are many machines that label themselves as “espresso” makers, but don’t make true espresso. That said, I don’t have time to play barista, so I prefer not to spend time honing my skills to get that perfect pull. Instead, I want an automated machine. Currently I’m looking at the Jura Ena Micro 5 and I’ll pair that with a Breville BMF600 frother.

Does anyone own or have experience with the Micro 5 or any of the Jura Micro line? Any recommendations for other similar machines for under $1k?

How to watch Ohio State vs. Texas Southern: Preview, game time, live streaming online
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State will look for their third win in a row when they host Texas Southern at Value City Arena later tonight.

After starting off the 2017-18 campaign with wins over Robert Morris and Radford, Ohio State will look to stay undefeated under Chris Holtmann when they host Texas Southern tonight. The Buckeyes are 6-0 all-time against members of the SWAC, and tonight will mark Ohio State’s first-ever meeting with Texas Southern. The last time the Buckeyes played a member of the SWAC came back in 2015, when Ohio State thumped Grambling 82-55 in Columbus.

Ohio State had little trouble with Radford on Sunday afternoon, in a 82-72 win over the Highlanders. The Buckeyes led by as many as 26 points at one point in the second half of Sunday’s game, but a 23-8 run by Radford to close the game made the score look a lot more respectable for the Highlanders than it actually was. Keita Bates-Diop recorded a game-high 22 points in the victory, while guard C.J. Jackson added 19 points.

While there has been plenty of positive play for Ohio State to start off the season, there have been a couple of areas where the Buckeyes must improve if they are going to find success the rest of the year. Against Robert Morris, Ohio State turned the basketball over 19 times, and followed that performance up with 15 turnovers against Radford. With the competition about to ramp up with the PK80 Tournament next week — along with the start of conference play — the Buckeyes will have to take better care of the basketball.

Turnovers haven’t been the only issue for Ohio State early in the season. The Buckeyes have had a tough time finding their range from behind the arc. Ohio State made just five of the 18 three-pointers they attempted against Robert Morris, and on Sunday they made eight of their 27 attempts from behind the arc. If the Buckeyes are going to have any success this year, they’ll have to either improve on their long-range shooting, or find other ways to put points on the board.

Texas Southern comes into tonight’s contest having lost their first two games, but they are a team the Buckeyes can’t take lightly. The Tigers opened up their season with a 97-69 loss to Gonzaga on Friday, and on Sunday just missed out on a chance to take down Washington State in Pullman. The Tigers were up by as many as 22 points in the second half against the Cougars, but Washington State fought back to force overtime, and eventually earn a 86-84 win over Texas Southern.

Many Ohio State fans will notice a familiar name coaching Texas Southern, as Mike Davis is now in his sixth season with the school. The former Indiana head coach has amassed a 99-69 in Houston, and the Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament three times since 2014. Last year Texas Southern won the SWAC regular season title, along with the conference tournament, before falling to eventual national champion North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Numbers to know

143


Sunday’s win was the 143rd game Ohio State has won when they have had at least two Buckeyes recording a double-double. Not only did Keita Bates-Diop record a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, but Jae’Sean Tate joined the junior by scoring 13 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. In games where at least two Buckeyes record a double-double, Ohio State is 143-51 all-time.

136


Since the start of the 2010 season, Ohio State is tied with Kentucky for most home wins. The Buckeyes have posted a 136-22 record in Columbus since 2010, and a win would break a tie with the Wildcats for at least a day, as Kentucky hosts East Tennessee State in Lexington tomorrow night.

13


The 2017 portion of Texas Southern’s 2017-18 season will be spent exclusively on the road. The Tigers’ first 13 games of the season will take place away from home. Already Texas Southern has visited the Pacific Northwest for games against Gonzaga and Washington State, and after the Tigers leave Columbus they’ll play at Syracuse on Saturday and at Kansas on Tuesday. At least all the time spent on the road should bring Texas Southern together as they try to secure another NCAA Tournament bid.

Cast of characters

Ohio State

Keita Bates-Diop


After missing most of last season due to injury, the redshirt junior forward looks to be making up for lost time so far this year. Bates-Diop has recorded double-doubles in Ohio State’s first two games this season, and now the Buckeyes are 8-0 when Bates-Diop records a double-double. Even though Bates-Diop is returning from injury, it doesn’t look like he is on any sort of minutes restriction, as evidenced by the 32 minutes he was on the court for in Sunday’s victory against Radford.

Kaleb Wesson


The freshman has come off the bench in each of his first two games with the Buckeyes, but the Westerville native is already demanding more minutes with how he is playing when he is on the floor. After scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds in his Ohio State debut against Robert Morris on Friday night, Wesson added nine points off the bench in Sunday’s win. As long as Wesson can stay out of foul trouble, he should see his minutes continue to increase.

Texas Southern

Donte Clark


Texas Southern’s NCAA Tournament hopes got a big boost when they were able to land graduate transfer Donte Clark from UMass. The guard averaged 16.1 points per game during the 2015-16 season for the Minutemen, and 12.6 points per game last year. Clark has already been asked to shoulder a lot of the load for the Tigers, playing 85 minutes in his first two games. Despite the drop in scoring last year, Clark has shown he can still fill up the score sheet, recording 13 points in his debut with the team against Gonzaga, and following that performance up with 22 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to Washington State.

Demontrae Jefferson


Teaming with Clark in the backcourt is reigining SWAC Freshman of the Year Demontrae Jefferson. Last year Jefferson averaged 14.8 points per game for the Tigers. The 5-7 guard from Milwaukee has been even better this year, scoring 20 points against Gonzaga, and 22 points in the overtime loss to Washington State. One area of Jefferson’s game Ohio State might be able to exploit is his ball security, as the sophomore is averaging four turnovers per game so far this year.

How to watch:


Game time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

Streaming: BTN2Go

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Ohio State-Illinois Outrageous Predictions: Huge number of Buckeyes sacks, JT Barrett touchdowns - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State-Illinois Outrageous Predictions: Huge number of Buckeyes sacks, JT Barrett touchdowns
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Who is best at achieving the ultimate combination of outrageousness and accuracy with his weekly Ohio State Outrageous Predictions? Find out thanks to Ryan Ginn from Landof10.com, our special guest this week, who has been tracking ...

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With the regular season winding down and Senior Day at hand, we’re approaching appreciation time for this group of Buckeyes and the dreadfully long offseason soon to follow.

I always try to take a step back during this time of the year to soak everything in and be thankful that there are still a handful of games (hopefully 5!) left to go.

When the season gets as stressful as this one has been, it’s easy to lose sight of the thing we love the most during this time of the year: the ability to still watch our beloved Bucks take to the gridiron on Saturday.

Hopefully we’re all able to take a breath, understand we’re saying goodbye to some legendary seniors once again, and realize that the season will soon come to a close. It’s important to enjoy this thing of ours, let’s not forget!

Having said that, I’m curious to know a few things:

Any plans to attend Senior Day, The Game, Big Ten Championship?

Thoughts at this point of the season for the seniors leaving the team?

Final predictions for how the season ends for this group before a wild couple of weeks coming up?

Vandals on hand to witness Buckeyes' 1000th win - Moscow-Pullman Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Vandals on hand to witness Buckeyes' 1000th win
Moscow-Pullman Daily News
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The ninth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes showed why they are the winningest women's basketball program in the Big Ten on Wednesday. The Idaho Vandals got a front-row seat to the Buckeyes' 1,000 program victory, falling 99-56.
Kurelic: Buckeyes go for Georgia star; committed DB in picture247Sports
Women's basketball: Buckeyes get 1000th winThe Courier
No. 9 Ohio State 99, Idaho 56 | Linnae Harper stands tall in winThe Columbus Dispatch
OSU - The Lantern -Minneapolis Star Tribune
all 9 news articles »

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Listen: Helwagen on CFB Playoff rankings, OSU's stretch drive - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Listen: Helwagen on CFB Playoff rankings, OSU's stretch drive
247Sports
He discussed Ohio State's rise in the College Football Playoff rankings and what has to happen for the Buckeyes to continue moving up. Plus, we discuss the win over Michigan State, what to expect vs. Illinois and much more. Undisputed Champions Book.


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Hornets must stop Buckeyes' big-play offense - Ironton Tribune
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Hornets must stop Buckeyes' big-play offense
Ironton Tribune
Coal Grove Hornets' wide receiver Sam Angelo (left) hauls in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Nate Harmon during last week's Division VI Region 23 48-26 semifinal win over the Southeastern Panthers. (Kent Sanborn of Southern Ohio Sports Photos).


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3-star WR Shocky Jacques-Louis reels in Ohio State offer
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The former Tennessee commit might find himself in the Scarlet and Gray next year.

Jacques-Louis, Mays get OSU offers


Ohio State was busy on Wednesday as head coach Urban Meyer and the coaching staff sent out two new offers to current high school prospects.

One recipient was to '18 WR Shocky Jacques-Louis of Dunbar (FL), a three-star wide receiver who comes in at 6'1, 175 pounds. Jacques-Louis picked up the offer from the Buckeyes just three days after decommitting from Tennessee, a program he had verballed to in late August. It will be interesting to see what develops between the two parties. But as of now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball is expecting the under-the-radar WR to pick Kentucky for the time being.


The other recipient of a Buckeye offer went to an interesting name in '20 OG Cooper Mays of Knoxville Catholic (TN). Cooper is the younger brother of big-time 2018 offensive tackle and Ohio State target Cade Mays, a former Tennessee commit.

One thing we do not know is if the Mays brothers are planning to play together at the next level. However, one would imagine that this is a positive development in the Buckeyes' pursuit of the Mays duo. With that being said, Ohio State isn't the only program to offer both. Tennessee and Georgia, who is the overwhelming favorite to land the older Mays, have also sent offers to the pair.

Tarquin set to visit again


Sticking with the offensive line trend, it is well known that the Buckeyes have already added '19 OT Doug Nester of Spring Valley (WV) to the fold for next year's cycle. The addition was well-documented as Nester was a five-star prospect at the time of his commitment.

One that they would like to join him along the frontline would be '19 OT Michael Tarquin of Belleview (FL).

Tarquin is a mammoth 6'5, 290-pounder that is wanted by the Buckeyes and many more programs across the country. Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, and many more are other teams hoping to land the four-star prospect when all is said and done.

At this time, all indications are that the in-state Hurricanes and the Buckeyes are currently out in front. Obviously, there is a long way to go in this race.

Quick Hits

• '18 DT Antwuan Jackson of Blinn College (TX), an Ohio State commit, had a big Wednesday as he was recognized as an All-Conference MVP and a first team defender. Jackson was a former member of the Auburn Tigers but went the JUCO route to ultimately choose Ohio State, who was blocked on the Tigers' transfer list by Auburn.
• '18 DE Casey Rogers of Old Farms (CT) has set official visits to both Ohio State and Alabama. Rogers has received offers from both New Hampshire and Western Michigan. Other teams showing interest in the former Syracuse lacrosse commit include California, Penn State, Pittsburgh, UCLA, West Virginia, and many more.

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Versailles' Niekamp signs with Ohio State Buckeyes - Bluebag Media - Early Bird Newspaper (press release)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Versailles' Niekamp signs with Ohio State Buckeyes - Bluebag Media
Early Bird Newspaper (press release)
“I wanted to be a part of Buckeye Nation for a long time now just growing up a Buckeye fan,” said Kniekamp. “When the opportunity came up I couldn't pass.”.
Versailles ace Cole Niekamp happy to join 'Buckeye Nation' - Piqua ...Piqua Daily Call

all 2 news articles »

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247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Highlights



Dunbar (Fort Myers, FL)
Ht: 6'1"
Wt: 175 lbs
Class: 2018 (High School)

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247 Profile
HUDL Highlights



Knoxville Catholic (TN)
Ht: 6'2"
Wt: 236 lbs
Class: 2020 (High School)

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Brother of Cade Mays.

Kurelic: Buckeyes go for Georgia star; committed DB in picture - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Buckeyes go for Georgia star; committed DB in picture
247Sports
The 6-foot-5 and 235-pound Goede has close to two dozen scholarship offers including Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Michigan, Florida, Nebraska and North Carolina State. In September Goede said the Buckeyes were one ...


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OSU Notebook: Buckeyes to lean on running backs - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


OSU Notebook: Buckeyes to lean on running backs
Toledo Blade
COLUMBUS — Ohio State made a concerted effort to involve its running backs last week, and it was no coincidence that the Buckeyes' running game flourished. Both Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins surpassed 100 yards and Ohio State racked up 335 total ...
Watch: Chris Worley on which linebacker position he should play247Sports
Ohio State LB Jerome Baker cleared, Dante Booker questionable vs ...Landof10.com

all 15 news articles »

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Buckeyes offer another 2018 wide receiver - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer another 2018 wide receiver
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! In addition to Ohio State, the 6-foot-1 and 175-pound Jacques-louis has offers from Kentucky, Michigan State, Michigan, ...


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Ohio State recruiting: MJ Devonshire, Andrew Kristofic talk Buckeyes offer; a 2021 DE to watch - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: MJ Devonshire, Andrew Kristofic talk Buckeyes offer; a 2021 DE to watch
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes and a glimpse at what's coming next.
Linebacker Zach Turnure Discusses His Role in Ohio State's Pursuit of Four-Star Wideout Kamryn Babb While ...Eleven Warriors

all 2 news articles »

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Billy Price’s consistency has allowed Ohio State to find its best balance in years
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Chris Holtmann is trying to buy your affection with fried chicken!

“He cares not because the story is particularly important, but because in Billy Price's life, nothing is trivial, nothing is overlooked, nothing slides.”

- Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com


With all of the accomplishments that senior Billy Price has, and will have, under his belt by the time that his Ohio State playing career concludes at season’s end, perhaps the one that has had the biggest impact on his team is his school record of starting 51 games in his career; a number that could get as high as 56 if everything breaks the Buckeyes’ way.

Whether it was at guard, or now at center, the consistency that Price has afford the offensive line, as well as the leadership that he has provided his younger linemates, has allowed the team to settle into as good of an offensive balance as they’ve had in his time on the field.


If you take a look at this chart from everyone’s favorite certified financial planner (that’s what the CFP stands for, not College Football Playoff), you will see that the number of QB runs (designed or otherwise) that the Buckeyes have relied on this year is the lowest in Price’s time on the line, and the split between running back, H-back, tight end, and wide receiver is as balanced as it’s been.

These are the things that Urban Meyer is referencing when he talks about how having a mature and experienced offensive line can pay huge dividends in all aspects of the offensive gameplan. While it hasn’t happened all at once, and likely not as quickly as many had hoped, the Buckeyes are at the point now where they seem to have found the proper workload for backs Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins, as well as quarterback J.T. Barrett.

If they are able to recreate the balance and “chances” that led to the demolishing of Michigan State last weekend over the next three weeks, the Buckeyes should be able to put themselves in position to sneak their way back into the College Football Playoff, should a number of teams falter above them.


Look, let’s call this what it is. New Buckeye men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann is trying to buy the attention and affection of the normally football-obsessed Ohio State student body, especially before all focus turns to Michigan Week. And if I were still a student at OSU, it would totally work on me.

As I discussed with 97.1 The Fan’s Lori Schmidt on the Hangout in the Holy Land podcast, Holtmann is actively attempting to find ways to connect with OSU fans and his program’s history.

And, if that includes buying some delicious fast food fried chicken for some poor, hungry college students, what’s the harm in that? Well, of course that assumes that the poor hungry college students are not also scholarship athletes, as that would get into a gray area that we would need compliance to weigh in on first.


This Saturday’s matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini will mark the final game for this year’s Buckeyes at The Horseshoe, and with Senior Day comes all of the requisite emotions about ending one chapter of a young man’s life and beginning another.

Though we like to think of our college football players as warriors who only show emotion when it comes to running someone over, the nostalgic memories of camaraderie shared over the years can be overwhelming for even the most grizzled of athletes. That is why the fact that OSU is playing Illinois in its final home game of the season should (and I emphasize “should”) allow the Buckeyes time to settle into the game after the sentimental pregame ceremony.

Of course, don’t tell Lovie Smith and his crew that, but the Buckeyes are fortunate that with less than zero margin for error, that they are hosting the Illini, rather than the Spartans or Wolverines on Senior Day.

“Although it’s not two top 10-ranked opponents coming to Columbus as over the past weekend, the next stretch of games for the Ohio State women’s basketball team will be another significant test.”

- Josh Horton, The Columbus Dispatch


If you hadn’t heard, over the weekend, the No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball team knocked off No. 14 Stanford and fell to No. 5 Louisville in overtime to start the 2017-2018 season. Kevin McGuff’s squad is looking to make it to the Final Four, which will be held at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena this spring, and while the challenges might not be as significant this week as they were last, the Buckeyes are in for a grueling three games in five days at the Value City Arena.

Facing off against Idaho on Wednesday, Quinnipiac on Friday, and Washington (McGuff’s old school) on Sunday will very much recreate the intensity and turn around that OSU will need to make a run in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

While Horton explains that postseason preparedness was not the purpose of scheduling the games as they are, no doubt that these early season challenges should provide McGuff’s team opportunities to test themselves early on in a potentially historic season.

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College Hockey News: Buckeyes Goaltender Transition Smooth So Far - College Hockey News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College Hockey News: Buckeyes Goaltender Transition Smooth So Far
College Hockey News
Whatever voodoo Romeo uses, from his particular phone habits to general OCD and keeping to himself on gamedays, has been working. The goaltender transfer has started 11 of 12 games for the Buckeyes, helping Ohio State to five wins this young season.


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