Ohio State vs. Michigan State: A Five Year War
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


In a recent series defined by upsets and road team wins, Urban Meyer holds a 3-2 edge over Mark Dantonio’s Spartans

"When your foot is on that jugular, you have to kill that fool.” No. 1 Ohio State had just dispatched an unranked Michigan State team in Columbus, and offensive tackle Kirk Barton was in no mood for niceties. It was understandable, the Buckeyes had survived their first test of the season. And it really shouldn’t have been a test at all.

Prior to Michigan State, things had come easy for the 2007 Buckeyes. In their first seven games, the most difficult opponent on paper turned out to be a breeze. The Buckeyes jumped to a 23-0 lead against No. 20 Purdue, cruising to a 23-7 victory at night in West Lafayette, Ind.

So it wasn’t Ohio State’s first rodeo when they found themselves out to a big 24-0 lead against Michigan State. It was no surprise that first-year Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio was over-matched against OSU’s superior talent. Join the club.

But then something surprising did happen. Michigan State scored two defensive touchdowns in 56 seconds. And OSU dogged a bullet on the first play of the next drive, as two Spartan defenders couldn’t get a handle on a Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells fumble. At the gun, the Buckeyes walked away the victors 24-17 to improve to 8-0 overall.

While it was just one game, the closing Spartan surge would be a sign of the competitive series to come. And ten years later, that 2007 game remains the last time Ohio State beat Michigan State in Columbus.


Since Urban Meyer arrived at OSU in 2012, he and Mark Dantonio have squared off in a five-year war. Sparty remains the only Big Ten program during that span to beat Meyer multiple times, and the only other Big Ten program to make the College Football Playoff. Even so, Meyer holds a 3-2 head-to-head series edge. A series that has been characterized by three trends.


1) The games are always competitive, and typically razor-close. Three games have been decided by three points or less, two by a single point. In the five contests, Ohio State has scored 121 total points, Michigan State has scored 120. There’s been little separation between these two programs on game day.

2) The home team loses. The home team is 0-4. Ohio State has won three on the road, while Michigan State has scored the biggest road upset — upending the undefeated 14-point favorite Buckeyes in 2015 (Sparty also holds a 1-0 mark on a neutral field with the Big Ten Championship game victory in 2013). So much for home field advantage.

3) The favorite almost always loses. The bookies in Vegas don’t care about recent series history. Maybe they should. In the Dantonio-Meyer era, only once has the favorite actually won the game outright (and never has the favorite covered the spread). Last year was the only time the favorite came through to win — OSU was favored by 21 and won by a single point.

Coming off a game in Iowa where little went right, the Buckeyes stand as more than two touchdown favorites against Michigan State. Better OSU teams under Meyer have tripped up trying to put the foot on Sparty’s jugular. A series that has consistently upended expectations may be poised to do so once more.

Continue reading...

Ohio State vs. Michigan State 2017: Start time, live stream, TV schedule and Game Thread
Meredith Hein 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 looking for redemption against a resurgent Michigan State squad.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off the worst loss of Urban Meyer’s career, but have a chance to redeem themselves against an always-tough Michigan State squad in Columbus. It is not often that Meyer loses two games in a row, though the two touchdowns the Buckeyes are favored by seems somewhat wishful.

Mark Dantonio and the Spartans have been the Achilles to Meyer’s squad. Michigan State is 2-3 against the Buckeyes under Meyer’s regime--the best record of any conference foe. They come to Columbus having defeated Penn State in a fashion not quote as dramatic as the Buckeyes’ win the week prior.

While Brian Lewerke and Michigan State’s offense has been turning heads lately, the heart of the Spartans remains their staunch defense. The unit is allowing a Big Ten-best 87 yards rushing per game. This week, they will have their hands full with J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber, who Meyer will need to rush more than he did last week against the Hawkeyes.

When is the game and how can I watch?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 11, 12 p.m. ET

Location: Columbus, Ohio

TV: FOX

Online: FOX Sports Go

Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Where is GameDay today?


The College Gameday crew is headed to Coral Gables, Florida this weekend ahead of the matchup between No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 7 Miami. Undefeated Miami is coming off its biggest win of the season over then-No. 13 Virginia Tech, while Notre Dame looks to solidify its spot as a one-loss playoff team.

What’s the rest of the Big Ten up to this weekend?


At noon, No. 14 Penn State gets Rutgers in Happy Valley, while Indiana heads to Illinois, both on BTN. Also at noon, Nebraska travels to Minnesota on FS1. In what is now a much more intriguing matchup, No. 20 Iowa heads to No. 8 Wisconsin on ABC, while Maryland faces Michigan on BTN. Finally, in the conference nightcap, Purdue travels to Evanston to face No. 25 Northwestern on ESPN2.

Join the conversation


Below is your Ohio State-Michigan State GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and as always, keep it classy. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s keep the season going strong.

Continue reading...

Michigan State Spartans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes: TV schedule, time, game preview, live score - www.clickondetroit.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Michigan State Spartans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes: TV schedule, time, game preview, live score
www.clickondetroit.com
Saturday's game at Ohio State will merely be the latest of several matchups between the Buckeyes and Spartans this decade that had major conference title implications. Michigan State beat Ohio State in the 2013 Big Ten title game. Since then, the teams ...
Couch: Michigan State's Ohio coaching ties built the Spartans, helped beat the BuckeyesLansing State Journal
Ohio State recruiting: Breaking down Buckeyes' official visitors for Michigan State weekendLandof10.com
Wojo's Pigskin Picks: Spartans in Buckeyes' way againThe Detroit News
HollandSentinel.com -Dayton Daily News
all 537 news articles »

Continue reading...

Lady Buckeyes handle Stanford - The News Center
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Lady Buckeyes handle Stanford
The News Center
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Kelsey Mitchell scored 30 points and Stephanie Mavunga added 17 points and a career-high 26 rebounds to help No. 5 Ohio State to an 85-64 win over 10th-ranked Stanford on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

and more »

Continue reading...

247 Profile
Rivals Profile





Height: 6'4"
Weight: 170
Hometown: Southfield, MI
School: Southfield Christian
Position: Combo Guard

Preview: #12 Michigan State vs #13 Ohio State
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



After a disastrous visit to Kinnick Stadium, the Buckeyes will return to Columbus to try to salvage their season against Michigan State. Like the Iowa game, this will be another trap game with huge implications involving a potential conference title game berth.

Michigan State is coming to Columbus after defeating #7 Penn State at home with a last second FG and Ohio State is coming back home after getting blown out by an unranked Iowa team that forced J.T. Barrett to uncharacteristically turn the ball over 4 times via interceptions.

This installment of Michigan State versus Ohio State will feature two 7-2 teams that are both 5-1 in conference play that are both looking to claim first place in the East. Dantonio has been a thorn in Meyer’s side and he holds two victories over Meyer.

This game is just as dangerous for the Buckeyes because in big time, big implication types of games, the Buckeyes coaches tend to get too cute for comfort and they forget that their tailbacks are dangerously and good. This usually leads to losses, whether close or in blowout fashion and these Spartans have beaten the Buckeyes when they cannot afford to take a loss.

There are many storylines for the Buckeyes in the game but the main one will be focused on J.T. Barrett and if he can move past last weeks game. Another dominant story would be can the Silver Bullets recover and be dominant once again because they were horrible last week after letting the opposing TE’s have a field day? Will the RB’s get the ball would be another one to add to the list too.

On the other side, Lewerke is coming off of consecutive 400 passing yard games and will look to dice up the Ohio State secondary. Will L.J. Scott run wild again against the LB’s who looked confused the entire game? Will the Spartan defense achieve the same results as the Hawkeye defense?

Prediction

Too many factors and variables make it difficult to accurately predict the outcome of this game, but apparently, this game will have an angry Ohio State team that is looking to salvage their season, but that does not amount to much.

We have seen these “angry” games that were too close for comfort, so I will not buy into it this week. I foresee another questionable gameplan with uber-conservative playcalling. A balance in play calling will be there but check down passes will be featured a lot to prevent turnovers.

Buckeyes squeak out a win 24-21.








Continue reading...

Kelsey Mitchell, Stephanie Mavunga power No. 5 Ohio State past No. 10 Stanford - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kelsey Mitchell, Stephanie Mavunga power No. 5 Ohio State past No. 10 Stanford
ESPN
Friday, the Buckeyes beat the Cardinal 85-64 at St. John's Arena on Ohio State's campus, with seniors Kelsey Mitchell (30 points) and Stephanie Mavunga (17 points and a school-record 26 rebounds) leading the way. "We have veteran players with a lot of ...
Lady Buckeyes handle StanfordThe News Center
Stephanie Mavunga's Career Rebounding Night Lifts No. 5 Buckeyes Over No. 10 StanfordEleven Warriors

all 21 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State cruises past Robert Morris in Chris Holtmann’s first game
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network

Chris Holtmann had a successful coaching debut in Columbus, with his Buckeyes winning big in the season opener over RMU.

Continue reading...

No. 17 Ohio State hockey defeats UConn, 5-4
Matt Torino via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes go on the road and take down the Huskies.

Last weekend, Ryan Nanni, aka @celebrityhottub on Twitter, put a 1950s UConn logo on the dot of the I in Script Ohio after the football team was embarrassed at Ohio. But this weekend, the hockey Buckeyes beat UConn themselves, 5-4.

Revenge, or the best the hockey team could do!

That’s right: the No. 17 Puckeyes went to Hartford and defeated Hockey East’s Huskies by a score of 5-4. Any road win against a major conference opponent is valuable, and that is especially so for the now 6-3-2 Buckeyes, as they were swept last weekend in Columbus by Notre Dame.

This one was a back and forth affair where OSU never trailed but sure seemed like they wanted to give it a try, just to see how it handled. Ohio State had leads of 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4 but never allowed UConn to tie it and never trailed in any of the sixty minutes.

It sure didn’t look like it’d be that close, however. Ohio State stormed out to a 3-0 lead by the 4:13 mark of the second. Matthew Weis scored just 40 seconds into the game, with assists from Tanner Laczynski and Sasha Larocque. Matt wasn’t done however, as he scored his second of the game at 7:57, with Laczynski and Gordi Myer credited with the assists.

OSU went into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead and 11-7 advantage in shots despite leading for 19:20 of the first and it sure seemed like this one would be a laugher once Dakota Joshua made it 3-0 at 4:13 of the second. Mason Jobst found his way back to the scoresheet with the primary assist, while Matt Miller had the secondary apple.

Then UConn decided this wasn’t fun anymore.

The Huskies scored goals at 8:59 and 18:41 of the second to make it 3-2 going into the third, all of a sudden. UConn scored on a deflection and a reviewed goal and yet, those still count and the lead was down to one. It would’ve been tied had OSU freshman goalie Tommy Nappier, in his first collegiate start, not stopped a UConn penalty shot in the second.

Nappier wouldn’t be able to harness that penalty shot magic into regular game play, as UConn would score again despite Ohio State extending the lead to 4-2 in the third. Just 3:58 into the third, Jobst made it a two goal OSU lead once again, seeming to quell the Husky threat, until UConn came clawing back again to make it 4-3 on a goal by Jesse Schwartz.

Ohio State again extended the lead, this time to 5-3, once again trying to put away the Huskies, as Christian Lampasso scored his second of the year to grow the lead once again. Myer and Joshua had the assists. But UConn wouldn’t die and put in another one to make it 5-4 with just 2:46 remaining in the game.

It could’ve been worse, too. Ohio State had to kill off a five minute major power play for UConn, after Lampasso, deciding his goal needed to be undone, was sent off with a game misconduct and major penalty for hitting from behind. OSU would find a way to kill that off though, before giving up that fourth goal. Talk about dodging a bullet.

The Huskies pulled the goalie for the extra attacker but couldn’t beat Nappier and the No. 17 Buckeyes squeaked out with a win.

UConn absolutely dominated the last two periods of this game, something you don’t want to see when you’re a ranked team, 3-0 lead or not. But OSU has shown a tendency to sink into a shell and it very well might have cost them against a more talented team tonight.

In the second and third, OSU was outshot 19-4 and 13-5, respectively, something you wouldn’t expect if they played the No. 1 team in the nation, much less 3-8-1 UConn. OSU has to keep pushing the offensive envelope against inferior teams if they want to make any conference or national noise this year. They showed they could dominate in the first tonight. They just have to do it for an entire game, regardless of the score.

But the Buckeyes will have a chance to sweep the Huskies on Saturday regardless of UConn’s domination, as the two teams play again in Hartford at 3:35 p.m. ET.

Continue reading...

Women's Basketball: No. 5 Buckeyes defeats No. 10 Stanford 85-64 in season opener - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Women's Basketball: No. 5 Buckeyes defeats No. 10 Stanford 85-64 in season opener
OSU - The Lantern
Senior guard Kelsey Mitchell led the Buckeyes with 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting, but it was redshirt senior forward Stephanie Mavunga who stole the show with 17 points and 26 rebounds. The rebounds are a new school record and a career-high for ...
Stephanie Mavunga's Career Rebounding Night Lifts No. 5 Buckeyes Over No. 10 StanfordEleven Warriors

all 20 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State 95, Robert Morris 64 | Keita Bates-Diop leads Buckeyes opening win - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State 95, Robert Morris 64 | Keita Bates-Diop leads Buckeyes opening win
The Columbus Dispatch
Keita Bates-Diop put up the seventh double-double of his Ohio State career, four others scored in double figures and the Buckeyes defeated Robert Morris 95-64 on Friday night in front of 11,128 fans at Value City Arena in Chris Holtmann's first game as ...
College basketball/Ohio State 95, Robert Morris 64: Keita Bates-Diop leads Buckeyes to win in openerAkron Beacon Journal

all 6 news articles »

Continue reading...

In Chris Holtmann's first game as Ohio State head coach, the Buckeyes defeats Robert Morris, 95-64 - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


In Chris Holtmann's first game as Ohio State head coach, the Buckeyes defeats Robert Morris, 95-64
Land-Grant Holy Land
The Chris Holtmann era is off to a 1-0 start after the Ohio State Buckeyes dominated the Robert Morris Colonials, 95-64, inside Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. It was a pretty good Friday night, as four Buckeyes crossed double-digit scoring lines ...
Ohio State-Robert Morris basketball score: Recap, stats from 95-64 Buckeyes winLandof10.com
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes tip off tonight vs. Robert MorrisThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes begin with few expectations, promise strong effort under ...The Athletic
cleveland.com -247Sports -Akron Beacon Journal
all 27 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State-Robert Morris basketball score: Recap, stats from 95-64 Buckeyes win - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State-Robert Morris basketball score: Recap, stats from 95-64 Buckeyes win
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes will begin the Chris Holtmann era by taking on Robert Morris on Friday night. Holtmann was hired in June after Ohio State unexpectedly fired Thad Matta following a string underachieving seasons combined with player departures and ...
In Chris Holtmann's first game as Ohio State head coach, the Buckeyes defeats Robert Morris, 95-64Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes tip off tonight vs. Robert MorrisThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes begin with few expectations, promise strong effort under ...The Athletic
247Sports -cleveland.com -Scout
all 24 news articles »

Continue reading...

In His Own Words: MSU DE Coach Snyder Talks OSU - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


In His Own Words: MSU DE Coach Snyder Talks OSU
Scout
MSU DE Coach Mark Snyder took time this week to talk about the Spartans defense and the Buckeyes offense. Michigan State knows exactly how talented the Buckeyes are, but do the Buckeyes respect how good the Spartan defense is? That will be settled ...


Continue reading...

In Chris Holtmann’s first game as Ohio State head coach, the Buckeyes defeats Robert Morris, 95-64
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Holtmann era has officially begun in Columbus.

The Chris Holtmann era is off to a 1-0 start after the Ohio State Buckeyes dominated the Robert Morris Colonials, 95-64, inside Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

It was a pretty good Friday night, as three Buckeyes crossed double-digit scoring lines: Keita Bates-Diop, Musa Jallow and Kaleb Wesson. For the game, the Scarlet and Gray dominated the boards, out rebounding the Colonials, 51-23.

Right after the tipoff, there was some foreshadowing that Robert Morris was bound to have a not-so-good first half of their first game of the regular season. Guard Matty McConnell had his jumper blocked by C.J. Jackson, and the Colonials would then proceed to miss their next two shots (another jumper and a layup). Jackson, about a minute later, would get the first bucket of the season for OSU.

From that point on, the Buckeyes made it known that they were a team on a mission for a victory—and they did just that.

Ohio State shot 61 percent from the field in the first half, while Robert Morris shot just 27 percent from the field. The Buckeyes did a little bit of everything in the first 20 minutes: they hit threes, they made blocks, they rebounded and Jackson and Musa Jallow connected on an alley-oop.

While the Buckeyes were seemingly scoring at will, the Colonials struggled to just put points up on the scoreboard. There was a five-minute stretch where the visitors went on a scoring drought; coupled with the Buckeyes having an 11-0 run around the same time frame, things were unraveling quickly before halftime. The cherry on top of the rough half for Robert Morris came when forward Koby Thomas unleashed a three-pointer that appeared to miss just about everything, before landing in the hands of a Buckeye. Robert Morris may of had their own problems finding the basket, but Ohio State was making life tough for them, too. Jackson started off the Buckeyes’ blocking scheme in the opening 25 seconds, and by the end of the half, a total of five blocks were tallied for OSU.

Sloppiness was an issue for both sides. Both teams committed 10 turnovers in the first half, but the Buckeyes converted 16 points off RMU miscues, while the Colonials only cashed in 7 points on the Buckeyes’ mistakes.

Keita Bates-Diop led all Buckeyes in the first half with 13 points. It didn’t take too long in the second half for him to get back to his scoring ways, as Bates-Diop hit a layup right after Micah Potter dunked home two points. Dunking was a common occurrence with Potter, as just a few minutes later, he jammed another down the basket to put the Buckeyes up 56-31.

RMU was able to bury some three-pointers before the first media timeout in the second half—the Colonials went 2-of-3 from downtown. However, they couldn’t cut into Ohio State’s lead. The Buckeyes fought for second chance opportunities, and wound up scoring. Additionally, OSU would get some momentum going in the transition game, and were just too much to handle.

But, the Colonials did unveil a weakness of this season’s Buckeye basketball team: perimeter defense. Just under the 13-minute mark in the second half, RMU was shooting 8-of-16 from beyond the arc. Ohio State wasn’t shooting nearly as good from downtown, as they held a 29 percent (4-of-14) success rate with just under 11 minutes left in regulation. In fact, the Buckeyes missed their first five three-pointers to begin the second half.

Outside of perimeter defense and free throw shooting, the Buckeyes were rolling. Bates-Diop was the defacto leader on the scoring and rebounding front. Kaleb Wesson scored in double figures, and Jackson led the team in assists. Between that trio—and some help from Jackson—the Buckeyes were able to breakup a two-minute scoring drought midway through the second half.

The punctuation mark to the Buckeyes’ victory came at the nine-minute mark, where a Colonial turnover was converted into an open slam dunk for Jallow. At that point, the Buckeyes pushed their lead to 73-43, and ensured that the 11, 108 in attendance witnessed a Scarlet and Gray victory to begin the Holtmann Era.

Ohio State looks to go 2-0 on the season on Sunday, as they host Radford at 2:30 p.m. ET. Robert Morris travels to Grand Canyon for their next game on Nov. 15.

Continue reading...

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Robert Morris Colonials live score, updates - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Robert Morris Colonials live score, updates
cleveland.com
Indiana is currently down big to Indiana State, and Kentucky is down by nine to a team called Utah Valley at the half. Reminder that college hoops is weird, and Ohio State is not out of the woods in this game. Couple turnovers, couple threes, and RMU ...
Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on Buckeyes' top-ranked classLandof10.com
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes tip off tonight vs. Robert MorrisThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes begin with few expectations, promise strong effort under ...The Athletic
247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land -Eleven Warriors
all 24 news articles »

Continue reading...

Heading into clash with Michigan State, here’s where Ohio State is projected to go come bowl season
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Peach Bowl, or Fiesta Bowl, or Holiday Bowl—oh my.

From a playoff favorite to off the board entirely. That’s the breaks when it comes to a college football season. Less than a week ago, the Rose Bowl semifinal was being projected as a very real landing spot for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Now, that’s not even in the conversation.

Once again, we’ve rounded up five outlets, and looked at where they think the Buckeyes will be heading come postseason time. After the implosion in Iowa City, predicting how Ohio State carries on for the rest of the season is a little tricky. Some outlets think the Scarlet and Gray will recover nicely, while others saw the Iowa loss as just the tip of the iceberg.

Let’s take a look at those bowl projections.


Last week, Kirk, like most of the entire field, had Ohio State in the playoffs. But after seeing the Buckeyes fall apart to the Hawkeyes, there’s a concern that the free fall is still happening.

He has OSU missing the New Year’s Six bowl slate entirely, and heading to the Holiday Bowl. Additionally, Kirk has Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl, Penn State in the Citrus Bowl, Michigan in the Outback Bowl, and Wisconsin in the playoff. (That means, he has Sparty and the Wolverines taking down the Buckeyes in the coming weeks.)

We’ll find out on Saturday how well Ohio State has shaken off the Iowa loss.


Erick Smith of USA Today has a college football classic matchup in the Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Southern California. Many Rose Bowls featured this pairing, but a West Coast theme stays with a Fiesta Bowl pairing.

Smith also has Wisconsin (Orange Bowl) and Penn State (Peach Bowl) joining the Buckeyes in New Year’s Six bowl games.


Like Smith, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has a USC-OSU matchup, but his is in the Cotton Bowl.

His counterpart David M. Hale spiced up his prediction this week: he has the Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl going up against UCF. The Orange Bowl was the projected landing spot for quite some time with Hale, but with the recent loss, his projections have shifted a tad. Hale, like Bonagura, has Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl in this week’s edition of the bowl game guessing game.


At Sports Illustrated, Eric Single has, like Hale of ESPN, a Peach Bowl meetup between Buckeyes and Knights.

Like the South Florida predictions a few weeks back, I don’t see how the Buckeyes come out “winners” in a game like this. If they don’t blow them out by 30, they’re seen as not being nearly as good as they’re supposed to be. Especially after the 31-point loss in Iowa City, an upset of the Buckeyes in a bowl game by a non-Power 5 member would be especially bad for the Big Ten.

Then again, Utah rocked Alabama in a Sugar Bowl in 2009, and the Crimson Tide turned out okay.


Jerry Palm was a believer in the Buckeyes’ playoff chances before it was mainstream. However, even he’s jumped off the OSU-to-Pasadena, Calif., train and has them in the Citrus Bowl.

In his predictions, only Wisconsin made it to a New Year’s Six game—and he has the Badgers facing ‘Bama in the Sugar Bowl.

Continue reading...

Playoffs, other huge Friday night games for Buckeye commits - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Playoffs, other huge Friday night games for Buckeye commits
247Sports
And you can follow how the Buckeyes' verbal commitments are doing in action this weekend on our Front Row message board thread. And another big weekend it is. Scores, stats, highlights and more are being posted on our thread all weekend long, as well ...


Continue reading...

Detroit News predictions: Michigan State vs. Ohio State - The Detroit News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Detroit News predictions: Michigan State vs. Ohio State
The Detroit News
Matt Charboneau: The point spread of nearly two touchdowns seems odd considering the Spartans and Buckeyes have had two games decided by a single point in the previous five meetings, as well as a three-point win for MSU two years ago. Expect ...

and more »

Continue reading...

Top 10 matchups and rivalry games fill the Week 11 college football schedule
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Here’s the full slate of college football games this weekend.

As the end of the 2017 college football seasons draws closer, there are just a few weeks left for teams to make their argument for a spot in the College Football Playoff, as well as square off against some of their bitterest rivals. Week 11 will prove to have the most influence over the postseason up to this point, with several top 10 matchups and rivalry games set to be played.

This week’s slate of games you’ll want to tune into starts on Friday night, with some West Coast late-night Pac-12 action, with the No. 9 Washington Huskies vying for a spot in the CFP against Stanford. Then on Saturday, aside from the noon No. 13 Ohio State vs No. 12 Michigan State matchup, the day is filled with a lot of upset potential -- especially for teams that upset the Buckeyes.

The afternoon slate, starting at 3:30 p.m., includes Georgia (1)-Auburn (10) and Iowa (20)-Wisconsin (8). The Iowa-Wisconsin matchup should be of particular interest for Ohio State fans, with the Badgers looking like the sure-fire Big Ten West champion and likely only candidate from the conference still in the hunt for playoff spot.

Saturday’s night games are sure to be a big draw too, with Alabama (2) taking on Mississippi State (16) at 7:00 p.m., and then two primetime matchups at 8 p.m. including Notre Dame (3) vs. Miami (FL) (7) and TCU (6) vs. Oklahoma (5).

A lot of playoff hopes will be dashed after this weekend, and as a Buckeye feeling scorned -- this could be fun.

Here’s the full slate of college games this weekend and how to watch:

Continue reading...

Theoretically, Ohio State should crush Michigan State on Saturday
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


But, anything can happen.

“Each team is 7-2 and has one loss in Big Ten play. It would be easy to act like this game’s a toss-up. But it’s a lot likelier that Ohio State wins because the Buckeyes are better at football overall.”

-Alex Kirshner, SB Nation


Despite what the record books say about the past six times Ohio State and Michigan State have squared off, there’s reason to believe that this year’s matchup will break with tradition. Typically, whichever team is on the road leaves with the win, but coming off a big loss to Iowa last week, the Buckeyes will be filled with all sorts of anger when they take the field in Columbus.

Kirshner argues in the article above that Ohio State’s talent simply overrides that of the Mark Dantonio-led team — and Urban Meyer doesn’t lose back-to-back games. It’s rare for Meyer to lose two games in a season (not including the bowl game), but now that we’ve crossed that bridge, here’s hoping his record coming off a loss doesn’t take a hit too.

After a complete shock to the system last week in Iowa, it’s no wonder that fans and pundits are hedging their bet on what opened as a 15.5 point matchup tilting in favor of the Buckeyes. A blowout would be great, but it’d also be silly to doubt Michigan State’s potential — especially with the momentum coming off a big win over Penn State. The Spartans might not be Ohio State’s bitter rival, but as we say -- we don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan.

“Urban Meyer freaks out on the sideline and that’s probably not the best way to go about it when dealing with 20 year old kids.”

-James W Snyder, Off Tackle Empire


There have been a lot of comparisons between Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer, but one of the rarer hot takes I’ve come across this season is the comparison between their sideline demeanor. Granted, neither of the two ever really compared to the Brian Kelly’s of the world, but Meyer certainly is more colorful than Tressel was.

That’s not to say that’s a problem though. Meyer isn’t just screaming to scream. He isn’t throwing players under the bus. And sometimes you do need to yell at 19- and 20-year olds to get them to start paying attention.

More so than yelling out of anger, Meyer has to be disappointed in the wasted potential of this year’s Buckeye squad. What started out questionable, turned into a run with serious potential for the College Football Playoff, only for the team to see it squandered by a completely out of sync game with only three weeks to play.

There are a lot of very valid arguments and comparisons to be made between Ohio State teams under Tressel and under Meyer, but their sideline demeanor is not really one of them.

"This particular class represents seven states and some of the very best high school programs in the country. We look forward to getting these men in the Scarlet and Gray next year and following them all this spring as they compete for championships."

-Ohio State men’s lacrosse head coach Nick Myers, via Ohio State


College basketball’s early signing day may have been earlier this week, but there was another Buckeye squad who picked up a lot of future talent. The Ohio State men’s lacrosse team saw 12 future Buckeyes sign their National Letters of Intent to continue their careers in Columbus.

Of the 12 incoming players, they’ve added four midfielders, three attackmen, two goalies, two defensemen and one face off specialist. Three of the 12 hail from Ohio, Anthony Ameo of Painesville, and Skylar Wahlund and Johnny Wiseman both from Powell. The rest of the class includes: Alec Cerasoli, Matt Clibanoff, Mike Clibanoff, Buchanan Dunavant, Brandon Fisher, T.J. Hendricks, Zach Ludd, George Walsh, and Scott White.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Latte foam can be an art form, apparently, and now I need one.
• New food technology is helping Domino’s make sure your pepperonis are evenly spaced.
• There’s a very cool Community First! Village initiative gaining steam to help curb homelessness in Austin, Texas.

Continue reading...

I Got Five on it: Prepare yourself for another uncomfortable game with Michigan State
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s November, and the Spartans would like to interest you in a 20-17 game.

Over the three years I’ve written I Got Five on it, I’ve said some pretty dumb stuff, but nothing quite as dumb as what I said before the 2015 Michigan State game:


Do not listen to the things I say

Oops.

Michigan State not only torpedoed Ohio State’s chances of a repeat national championship, but also won the conference and made the playoff. Oh, they also held the Buckeyes to 132 total yards. My predictions are bad.

On this week’s Hangout in the Holy Land, Matt Brown and I compared playing Michigan State to going to the dentist, and tomorrow should be no different. The Spartans sport a top-10 defense, play physical at every position, and have a just good enough offense to beat you 20-17 and have you wondering what the hell happened afterwards. With the weather projected to be in the mid-30’s, this should be every bit the slugfest that a game with Sparty tends to be.

With that in mind, here are five things to watch tomorrow as Ohio State takes on Michigan State:

Can Ohio State get past the first 20 seconds of the game without giving up a touchdown?


Here’s how long its taken Ohio State’s opponents to score a touchdown the last two weeks:

• Penn State - 14 seconds
• Iowa - 8 seconds

No matter how great you are for the rest of the game, constantly falling behind 7-0 on the first play from scrimmage is a recipe for disaster, and precisely the type of mistake Ohio State can’t afford to make again.

Points are always at a premium against the Spartans, and at this point, an opening drive three and out with a shanked punt would be a fantastic start for Ohio State compared to how they’ve opened games lately.

130-128


If we’ve learned anything previous matchups between these two, it’s that this is going to be a close game. In fact, there’s probably no more even matchup in college football this past decade. The Spartans hold a slim 130-128 total points edge over the last six games, with four being decided by three points or less.

Each team has three wins, and the road team has won every regular season game dating back to 2007. It wouldn’t be surprising to see tomorrow’s edition again come down to one play.


The plays that have decided Ohio State/Michigan State

The Spartans are the close game connoisseurs their reputation suggests. All six of their Big Ten games this season have been one score affairs, with an average score of 23-20 in favor of MSU.

Can the linebackers and secondary bounce back from the Iowa game?


We’ve finally seen what Ohio State’s defense looks like when the line isn’t dominant.

The results weren’t good.

After almost single-handedly winning the Penn State game, the Buckeyes’ front didn’t do much against Iowa, and it exposed the soft underbelly that is the back seven.

Ohio State’s linebackers and secondary had a rough day, looking lost in both run support and in coverage, helping Iowa to their highest yards per play average (6.9) since they dropped 7.1 on Purdue last season. They’ll face a similar-style attack in Michigan State.

The Spartans throw efficiently (third in Passing S&P+), aren’t very explosive (87th in IsoPPP), and protect their quarterback reasonably well (36th in Adjusted Sack Rate). They also have a quarterback in Brian Lewerke who tends to make the right play, and mostly avoids mistakes. If Ohio State’s defensive line can’t control the game, will the back seven pick them up, or will we see a repeat of last week?

Speaking of which, how about a turnover (or two)?


After forcing 12 turnovers over their first five games, Ohio State’s defense has been almost non-existent on the havoc front for the last month. They’ve forced only one turnover the last three games, with none against both Penn State and Iowa.

Even that lone turnover comes with an asterisk, given that it came on the final play of the Nebraska game, when they were up 56-14. The last time the first team defense forced a turnover? Nick Bosa’s strip sack in the first quarter against Maryland:


Ohio State’s last non-garbage time turnover. This was over a month ago.

Michigan State is a good candidate to reverse that trend. The Spartans have turned it over 15 times this season (80th nationally in giveaways), including seven times over their last four games.

Whether it comes in the form of a strip sack, an interception, or a fluky bounce that goes their way, the defense has to be able to get their hands on the ball somehow and make a game-changing play. If not, we’ll have to hope that the offense can reverse its own turnover problems (six combined turnovers against Penn State and Iowa).

*Yells for the 100th time* WHAT ABOUT J.K. DOBBINS?


We’ve said it. Others have said it. You’ve yelled it on Twitter. Why doesn’t J.K. Dobbins get the ball more?

Dobbins hasn’t had more than 14 carries in a game since the season opener against Indiana —you know, the one where he set the single-game school record for rushing yards by a freshman— and seems to completely disappear from the gameplan at times, including his perplexing six carry day against Iowa. Ohio State should probably try and remedy that against the Spartans.

Michigan State’s run defense is predictably very good (6th in Rushing S&P+), so it’s hard to expect a huge day on the ground, but Dobbins is not only Ohio State’s best ground option, but really the only big play threat they have.

In a series defined by Ohio State not giving their running backs the damn ball in crucial situations, it’ll be interesting to see whether Dobbins is called on with the game on the line. No matter what the choice is, you better prepare yourself for three-plus hours of being very uncomfortable.

Continue reading...

The unsung leader of Michigan State’s defense, Joe Bachie could wreck Ohio State’s game plan
Kyle Sumner McKinnon via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The next big thing at linebacker is here for the Spartans.

The latest in a long line of great Michigan State linebackers, Joe Bachie has been everything the Spartans could’ve hoped for this year, and more.

Bachie is in the midst of a breakout season as a sophomore. He’s literally been all over the field as the team’s main man in the middle and is the primary reason why the Spartans defense ranks 12th in the FBS and third in the Big Ten, respectively, in total defense.

With three games remaining in the regular season, Bachie leads Michigan State in tackles (77) – fifth-best in the conference – and is second in tackles for a loss (7.5). He’s forced two fumbles, recorded three sacks and snagged a pair of interceptions.

So, when I say Bachie has been all over the field, he’s been all over the field.

Coach Mark Dantonio had high praise for his young linebacker back in October.


And when the Spartans need him the most, No. 35 doesn’t disappoint.

Few matchups carry more importance to Michigan State than their annual meeting with in-state rival Michigan. On the road in Ann Arbor facing the then-ranked No. 7 Wolverines, Bachie finished the night 10 tackles, a sack, forced fumble, and an interception.

Those turnovers helped the Spartans hold serve for nearly the entire game.


There’s little Bachie isn’t capable of on the field.

While he’s a true three-down, sideline-to-sideline linebacker, the Ohio native gets it done in coverage for Michigan State.

Last week against Penn State, he pulled in his second interception of the season off a high Trace McSorley throw.


Keep an eye on this Spartan, folks.

All Bachie does is make plays for Michigan State, and it’ll continue in Columbus with Ohio State next on the docket. He could really muddy the Buckeyes game plan on offense, which, based on their performance versus Iowa, isn’t too great a challenge.

Okay, maybe keep two eyes on Bachie.

He may very well decide the Big Ten East on Saturday.

Continue reading...

Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on Buckeyes' top-ranked class - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on Buckeyes' top-ranked class
Landof10.com
Ohio State is hoping for some positive outcomes on the field and in the living room as the regular season begins to wind down. Here's where things stand with the Buckeyes and their 2018 recruiting class as of Friday, Nov. 10.
Buckeyes begin with few expectations, promise strong effort under ...The Athletic
Open thread: More big names for Ohio State recruiting weekend247Sports
How to watch Ohio State vs. Robert Morris: Preview, game time, live streaming onlineLand-Grant Holy Land
Eleven Warriors
all 21 news articles »

Continue reading...

Crispin: One question for each Big Ten team entering the season
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network

BTN basketball analyst Jon Crispin has one question for each Big Ten team as the 2017-18 season gets underway this weekend.

Continue reading...