Buckeyes sweep Lady Raiders - Point Pleasant Register
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Buckeyes sweep Lady Raiders
Point Pleasant Register
NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Simply put, it was a night to forget for the River Valley High School volleyball squad. That's because the visiting Raiders got swept, and in the second game got blanked, by the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes 25-14, 25-0 and 25-14 in a ...


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Buckeyes continue perfect start - Athens Messenger (registration)
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Buckeyes continue perfect start
Athens Messenger (registration)
The Buckeyes had their offensive weapons on display. Wilburn accounted for 166 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. Tough-as-nails fullback Colt Yinger rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns, while the steady Maiden completed 7 of 11 passes ...

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Week 4: College football viewers guide, picks - 247Sports
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Week 4: College football viewers guide, picks
247Sports
UNLV at Ohio State (-40), noon (Big Ten Network) – First-ever meeting for the Buckeyes and Rebels. UNLV is 1-1 with a loss to FCS Howard at home (43-40). Ohio State 51-14. * N.C. State at Florida State (-13), noon (ABC/ESPN2) – N.C. State is 2-1, while ...

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Buckeyes get the bounce to edge Huskers - Lincoln Journal Star
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Buckeyes get the bounce to edge Huskers
Lincoln Journal Star
The Huskers earned a free kick after the Buckeyes' goal and after it was fired in and cleared, it fell to Savannah Uveges, who blasted a shot off the crossbar. The Ohio State defense cleared after some tense moments in the box and the score remained.

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Buckeyes hold all the cards against Runnin' Rebels - Hillsboro Times Gazette
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Buckeyes hold all the cards against Runnin' Rebels
Hillsboro Times Gazette
Admittedly, it's not as catchy as “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” But it probably is more accurate since the only thing that truly always stays in Las Vegas is your money, right up to the moment you board your flight home if you choose to play ...

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Chris Holtmann's Buckeyes had quite the recruiting week - Waiting For Next Year
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Chris Holtmann's Buckeyes had quite the recruiting week
Waiting For Next Year
It's football season, so it's understandable that college basketball may be on the back-burner for many college sports fans. But with that said, new Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball coach Chris Holtmann and his staff have been killing it on the ...

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What Luther Muhammad brings to Ohio State
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State has their third commit of the week, and he’s a star.

It’s been a busy week to say the least for Chris Holtmann and his staff on the recruiting trail. After nearly a month with no real recruiting news after Torrence Watson’s decommitment, the Buckeyes have been absolutely on fire this week. The big week kicked off on Tuesday, when Houston forward Jaedon Ledee committed to the Buckeyes over Texas A&M and UCLA.

Ohio State kept the momentum going on Wednesday, as California combo guard Duane Washington announced his intention to attend Ohio State, snubbing UCLA and Michigan, among others. Today, just moments ago, the Buckeyes landed their biggest 2018 commit yet, when top 50 shooting guard Luther Muhammad picked Ohio State after months of recruitment.

Muhammad visited campus on September 9th, and on the 18th, head coach Chris Holtmann was in Jersey City to visit the star guard at home. Those two visits were enough to convince Muhammad that Columbus was the place for him, as he announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. Ohio State edged out St. John’s and Xavier, among many others for Muhammad’s pledge. Here’s what he brings to Columbus.

ON THE COURT


Just like we saw with Ledee and Washington, Muhammad’s greatest asset is his ability to score. He’s the best pure scorer of the bunch, and the only one with a truly defined position: he’s a shooting guard, through and through. Capable of beating defenses in a bevy of ways, Muhammad is at his best off of the pass, either as a sharp shooter or slasher, and has one of the best shooting strokes of any recruit in the nation.

His mixture of athleticism and high-level shooting talent make Muhammad a very viable offensive threat, but he’s also very active defensively. He averaged two steals per game as a junior last season, and has the size to guard anyone the rigorous Big Ten schedule throws at him.

Muhammad’s ceiling is sky-high. Ohio State has put a coaching staff in place that excels at developing players, and while he’s likely not a one-and-done type, Luther Muhammad could be an all-Big Ten player if he develops correctly. He’s the best pure scorer Ohio State has landed since D’Angelo Russell.

IN THE CLASS


Muhammad is the third member of Ohio State’s 2018 class, along with the aforementioned Washington and Ledee. The class, which will likely hold five commits, is still without a true point guard or wing slasher, so the next step for the Buckeyes is filling those spots. Guards Eric Ayala, Elijah Weaver, and former wing commit Justin Ahrens are all names to watch, and Ahrens will be on campus this weekend for an official visit.

Muhammad’s commitment bumps Ohio State up to 13th in the country from 34th, just ahead of Louisville. The Buckeye’s now sit at sixth in the Big Ten. As Ohio State continues to pick up big time commits, it’s not so slowly becoming more and more likely that Ohio State reels in a Top-10 class for the first time since 2015.

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2018 4-star SG Luther Muhammad commits to Ohio State
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The basketball Buckeyes stay hot on the recruiting trail.

Oh, how things can change.

Coming into the week the Ohio State basketball program was sitting with zero commitments. Fast forward to Friday and the Buckeyes now hold three verbal pledges from a trio of the most sought after recruits in the class of 2018.

Keeping the Buckeyes’ recent string of success on the recruiting trail intact, Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State coaching staff secured a commitment on Friday evening from four-star shooting guard Luther Muhammad of Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City, NJ.


Following in the footsteps of small forward Jaedon LeDee and point guard Duane Washington Jr., Muhammad adds another solid piece to the Buckeyes’ 2018 recruiting puzzle.

Considered the 14th best shooting guard, and 71st overall prospect in the senior class, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Muhammad received his fair share of college scholarship offers throughout the process. Before shutting down his recruitment in favor of the Buckeyes, the 6’4, 185-pound standout was considering the likes of Xavier, West Virginia, St. John’s, and Virginia.

Already helping the Buckeyes out before ever suiting up in the Scarlet and Gray, Muhammad, who averaged 15 points, three assists, and three rebounds a contest as a junior last season, now has the Ohio State class moving from the 30’s to being ranked inside the top 15 in the country.

Want to know more about Luther Muhammad and what exactly he will add to the Buckeyes rebuilding roster? Keep an eye-out as the Land-Grant Holy Land recruiting team will have much more on his pledge soon.

Highlights

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Josh Proctor Adds His Name to Army All-American List - Scout
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Josh Proctor Adds His Name to Army All-American List
Scout
... Owasso High School's head coach Bill Patterson is invited to travel to San Antonio to attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, an elite three-day learning experience, and participate in Bowl Week activities. Proctor is committed to the Ohio State ...


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Teague, Vincent, other future Buckeyes in big games this weekend - 247Sports
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Teague, Vincent, other future Buckeyes in big games this weekend
247Sports
And you can follow how the Buckeyes' verbal commitments are doing in action all weekend on our Front Row message board thread. And another big weekend it is! A number of the Buckeye commitments are playing in big games this weekend so there will ...
Ohio State Gameday+ | Recruiting watch: Master Teague IIIThe Columbus Dispatch

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Ohio State football is valued at $1.5 billion, and that caused a stir online
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


When news broke of the Buckeyes’ valuation, quarterback Joe Burrow voiced his opinion about the matter—drawing some criticisms from the Twittersphere

“The analysis by Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, determined the Ohio State program would be worth $1.5 billion.”

— Arthur Weinstein on the Wall Street Journal’s article breaking down the most valuable programs in college football | Sporting News


We knew Ohio State football was a big money maker. But, could you fathom that the program was valued at $1.5 billion? (Yes, that’s billions.)

In an article by The Wall Street Journal, that was later written about by Arthur Weinstein of Sporting News, research was done by a professor that led to him putting the evaluation of the program at the $1.5 billion mark. How does that stack up with other schools? Spoiler: no program can match the Buckeyes, as OSU ranks No. 1.

Behind the Bucks—and within striking distance—are the Texas Longhorns. The school in Austin, Texas has a valuation at $1.24 billion. Behind the Longhorns is a fellow Big 12 school: the Oklahoma Sooners at $1 billion. The Sooners capped off the trio of schools that broke the $1 billion plateau.

Outside, but close to the billion mark, were the Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers, who came in at $930,000 and $911,000, respectively.

In comparison to the NFL, the Buckeyes are close to the pros. A Forbes article ranked the valuations of NFL franchises, and concluded that the lowest valued team were the Buffalo Bills at roughly $1.6 billion. Not too far from the Bills were the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. The Bengals were valued at $1.8 billion; the Browns, $1.95 billion.

“Burrow tweeted a link that cited a recent Wall Street Journal piece that values OSU’s athletic department at $1.5 billion.”

— Megan Moriarty on Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow’s tweets on OSU being valued at $1.5 billion | SB Nation


However, the news of the Buckeyes being valued at such a high price came with some criticisms—notably from one of the guys currently on the team. Quarterback Joe Burrow took to Twitter to voice his thoughts on how a college football program could be worth so much, yet the return for the student-athletes wasn’t anywhere close to that price.


As Burrow made the hamburger comment, the Twitter mentions rolled in. Some were supporting the student-athletes getting more of the revenue pie; some were saying the scholarship is more than enough.

Like clockwork, basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb came into the Twitter ring to lay down an opinion in less than 140 characters.


But, wait! There’s more.

One of the top replies to Gottlieb’s tweet was pointing out that Gottlieb, who himself was a college athlete, is now making money as a sports personality talking about college athletics. This tweet rubbed someone the wrong way.

And that somebody? Dan Dakich.


The drama still unraveled a tad more in that thread, but back to the main person of interest, Burrow.

Gottlieb’s tweet didn’t go unnoticed by the Buckeye QB, who pointed out that the TV commentator didn’t really know what the rules were.


The exchange of tweets cooled off, and ended with Burrow closing out the night with this nugget:

“A physical, straight-at-you running style is what UNLV relies upon. That approach has led to the Rebels averaging 350.5 yards... a statistic that ranks fourth nationally.”

— Mark Anderson on UNLV’s running game | Las Vegas Review-Journal


Against the Oklahoma Sooners, it was a quarterback that could pass; against the Army Black Knights, it was the triple-option offense; this week, the Buckeyes will face a rushing attack from the UNLV Rebels.

Rebels beat writer Mark Anderson, who writes for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, wrote a piece about head coach Tony Sanchez’s style of offense. The story begins a couple weeks ago, when the Rebels took on the Idaho Vandals. There, Sanchez told his running back Lexington Thomas that his carries, which were averaging 5.5 yards per pop, weren’t “good enough.”

After that, Thomas broke off a 60-yard and 62-yard rushing touchdown. While it may have been against a Sun Belt conference opponent, the style of attack will be the same when the Rebels come to Columbus, Ohio: physical.

Since Sanchez took over the reigns in 2015—leaving his post as coach at renowned high school powerhouse Bishop Gorman—at UNLV, the rushing game saw its highest output in 13 seasons. Anderson notes that before the regime took charge, the Rebels were averaging a little over 127 yards per game on the ground. In his first season in charge, that number was up to 193; last season, the ground-and-pound offense had over 241 yards per game rushing.

Even after a stumble to Howard in Week 1, which saw three UNLV fumbles, the team from Henderson, Nev., shouldn’t be overlooked. They can run, and with Devonte Boyd at receiver, the team can throw when needed.

Scouting the opposition is a necessity, that’s why it’s always good to get the lowdown on a team like the Rebels—so there aren’t any surprises when you watch the game on Saturday.

Chris Holtmann throws out first pitch at Cincinnati Reds game


With football revenue, football revenue drama, and football scouting checked off the list, it’s time to pivot to the hardwood.

Err, the baseball mound.

Buckeye men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the Cincinnati Reds-St.Louis Cardinals game on Thursday night at Great American Ballpark in Cincy.


In addition to Holtmann throwing the first pitch, it was bark at the park night, too. However, even with the help of doggos and Holtmann’s first pitch, the Reds couldn’t get the win, as they were defeated, 8-5.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Gatorade goes after water.
• TV broadcast interrupted with an end-of-the-world prediction.
• 78 years overdue, a library book finds its way back.
• Russian ad links are being turned over by Facebook.

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Kurelic: Buckeyes show top Florida OL love; latest on Harrison - 247Sports
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Kurelic: Buckeyes show top Florida OL love; latest on Harrison
247Sports
]1) In mid-January the Buckeyes extended a scholarship offer to Chatham (Ill.) Glenwood 2019 offensive tackle William Putnam and at the time Putnam told Bucknuts he would visit Ohio State. That visit happened in early April when Putnam and his mother ...


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3 for 3: Ohio State's options if it misses on 3 remaining DE targets in Class of 2018 - Landof10.com
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3 for 3: Ohio State's options if it misses on 3 remaining DE targets in Class of 2018
Landof10.com
Today, after a continued push by Penn State on and off the field, combined with some official visit tweeting blunders, we are forced to at least consider the opposite result. What if, somehow, the Buckeyes miss on all three of their top remaining ...


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Ohio State is a big favorite over UNLV in Week 4’s Big Ten College Football betting lines
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes should cruise at noon, while Penn State-Iowa takes the spotlight in the evening.

Last week ATS: 8-7 (1-4 National, 7-3 B1G)

Season ATS: 26-24-1 (7-8 National, 19-16-1 B1G)

B1G games:


UNLV v. No. 10 Ohio State (-40) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Ohio State put some of the pieces together last week, but the puzzle isn’t complete yet. It’s hard to know if Ohio State’s defense is truly back to form yet, since Army doesn’t throw the football. UNLV isn’t Oklahoma when it comes to the passing game, but they’ll at least give Ohio State’s secondary some work.

UNLV lost to Howard to open the year. The Rebels became the biggest favorite in college football to lose outright. At least UNLV didn’t let the loss get to them too much, as they rebounded with a 44-16 win over Idaho the following week. Tony Sanchez has a couple of solid players on offense in wide receiver Devonte Boyd and running back Lexington Thomas. I could see both making a few plays against the Buckeyes.

Just give the football to J.K. Dobbins and let him work. That is what has been fun this year about Ohio State football. At least more of a commitment to using the run-pass-option looks to have given the Ohio State offense a bit of a spark. Hopefully Mike Weber will see more of a role in the offense this week, as he works his way back from injury.

There isn’t much reason for this game to be to close, but I’m not quite Nick Bosa in thinking the Buckeyes will get a shutout. UNLV will at least find the endzone a couple times to help the number. Ohio State is in control throughout, but 40 will be a little too much to cover.

Ohio State 54, UNLV 17

UCF v. Maryland (-3.5) - 3:00 PM EST - FS1

Remember yesterday when I talked about how long it has been since Florida State played? What’s that? You didn’t see it? Well you can find my national picks here. Anyway, UCF hasn’t played a game in September yet. The Golden Knights destroyed Florida International 61-17 on August 31st, where they showed a potent air attack. McKenzie Milton threw for 360 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

Maryland was able to follow up their win over Texas in the season opener with a 63-17 victory over Towson two weeks ago. The bye week came at a great time for Maryland, as it allowed for Kasim Hill to get a little more comfortable running the offense after having to step in for Tyrrell Pigrome, who was lost for the season to a knee injury.

This could be one of the more entertaining games of the day, with both teams showing they can really move the football in their early season showings. Much like Florida State, there is a question of how much rust will affect the Golden Knights. Maryland continues their strong start to the season.

Maryland 38, UCF 28

Rutgers v. Nebraska (-11) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Nebraska is burning right in front of our eyes. Not only did the Cornhuskers lose last week to Northern Illinois at home, but they just fired their athletic director. With the change at the top, and some pretty disappointing results during his time in Lincoln, the temperature of Mike Riley’s seat just got turned way up.

Both Rutgers and Nebraska will start transfer quarterbacks who have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns this year. Last week Tanner Lee was dreadful for the Cornhuskers, throwing three interceptions and no touchdowns. If you like turnovers, this might be the game for you.

I might be expecting a little too much, too soon from Rutgers here, but I think they at least frustrate Nebraska. Then again I’m probably wrong for expecting anything from Rutgers. I have a feeling this game will be a train wreck so I’ll take the points.

Nebraska 27, Rutgers 20

Georgia Southern v. Indiana (-24) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Indiana is another school who had their early season schedule thrown for a loop by Hurricane Irma. Last week the Hoosiers were supposed to play Florida International, but that game got cancelled, and Indiana set a game with Charleston Southern later in the year. Last time out, the Hoosiers rebounded from their season opening loss to Ohio State with a 34-17 win at Virginia.

In the game with the Cavaliers, Indiana picked up a bit of a quarterback controversy. Richard Lagow was ineffective, and Peyton Ramsey came in and threw a couple touchdowns. Who knows how Tom Allen will decide to handle this, but at least they get what should be a relatively easy game against Georgia Southern to work on things.

The Eagles are a mess right now, having lost in their last game to New Hampshire. I don’t think they threaten Indiana much here, but they at least cover the number. The triple-option could bleed some clock, and I wouldn’t put it past Lagow to make a couple mistakes to help the number in Georgia Southern’s favor.

Indiana 41, Georgia Southern 20

No. 8 Michigan (-10) v. Purdue - 4:00 PM EST - FOX

Purdue football is our new overlord. Boilermaker football is fun again! Purdue kept rolling last week with a 35-3 win at Missouri, creating plenty of hype for Saturday afternoon’s game in West Lafayette against the Wolverines. Jeff Brohm has both sides of the football playing really well right now.

Michigan isn’t exactly playing all that well right now, but they also aren’t losing. Last week the Wolverines struggled with Air Force, but pulled out the win to stay undefeated on the year. To make matters worse, Michigan just lost wide receiver Tarik Black for the year.

I’m worried that Purdue might be flying a little too close to the sun too soon, but I can’t quite lay the points with Michigan here. The Boilermaker offense will come back down to the earth a little against the stout Michigan defense, but they’ll still find some success. I badly want to call for the Purdue outright upset here, but I think the experience of Wilton Speight at quarterback comes through when it counts to win it for Michigan in a close affair.

Michigan 28, Purdue 24

No. 4 Penn State (-13) v. Iowa - 7:30 PM EST - ABC

On one hand, this one feels like 2008 when a top-5 ranked Penn State team came to Iowa City and left with their only loss of the season. On the other hand, Penn State has looked tremendous this year. The Nittany Lions have shutout two of the first three opponents, and only allowed one touchdown on the year. We haven’t even mentioned Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley yet.

Last week Iowa just puttered along against North Texas and setup the primetime undefeated showdown with a 31-14 win. Nathan Stanley should has tossed 10 touchdowns on the year, and Akrum Wadley has been running hard. The Iowa offense did take a hit though, when backup running back James Butler, a graduate transfer from Nevada, was ruled out for about a month.

It’s no El Assico, but this game will be another one of the more entertaining ones on Saturday. It’ll have its Big Ten moments, but I can see this game being close throughout. I’m sure Penn State will go out there and run shop now to make me feel like an idiot for doubting them.

Penn State 31, Iowa 21

Notre Dame (-4) v. Michigan State - 8:00 PM EST - FOX

Brandon Wimbush is at least making Notre Dame football entertaining again. Last week against Boston College, Wimbush rushed for 207 yards and four touchdowns, breaking a Notre Dame record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a game. Had it not been for a 20-19 loss to Georgia a couple weeks ago, this could be a battle of unbeaten teams.

I’m still not completely sure what to think about Michigan State just yet. Both of Michigan State’s wins this year have been against MAC schools, and they weren’t really tested in either. Running back L.J. Scott hasn’t been able to get much traction this year, averaging just 3.8 yards per carry through two games.

Both teams are looking to rebound after very disappointing seasons in 2016. I just think Notre Dame is a little farther along right now. The combination of Wimbush and running back Josh Adams will wear down the Spartans and the Fighting Irish win by 10.

Notre Dame 27, Michigan State 17

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Ohio State Men's Basketball | Buckeyes could land third commitment of week tonight - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Men's Basketball | Buckeyes could land third commitment of week tonight
The Columbus Dispatch
That was followed Wednesday by a verbal commitment from four-star guard Duane Washington from Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon. The Buckeyes could take as many as six players in this class but are more likely to stop at five. They will host Versailles ...
After An Offseason Of Loss, Can Ohio State Get Back On Track This Season?BT Powerhouse (blog)

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Ohio city changes Halloween because of Buckeyes' game - WENY-TV
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio city changes Halloween because of Buckeyes' game
WENY-TV
CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO -- If you think the world doesn't revolve around Ohio State Buckeye football in central and southern Ohio...think again! The city of Circleville, which is about 20 minutes south of Columbus, just changed its planned trick-or-treat day ...


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Has our opinion of Ohio State QB Tate Martell changed? Buckeyes football analysis - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Has our opinion of Ohio State QB Tate Martell changed? Buckeyes football analysis
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We're back with another edition of "House Martell", our weekly video discussion about Ohio State fourth-string quarterback Tate Martell that will stop as soon as people stop caring about him. That hasn't happened yet. This week it ...


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Ohio State deemed most valuable college football program: Buckeyes news - cleveland.com
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Ohio State deemed most valuable college football program: Buckeyes news
cleveland.com
Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, comes out with these numbers each year. The Buckeyes have been on top in his analysis for a while, but this is a huge jump for the Buckeyes, who led the ...
Wall Street Journal Reveals The Most Valuable College Football TeamThe Daily Caller

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I Got Five on it: Ohio State finally treats itself to a cupcake
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


And thankfully, UNLV won’t have the ball for 40 minutes.

Welcome to I Got Five on it, the weekly Ohio State column where I give you five things to watch for on Saturday, but mostly just expose you to my awful Photoshop skills.

Ohio State had their best performance of the season last week, blowing out Army 38-7 thanks to the offense’s most efficient game in over two years, a rebound performance from the defense, and J.K. Dobbins’ refusal to give a damn about the troops’ ankles:


Expect more of the same this week, as UNLV brings its pastry-ass defense to Columbus, in what looks like a likely blowout win for the Buckeyes.

Aside from having the coolest field design in the country, you probably recognize UNLV as the team that loss to Howard as a 45-point favorite in Week 1, in what is now the biggest point spread upset in college football history. The Rebels rebounded as well as one can hope for after losing to a Mike London-coached team, by beating Idaho 44-16, then resting last week on their bye

You know how some teams are more than the sum of their parts? The Rebels are the opposite. There are some fun individual pieces— like the super high upside of freshman quarterback Armani Rogers, and explosive-as-hell running back Lexington Thomas— but the total roster isn’t exactly put together just yet, and the defense is a little too soft in the middle. Think of UNLV as a cupcake: the frosting and sprinkles are great, but the foundation could use a bit more time in the oven to bake.

With my horrible dessert metaphors out of the way, here are five things to watch for tomorrow as Ohio State eats plays UNLV:

UNLV won’t have the ball for 40 minutes


If you’ve ever wondered what football hell looks like, Army had you covered last week:



The Black Knights’ 18 play, 99-yard touchdown drive took damn near 10 minutes off the clock, made quite a few people mad online, and was probably the main reason Ohio State didn’t score 50 points. (Memo to the Athletic Department: SCHEDULING SERVICE ACADEMIES IS BAD. ALWAYS BAD). Thankfully, UNLV prefers to play a bit faster.

The national average for possessions per game this season is just over 13, so expect the Buckeyes to make the most out of the extra three or four times they get the ball against a much worse defense than they faced last week. The Rebels are going to have their moments on offense —we’ll get to that later— but their desire to move quickly may result in ample chances for the Buckeyes to cause three and outs and put up big points.

All J.K. Dobbins all the time


LEAKED: KEVIN WILSON’S FIRST HALF PLAY SHEET

Nothing more needs to be said.

RPO’s everywhere


When not handing the ball off to Dobbins, it’s likely that Ohio State sticks to the run/pass options they used to great success against Army. These RPO’s are good for a number of reasons:

• They keep the defense off balance with the threat of a run or pass.
• Ohio State’s athletic receivers can get the ball quickly, and use their speed in the open field.
• They force the defense to cheat up, eventually exposing them to the deep ball (hopefully).
• They allow J.T. Barrett to make quicker reads.

The use of these run/pass options helped Ohio State to its most efficient game since 2014, and for the first time in a while, gave the offense an actual identity outside of the running game.

It’s worth keeping an eye on how committed the coaching staff is to these RPO concepts. If they don’t have success early, will they move away to something else, or stick with it for a full game? Barrett and the rest of the offense found a groove as last week’s game went on, and a second straight solid performance for the passing game will bode well once conference play comes around.

Slowing down the Runnin’ Rebels


For as many problems as UNLV has across the board, its run game is legit. The Rebels rank second nationally in rushing success rate, rarely go backwards (fourth in stuff rate), and the big runs are BIG (10th in IsoPPP). For as scary as Army’s triple option is, this group presents an even bigger challenge for Ohio State from a talent perspective.

Lexington Thomas is the foundation of the Rebels offense. The junior running back is gashing opponents so far this season, averaging a healthy nine yards per carry, and consistently breaking off big runs, like these two touchdowns against Idaho a couple weeks ago:



Limiting Thomas is priority number one for the Buckeyes, but he’s not the only threat. Freshman quarterback Armani Rogers is raw, but has the size (6’5”, 225) and early numbers (173 yards and 7.3 yards per carry), that would indicate the preseason talk of his potential as a dual-threat has some merit to it. Thomas and Rogers give UNLV a more-than solid one-two punch they can use to attack the defense through zone reads, speed options, and their own RPO’s.

It will be interesting to see how Ohio State’s run defense holds up, and what kind of havoc the front seven can cause against an offensive line that hasn’t been beaten much this season. UNLV isn’t a very good team overall, but how the Buckeyes perform against this group is going to be a very good indicator of where they stand going forward.

Can the kick coverage improve?


After a great start to the season against Indiana, Ohio State’s whole kickoff unit has been less than stellar since, culminating last week with a kick out of bounds to start second half, and then whatever this was:



The usually successful strategy of kicking short to the left, and letting a host of former four and five star recruits eat hasn’t been effective lately. Oklahoma and Army were both able to generate solid return yards and gain field position advantages that have almost always favored Ohio State.

Since they’ll probably be kicking off a lot tomorrow, it’s worth watching them cover, and whether the last two weeks were just a small sample, or if there’s a bigger problem that’s costing them hidden yardage.

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Which teams have the best non-draft-eligible talent? - ESPN
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Which teams have the best non-draft-eligible talent?
ESPN
Rashan Gary is a key part of Michigan's deep and youthful roster. Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire. Facebook · Twitter · Facebook Messenger · Email; comment. 7:50 AM PT. Rivers McCownSpecial to ESPN.com. Close. Contributor to FootballOutsiders.com.


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Ohio State football removes black stripes from four more freshmen: Buckeyes news - cleveland.com
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Ohio State football removes black stripes from four more freshmen: Buckeyes news
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four more Ohio State freshmen had their black stripes removed this week, as they established themselves as true Buckeyes in the eyes of their coaches. To see all 20 players who have had their black stripes removed, check our black ...

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A short history of Ohio State trouncing the Mountain West
J_baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes have a good record against MWC schools, and UNLV is next.

Picture the moment. You're the coach at UNLV. And the athletic director tells you she just made a deal. The best deal. Your program is now set to earn $1.3 million guaranteed for a single game. One game. You, being the smart coach that you are, understand that that is the largest single payout for a game in UNLV's near five decades of football. Nice. The catch — you're headed to the Horseshoe.

Now, three years later, the game is here — and UNLV sits before the executioner as a 40-point underdog. No one gives the Rebels a chance. Should they? History says no.

The Mountain West has been playing tackle football since 1999. And Ohio State has made decisive work of near every team it has faced among the current roster of Mountain West programs, notching a 9-1 record (including a perfect 5-0 record since 1999). Here is that short (and bloody) history.

Air Force (Air Force Leads Series 1-0)


If you're a 17-point underdog playing Ohio State, when would you have the best odds of pulling off an upset? Well, if you ran into John Cooper in a bowl game — you had as good of a shot as anyone. The Falcons did just that in a 23-11 upset win in the 1990 Liberty Bowl, running the ball for 254 yards, while bottling up OSU's Robert Smith. The win by the Falcons, who were then in the WAC, was Cooper's second straight bowl loss. He would finish with a 3-8 bowl record as Buckeye head coach (a mark outshined only in notoriety by a dreadful 2-10-1 record against Michigan).

Fresno State (Ohio State Leads Series: 2-0)


Ohio State first met Fresno State in the 1994 Pigskin Classic in Anaheim. It was there that Eddie George and Joey Galloway each accounted for two scores, as the Buckeyes rolled to a 34-10 victory to open the season. OSU again opened on a winning note against the Bulldogs in 2000. Under a Michael Doss led defense, the Buckeyes scored a school record four defensive touchdowns in route to a 43-10 victory.

Hawaii (Ohio State Leads Series: 1-0)


Ezekiel Elliott ran for a regular season high three touchdowns as the Buckeyes blanked the Rainbow Warriors 38-0 in 2015.

San Diego State (Ohio State Leads Series: 4-0)


The Mountain West team that has met Ohio State the most, has suffered the worst. Jim Tressel took down the Aztecs three times, and Urban Meyer added another victory for good measure. In the 2013 matchup, the Buckeyes walked out with a 42-7 victory as backup quarterback Kenny Guiton stepped in after Braxton Miller went down with a knee injury. Guiton would pass for two touchdowns against the Aztecs and go on to pass for another 10 during the next two games with Miller out. No stranger to stepping up when it counted, Guiton set a school record for the most passing touchdowns in a single game against Florida A&M (he passed for all six in the first half).

San Jose State (Ohio State Leads Series: 1-0)


Taking a rare break from the Big 10 schedule in mid-October, running back Maurice Clarett and quarterback Craig Krenzel each racked up three touchdowns downing San Jose State 50-7. With the victory, the eventual National Champion Buckeyes improved to 7-0.

Wyoming (Ohio State Leads Series 1-0)


The defending Rose Bowl champion Buckeyes defeated Wyoming 24-10 in the season-opening Eddie Robinson Classic in 1997. The first non-sellout in six years in The ‘Shoe saw Stanley Jackson dazzle, Joe Germaine struggle and sophomore tailback Michael Wiley outshine senior Pepe Pearson.

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Big Ten Power Rankings going into Week 4
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Penn State leads the pack, as Nebraska still has the good ol’ days to fall back on.

We have finished three weeks of the college football season. After this week, we will have completed about 30 percent of the regular season.

[sobs quietly]

So, with that in mind, it’s time we start looking at power rankings for the Big Ten. We’ve seen enough of each team, and they’ve had chances to iron out the kinks on the gridiron.

Let’s take a look at how these rankings look going into Week 4. You agree with the list? You hate the list? Sound off in the comments section.

1. Penn State Nittany Lions


Penn State is off to a hot-start. First, they are ranked in the AP Poll Top 25, and come in as the highest ranked Big Ten school at No. 4.

This season, the Nittany Lions have laid waste to Akron, Pittsburgh and Georgia Southern. Even though James Franklin’s bunch spent two weeks of their non-conference schedule at the cupcake stand, they get a wake-up call against Iowa this Saturday.

Last season’s meeting between the two schools took place at Beaver Stadium, and the Nittany Lion faithful witnessed a complete dragging of the Hawkeyes. Penn State held Iowa to just 30 yards rushing, and won the game, 41-14. Once again, quarterback Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley lead the offense, however, this time around they are on the road against an undefeated Kirk Ferentz-coached Hawkeye program. Night games in Iowa City can go awry, and this one will prove whether or not Penn State is the real deal.

This week, Penn State plays: Iowa at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC

2. Ohio State Buckeyes


While the Buckeyes don’t really have a pass defense, they’ll get tested—to a degree—by Devonte Boyd of the UNLV Rebels. Dobbs is leading the Mountain West in receiving yards, and will be a good test for this young OSU secondary.

Urban Meyer’s got the team to a 2-1 start, and even though Baker Mayfield rolled into Columbus and attempted to plant a flag inside The Horseshoe, the Bucks bounced back and beat an Army team that operated with the triple-option offense, 38-7, a week later.

For now, the Scarlet and Gray are No. 2 on the list. But, if they struggle with UNLV, who lost at home to Howard in Week 1, then the Buckeyes will slide to the left, slide to the right, and slide right on down the power rankings.

This week, Ohio State plays: UNLV at noon ET on BTN

3. Michigan Wolverines


Like last season, the Wolverines are in third place behind Penn State and Ohio State.

Is this a homer poll? I can’t confirm nor deny that. What I can confirm, though, is that Michigan has a chance to overtake the Buckeyes with a big win this week.

The Wolverines have captured 46 of their last 49 conference openers. However, this one is a tad trickier, as they have to go into the storm drain West Lafayette, Ind., to take on Purdue.

Ross-Ade stadium is a place where the upset lives. If Jim Harbaugh can coach his team to a blowout win (and quarterback Wilton Speight can limit the interceptions while throwing touchdowns) then Michigan deserves to leap OSU in next week’s rankings.

This week, Michigan plays: Purdue at 4 p.m. on Fox

4. Wisconsin Badgers


Bye week is here for the Badgers; at the break, the defending West Division champs are 3-0.

A strong win against BYU on the road increases their stock, however, that same Cougars team was completely shutdown by LSU a few weeks back. Jury is still out on how good this team really is, but if the trend of big wins continue, you might as well start shipping the ‘West Division Champs 2017’ shirts around Madison, Wis.

This week, Wisconsin plays: Bye Week

5. Iowa Hawkeyes


Nate Stanley’s 10 passing touchdowns over the three-game stretch is the most since Chuck Hartlieb did it in 1987. This week, Iowa is gonna need Stanley to toss some six-point passes, as the Nittany Lions aren’t a team to fool around with.

While Iowa is 3-0, they really haven’t been tested by top-shelf opponents. In Week 1, they beat Wyoming by 21; in Week 2, the Hawkeyes downed Iowa State in overtime by three; last week against North Texas, it was a 17-point victory for Ferentz’s program.

Recent history is on the Hawkeyes’ side for the Saturday contest. Iowa has won their last five Big Ten openers and their last four night games at Kinnick Stadium.

This week, Iowa plays: Penn State at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC

6. Purdue Boilermakers


I for one, am on this Purdue bandwagon. After giving Louisville their all in Week 1, the Boilermakers turned right around and laid the smackdown on Ohio and Missouri.

Amongst Big Ten schools, Purdue has scored the fourth most points (107) and has the third most passing yards at 860. However, they go up against a Michigan team that has the second best pass defense in the conference. Do the Boilermakers choo-choo their way to a win at home? If they do, then they have a ticket up the Big Ten power rankings.

This week, Purdue plays: Michigan at 4 p.m. on Fox

7. Michigan State Spartans


This is the week Michigan State proves if they are back or not. Fresh off a bye week, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to East Lansing, Mich. for a primetime showdown.

The Spartans have, so far, the best pass and total defense amongst Big Ten schools. On top of that, an offensive touchdown hasn’t been allowed through the first two games of the season.

For football fans, the A-team of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft will be calling the game. (And you know if Gus is on the call, things are about to go wild).

This week, Michigan State plays: Notre Dame at 8 p.m. ET on Fox

8. Maryland Terrapins


I may get flack for this one, since I’m from Maryland, but the Terps are in the bottom half of the rankings because, well, I can’t really gauge if this team is for real or not.

Yes, the same could be said for Purdue—the Boilermakers held close to Louisville, who later got dunked on by Clemson on national television—but the squad from College Park, Md. has one of the worst pass defenses in the Big Ten through the first few weeks of the season, and struggles in converting on third down.

They have UCF, who dropped 61 in a game this season, on the slate. If the Terrapins secondary gets reduced to swiss cheese, then they’ll stay down here in the rankings. If they lockdown on the pass and can keep drives alive, then they are building a case for a move up.

This week, Maryland plays: UCF at 3 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1

9. Minnesota Golden Gophers


P.J. Fleck has rowed his boat to a 3-0 start at Minnesota. Not much more to report than to say that the boat is definitely being rowed in Minneapolis.

This week, Minnesota plays: Bye Week

10. Indiana Hoosiers


After last week’s game with Florida International was cancelled due to Hurricane Irma, the Hoosiers are back in action against Georgia Southern—who played the role of Cupcake #2 in Penn State’s season.

Tom Allen got his first win of his head coaching career against Virginia in Week 2, and shouldn’t have a problem getting win #2 against GSU. However, this game will be a litmus test; the Nittany Lions defeated the Eagles, 56-0. Penn State will meet Indiana next week in University Park, Penn., so, whatever issues Indiana has at the passing game need to be solved against Georgia Southern.

This week, Indiana plays: Georgia Southern at 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN.

12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights


After beating Morgan State, 65-0, Rutgers looks to get their first win against Nebraska. It’ll be a challenge, as they won’t be in New Brunswick, N.J. for this one.

Chris Ash has had his work cut out for him since he took over for the Scarlet Knights, but a win here could be the turning point. Already this season, Rutgers gave the Washington Huskies a fight. This team is a tad better than last season—but there is still work to be done.

This week, Rutgers plays: Nebraska at 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN.

13. Illinois Fighting Illini


Ball State lost to the Illini by three, and the South Florida Bulls committed 16 penalties before defeating the team from Champaign, Ill., 47-23.

That’s two rough games for the Lovie Smith coaches squad, and there’s still another game left in the month. Maybe they’ll sort it out this week, as the Illini are on the bye.

This week, Illinois plays: Bye Week

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers


It’s be a no good, terrible, bad seven-day stretch for Nebraska. Last Saturday, they lost at home to Northern Illinois, 21-17. On Thursday, the Cornhuskers said adios to athletic director Shawn Eichorst.

Rutgers is on the slate this week and it’s back at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. A loss here, and it may be adios to head coach Mike Riley.

On the bright side: The Cornhuskers will always have that national title they won in 1997.

This week, Nebraska plays: Rutgers at 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN.

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JK Dobbins has Buckeyes thinking about new looks in the backfield - ESPN (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


JK Dobbins has Buckeyes thinking about new looks in the backfield
ESPN (blog)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The defenders tasked with stopping No. 10 Ohio State might soon be seeing double when they look into the Buckeyes' backfield. Freshman sensation J.K. Dobbins' 425 rushing yards through three weeks have already made it clear he's ...
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The Columbus Dispatch -Factory Of Sadness -13abc Action News
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Ohio State, Texas Lead Way in College Football's Most Valuable Programs - Monday Morning Quarterback
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State, Texas Lead Way in College Football's Most Valuable Programs
Monday Morning Quarterback
A Wall Street Journal study valued Ohio State football at more than $1.5 billion, with Texas and Oklahoma also reaching the $1 billion mark. Tags. ohio state football · texas football · oklahoma football · wall street journal · buckeyes · Longhorns ...


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