You’re Nuts: What is the best birthday present an Ohio State sports team could give you this year?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



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

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

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

Today’s Question: What is the best birthday present an Ohio State sports team could give you this year?


Editor’s Note: Jami’s birthday was on Monday, which prompted this week’s You’re Nuts’ question.

Jami’s Take: Women’s basketball national title


For so many weeks, all I wanted for my birthday was a Buckeye victory (especially if it had come over Michigan) in the National Championship football game this past Monday.

Alas, it wasn’t in the cards. Maybe a friend of Uga had a birthday this week too.

But as my consolation prize, what I would like most is an Ohio State women’s basketball title.

While the Buckeyes have won 12 Big Ten titles - the most in the conference for women’s basketball - and have made 24 appearances in the NCAA tournament, they have yet to win that elusive National Championship title.

This year, things could be different. After a historic 17-0 start to their season (the record for best start in program history), the Buckeyes are sitting atop the Big Ten and are ranked No. 3 in the country.

If they continue to perform at this level, they’re positioning themselves to earn a No. 1 seed in the tournament and to work their magic.

They’ve done this largely without key leader Madison Greene or their star guard Jacy Sheldon. Greene suffered a season-ending knee injury on December 21, a little more than a year after the knee injury that ended her 2021-22 season.

But unlike the 2021-22 season, Sheldon hasn’t been there to pick up the slack at point guard. Sheldon began the season as the starting guard before injuries put Greene back in the starting role. Now, due to lower leg injuries of her own, Sheldon has been week-to-week.

The Buckeyes went into the season touting increased roster depth. And boy, they weren’t kidding. We’ve seen Rikki Harris come into her own in the starting role, while Heyvnne Bristow has stepped up and been spectacular off the bench.

New players are stepping into the leadership roles Greene and Sheldon previously filled, and as a result, each game, the Buckeyes are ready to fight for a win even when staring adversity in the face.

If this is what the Buckeyes can do when faced with injuries? What can’t they do? They have less room for error without Greene and Sheldon – but so far, it hasn’t been a problem. And they have their perfect record to prove it.

If people weren’t paying attention before, they are now. And for my birthday, I want the entire women’s basketball fan base to know the names of the Buckeyes entering into the NCAA tournament. I want their opponents to feel vaguely threatened by them. I want them to continue fighting their way to the title this program has been seeking.

We know Ohio State’s football team is dominant. It’s always nice to remind people, sure. But Ohio State football is synonymous with excellence.

This year, I want Ohio State women’s basketball to be synonymous with that same excellence. I want this to be the foundation of a dynasty. And most importantly, I want to see some great basketball and I want our players healthy. Any combination of the above could be wrapped with a bow and go down as the best birthday gift ever.

Matt’s Take: Chris Holtmann proving his outspoken doubters wrong


I think the easy answer to this is a College Football Playoff National Championship, and that would likely be the No. 1 wish for the vast majority of Buckeye fans everywhere, so while I will obviously be hoping that we have one of those trophies to celebrate in one year’s time, I’m going to follow Jami’s lead and head to the hardwood.

Like all Ohio State hoops watchers, I have been frustrated and disappointed with the regular underachievement that we have seen from the men’s basketball team when it comes to the postseason. However, I really like Chris Holtmann as a human being. From a distance and in my limited interactions with him during press conferences, he seems like a genuinely decent person who cares about his players and is very good at developing them.

So, my wish is part for me, part for him, and part for the OSU fanbase at large; I want his squad to do something — anything — that will get the very vocal portion of the Ohio State online community to cut him some slack. You can argue whether or not he deserves any slack at this point — which is not what this is about — but I am hoping that come April, there is nothing for his “haters” to add to their laundry list of complaints.

Does that need to be a national title? Final Four? Elite Eight? Second-weekend appearance? Big Ten Tournament title? I don’t know, and even though the B1G Tourney is already less than two months away, a lot can and will change for the team in the next few weeks, meaning that expectations will change too.

However, I am hoping (as a fan) that I get to watch a substantive, quality, deep run into the postseason for the men’s basketball team. I am hoping (as an OSU blogger) that we don’t have to write about another tournament collapse and deal with the angry Twitter mob coming into our mentions with pitchforks and torches. I am hoping (as a person) that Holtmann won’t have to deal with the headaches of navigating another offseason full of people calling for his job.

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B1G WBB Week 9: Iowa’s still here and a Hoosier returns
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Twitter | @IndianaWBB

Looking back at the non-Buckeyes news around Big Ten women’s basketball

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team is the only remaining undefeated team in the Big Ten and Sunday overcame a big 17-point deficit to beat a surging Illinois Fighting Illini side. That wasn’t the only thing happening in the conference over week nine though.

Here’s what you might have missed across one of the top conferences in NCAA women’s basketball.

Grace Berger Returns


Over the past eight games for the Indiana Hoosiers, they were without a key piece of what makes the team so dangerous — guard Grace Berger. After sustaining a knee injury, a minute into the Indiana Hoosiers’ game against the Auburn Tigers on Nov. 25, Indiana’s made do.

Indiana went 7-1 in that stretch, falling in a conference upset to the Michigan State Spartans but also beating a ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC/B1G Challenge. Leading the way was forward Makenzie Holmes. The usual star center played even better, averaging 22.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game during the stretch.

Sunday, in a trip to face the Northwestern Wildcats, Berger returned and got off to a great return back. Berger scored a season high 16 points, adding five assists and two steals in the process. The knee looks ok.


When Indiana is healthy, they’re a contender across the nation. When Ohio State travels to Indiana on Jan. 26, having Berger back makes a tough game more difficult.

Hawkeyes take it to Wolverines


On Saturday, the then No. 16 Iowa Hawkeyes and No. 14 Michigan Wolverines played the first college basketball game aired on network Fox. Early on, Wolverines guard Laila Phelia was up to the task.

In the first quarter, Phelia scored 14 points, lifting the Wolverines to a 20-18 first quarter lead, but it wouldn’t last. Iowa hit the pedal in the second quarter and didn’t relent through the final buzzer.

Leading the way for Iowa was of course guard Caitlin Clark. The Naismith Player of the Year finalist from last season improved her career high efficiency, scoring 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the field. Clark’s 47.2% is the highest of her NCAA career, making a dangerous player even more so.

Clarks also did it on a big stage, with Fox ratings making it the fourth most watched regular season game in the 22/23 NCAA season.


The Hawkeyes outscored the Wolverines the rest of the way, and withstood a late surge by the Wolverines, beating them 94-85.

Making matters more interesting for the Scarlet & Gray in Jan. is a game against Iowa three days before the Buckeyes’ trip to Bloomington, Indiana. It’s the toughest stretch of the season for Ohio State, until the postseason.

Elsewhere Around the B1G


Some other interesting items to note across the conference:

• The Wisconsin Badgers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights stunned the conference, with Wisconsin beating rival their rivals, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and Rutgers defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers (holding Cornhusker guard Jaz Shelley to zero points)
• Penn State Nittany Lions continued an up-and-down season, beating the Purdue Boilermakers in their best Big Ten showing of the season
• Diamond Miller and the Maryland Terrapins held off an upset-minded Michigan State Spartans 94-85

Conference Standings


Standings through Tuesday, Jan. 10

AP Poll


The AP Poll received another Big Ten team after week nine. Illinois joined the top-25 after their 17-point lead was decimated by the Buckeyes Sunday. It’s the Fighting Illini’s first time in the poll since Nov. 28, 2000.

3 - Ohio State (NC)

6 - Indiana (NC)

9 - Maryland (+4)

12 - Iowa (+4)

17 - Michigan (-3)

24 - Illinois (—)

With six teams in the top-25, the Big Ten leads the nation in ranked teams.

Conference Schedule


Here’s what the rest of the conference schedule looks like in week 10

Tuesday, Jan. 10

• No. 17 Michigan Wolverines at Purdue Boilermakers (80-59 Michigan win)

Wednesday, Jan. 11

• Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan State Spartans - 7:00 p.m. ET
• Northwestern Wildcats at No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes - 7:30 p.m. ET
• Penn State Nittany Lions at Nebraska Cornhuskers - 8:00 p.m. ET

Thursday, Jan 12

• No. 9 Maryland Terrapins at No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers - 6:30 p.m. ET
• Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Minnesota Golden Gophers - 8:30 p.m. ET

Saturday, Jan. 14

• Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes - 12:30 p.m. ET
• Michigan State Spartans at No. 17 Michigan Wolverines - 2:00 p.m. ET
• No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers - 2:30 p.m. ET
• Purdue Boilermakers at Northwestern Wildcats - 3:00 p.m. ET

Sunday, Jan. 15

• Rutgers Scarlet Knights at No. 9 Maryland Terrapins - 1:00 p.m. ET
• Wisconsin Badgers at No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers - 2:00 p.m. ET
• No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini at Minnesota Golden Gophers - 3:00 p.m. ET

Indiana and Maryland Incoming


Thursday’s game between the Terrapins and Hoosiers has all the makings for one of the best matchups of the season. Each side’s taken down ranked opponents this year and have done it featuring stars that have made the Big Ten the top conference in the country.

It’s a schedule-clearing game that can’t be missed.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 11, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

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

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

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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On the Gridiron


Ohio State OL Paris Johnson declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Sam Marsdale, 247Sports

Analyzing what Paris Johnson’s NFL Draft declaration means for Ohio State (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

What Paris Johnson declaring for NFL Draft means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row


Ohio State’s Luke Wypler declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

What losing Luke Wypler to NFL Draft means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Jarrett Kingston, Ohio State football transfer target, signs with USC as Buckeyes’ portal options dwindle
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com


What Ohio State football’s Kyle McCord and Devin Brown learned from C.J. Stroud’s daily example
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Kyle McCord tied for fifth in 2023 Heisman Trophy odds
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Column: Is next season national title or bust for Ryan Day?
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Secondary woes, injuries, stellar QB play: 8 final thoughts on Ohio State’s 2022 season (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

Great, but why can’t they land anybody in the portal or close near signing day?


Ohio State OL Avery Henry starts bone cancer treatment
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Five of Ohio State’s early-enrollees sign NIL deals with The Foundation
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts

Column: My bi-annual rant on why championship games shouldn’t be on Mondays
Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Competitive character and the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Column: Hey, ESPN, bring ‘College GameDay’ to Columbus to highlight the No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball team
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land


Ohio State Feeling Zed Key’s Absence Following Interior Struggles in Maryland Loss
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Still learning, Ohio State feeling growing pains at season’s midpoint
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Brice Sensabaugh Ranks Among Nation’s Elite Freshman Scorers Through First Half of Regular Season: “Some Guys Have a Gift”
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

You’re Nuts: What is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Notebook: Maryland game highlighted Buckeyes second-half struggles, youth
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Men’s Hockey: Dobeš Earns Big Ten First Star Accolades
Ohio State Athletics

Wrestling: Seniors Look to Take Team to National Heights
Robbie Mackinnon, The Lantern

Men’s Lacrosse: Buckeye Trio Named USA Lacrosse Magazine DI Preseason All-Americans
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


I could not love this more.


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Ohio State wrestling begins 2023 on the road, notches a Big Ten victory at Indiana
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Still fighting through multiple injuries, Tom Ryan’s Buckeyes leaned on Jesse Mendez and a few healthy vets to take down the Hoosiers.

After an up and down December in which they dealt with injuries and inconsistency, Tom Ryan’s Ohio State wrestling squad was presumably eager to get back on the mat. The schedule obliged this past Friday, as his Scarlet and Gray traveled to Bloomington (IN) in search of their first Big Ten victory.

The rebuilding Indiana Hoosiers are not considered to be among the top-5 or possibly even top-10 teams in the Big Ten, but there are no freebies in college wrestling’s toughest conference.


OSU’s return to action was complicated — or at least made a bit more challenging – by their ongoing struggle with injuries. Three of the team’s regulars (all NCAA qualifiers last season) missed the Big Ten opener, a consistent pattern dating back to the Cliff Keen Invitational held in early December. This time around, it was Malik Heinselman (125 pounds), Carson Kharchla (165), and Gavin Hoffman (197) who sat out, though Ryan is optimistic that his squad could be at full strength sooner rather than later.

Until then, the Buckeyes’ depth will be tested. But it is better for Ohio State to practice caution now, with the goal being to have a healthy roster against the likes of TTUN and Penn State — and especially during the postseason.

Against IU, those wrestling in place of Heinselman, Kharchla, and Hoffman produced mixed results, while veterans Sammy Sasso (149) and Kaleb Romero (184) led the way with dominant victories. OSU dropped a total of four matches, but also took four by either major decision (MD) or fall. The end result was a 26-13 win and a 1-0 start in Big Ten competition.


Wrestling for the Buckeyes in place of Heinselman, true freshman Brendan McCrone dropped his 125-pound match to IU’s Jacob Moran. That 4-2 result gave the Hoosiers their first and only lead of the night, which was quickly erased. Ryan’s squad would then go on to earn a total of 14 team points in the next three matches (two MD and a fall), erasing the early deficit and creating their own comfortable cushion.

Friday was McCrone’s first match in a major dual or tournament, and while the result was surely disappointing, this Ohio product has already taken first place in two Open competitions (FR/SO division). There will be plenty of brighter days ahead.

Stud freshman Jesse Mendez, wrestling in his home state, got OSU on the board first by earning a decisive MD at 133. He scored eight points in the first period and absolutely dominated his opponent throughout the entirety of their match. Mendez came away with a 20-6 victory in the end, setting the stage for Dylan D’Emilio (141) and Sasso to open up a large Ohio State lead.

Those two veterans combined to score 10 team points, with D’Emilio notching another MD and Sasso pinning his opponent in a mere 53 seconds. From that point forward, the Buckeyes never came close to trailing again. However, they did lose three of the final six matches.

Making his long-awaited return to the mat, talented redshirt freshman Paddy Gallagher was up next for Scarlet and Gray. He dropped a close decision at 157, during which you could tell there was rust to be shaken off. The No. 18 ranked wrestler in his weight class, Gallagher had not competed in roughly six weeks due to injury. And IU’s Derek Gilcher was in no mood to play welcoming committee.

A top-20 grappler himself, Gilcher scored three points in the third period to complete a comeback victory for the Hoosiers. His 5-4 decision over Gallagher put a bit of a damper on the latter’s return, but Ohio State coaches were likely more interested in their 157-pounder walking away healthy. Gallagher wrestled with a wrap on his knee, but did not appear to be hobbled. Hopefully that knee will continue to improve with time, giving him an opportunity to finally compete against the best the Big Ten has to offer.

Isaac Wilcox, who normally suits up at 157, moved up to 165 and came away with a solid victory in place of Kharchla. He outscored IU’s Nick South for his second dual win of the season, at two different weight classes — which is easier said than done. Wilcox was followed on Friday night by Ethan Smith (174) and Romero, both of whom continued their winning ways.

They are among the best in the Big Ten – if not the entire country – and showed why against the Hoosiers. Smith earned a 10-4 decision over 18th-ranked D.J. Washington, while Romero built a 12-5 lead in his match, before pinning his opponent in the second period.


Seth Shumate (197) and Tate Orndorff (HWT) closed it out for the Buckeyes, with both coming up short in their respective matches. Shumate took an early lead before IU’s Nick Willham poured it on, and Orndorff did not look like himself during his own return from injury. However, Ryan did not voice any concerns after the match, so conditioning may have simply gotten the best of OSU’s big man. The four-time NCAA qualifier should bounce back quickly.

Ohio State will face a step up in competition this Sunday, when they welcome Rutgers to Covelli Center. Ryan’s squad will then visit Maryland on Jan. 20, before battling TTUN (in Ann Arbor) on Jan. 27. That end-of-the-month showdown will give us a good idea of where exactly these Buckeyes stand in the Big Ten race, provided they are healthy. So let’s hope the injury bug has already bitten its hardest, and that Heinselman, Kharchla, and Hoffman all return soon.

Go Bucks!

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Since 1899 Podcast: Wyatt Crosher, former OSU WBB beat writer, creator of Hoopla newsletter
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The avid Big Ten women’s basketball fan discusses the surprising 2022-23 season, picks for conference and tournament titles, and more.

Since 1899 is an Ohio State Women’s Basketball podcast, covering the team that dates back all the way to the turn of the 19th century. Check back throughout the season for more interviews and coverage of the historic Big Ten women’s basketball program.


In the second episode of Since 1899: An OSU WBB Podcast, former beat writer and current Hoopla newsletter creator Wyatt Crosher joins the show. Crosher discusses all things Ohio State and Big Ten women’s basketball.

Specifically, what he expected from the Buckeyes entering this season. Ohio State won the conference co-championship last year, but didn’t play a schedule nearly as difficult as the 2022-23 season.

The episode recaps the Buckeyes huge comeback win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, and Crosher gives his picks for some award show-themed conference basketball awards. The selections feature real movie and TV award show categories and their comparable end of season Big Ten awards. No “get off the stage music” was required in Crosher’s responses.

Also, Crosher shares the players who have stood out to him on the Scarlet & Gray, a discussion on if forward/guard Taylor Thierry could dunk the ball in a game, and a picture of sweaty head coach Kevin McGuff that’s become a regular on his Twitter timeline.

Subscribe to Hoopla here. Follow Wyatt Crosher on Twitter @hooplawyatt.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music: HOLY MOLY by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

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Ohio State offers five-star cornerback from Texas
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kobe Black | 247Sports

The Buckeyes were active on the recruiting trail on Tuesday after sending out a pair of offers, including a top defensive back in the 2024 class.

With the early signing period in the books for the 2023 recruiting class, a lot of focus has shifted to Ohio State making noise in next years cycle, and they did that on Tuesday. The Buckeyes dished out a pair of new offers in the class as they aim to add to a 2024 haul that already includes a trio of blue-chip prospects.

Black, Lyle add Buckeye offers


With the college football season now officially in the rearview, Ohio State wasted no time getting into the ear of a pair of prospects and rewarding them with offers on Tuesday. The two that were on the receiving end of an offer from the scarlet and gray included 2024 five-star cornerback Kobe Black of Connally (TX) and 2024 four-star running back Jordan Lyle of St. Thomas Aquinas (FL).

Black picked up his offer from the Buckeyes during the noon hour on Tuesday, and followed it up with another scholarship opportunity from Miami (FL) in the evening. The two new offers for the Waco native inch him closer to 30 offers as a prospect already including LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, and many more. The 6-foot, 190-pounder grades out as the second-best cornerback prospect in the class and a top-25 player overall.


Lyle’s offer from the Buckeyes came later in the day on Tuesday, and just like Black, he also had a multiple offer day with Central Florida also joining the picture. The Fort Lauderdale native might not equip the most impressive ranking thus far but he does have some top programs in pursuit with Georgia, Oregon, Penn State, and now Ohio State included in his offer sheet. Lyle is currently graded as the 25th-highest ranked running back in the class.

Quick Hits

• The Foundation inked five early enrollees on Tuesday as true freshmen Malik Hartford, Jermaine Mathews, Noah Rogers, Carnell Tate, and Jelani Thurman all signed with the NIL collective for Ohio State.
• The Buckeyes missed out on Washington State offensive tackle Jarrett Kingston despite having him on campus last week. The multi-year starter for the Cougars chose to stay on the west coast as he decided on heading to USC.
• Former Ohio State commit and 2024 five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola of Chandler (AZ) took in Monday’s national championship blowout between Georgia and TCU. The top ranked prospect in the class was able to watch the Bulldogs, a team worth watching in his recruitment going forward, pour it on on the Horned Frogs em route to their second consecutive championship victory.
• 2024 four-star safety Jaylen Heyward of Rockledge (FL) revealed on Tuesday that he will be making his collegiate declaration on Friday. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder included the Buckeyes in his top six back in September along with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee.
• According to Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers, Ohio State is set to host 2025 power forward EJ Walker of Lloyd (KY) on Feb. 12. The Buckeyes are one of double digit programs to already extend an offer to the sophomore standout.

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Column: My bi-annual rant on why championship games shouldn’t be on Mondays
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s time! And this time, there are Playoff expansion implications.

First of all, we’re going to start this bi-annual rant with a win: The College Football Playoff championship game time, which kicked off at the much-too-late hour of 8:15 p.m. ET last year, kicked off this season at 7:30 p.m. ET and, for my own central time comfiness, 6:30 p.m. We’ve got to celebrate the small victories!

But there’s still work to be done, so, alas, we enter this edition of the bi-annual rant.

Despite Ohio State not being part of the College Football Playoff Championship, like many, I was still intrigued by the matchup of Georgia vs. TCU. It was a much more exciting game, heading in at least, than yet another dual-SEC pairing, and it was cool that a Playoff newcomer with a Heisman finalist at the helm would be playing instead.

It didn’t take long for the game itself to turn into a snoozer, with Georgia quickly dominating. And because it was a Monday, I was not willing to stay up late to watch more of the same when the outcome was already well-established by the first quarter (and before my bedtime).

Real quick: We all love our Monday Night Football (or, at least, the Manning Cast of Monday Night Football), but when it’s the championship game of the season, there have to be better times for it than when many are wrapping up their 9-5 jobs on the first day of the work week.

As I said this time last year, no one is hosting any parties or making apps or hanging out after the game is over when they have to wake up for four more days of work. It’s just hard to switch from work mode to getting excited and invested in a game. And no, I am not a night owl, and I’m a big fan of an early bedtime.

But more importantly, let’s address the elephant in the room: As the College Football Playoff approaches its expansion in coming years, there will be inevitable conflicts with the final weeks of the NFL season. High-profile Playoff games in particular will compete with NFL games, a harrowing battle between broadcast networks and ESPN for eyeballs. As viewers, we’re faced with the possibility of choosing between the CFP and the conclusion of the NFL season. (And when we’re entering a period of football drought, that’s not a decision we want to have to make!)

At present, bowl games already compete with the NFL schedule, but certainly not any bowl games with broader implications — because the only ones that have implications currently are the College Football Playoff semi-finals. What will be the plan moving forward, however, when Playoff games simply must be played during the same time period as late-season NFL games which probably have playoff implications of their own?

The solution doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game because this scheduling conundrum opens up interesting possibilities. As the NFL encroaches into Saturdays late in the season, Thursday and Friday night games become more palatable. High school football has been over for a minute and with the holiday season in full swing at that point, these times still might feel like primetime weekend games. It would certainly be better than the afternoon slot on Saturday which the NFL has also usurped. Considering ESPN has branded a special edition of Monday Night Football to host a wild-card game, a Thursday or Friday night CFP game feels not just palatable but preferable.

Consider the alternative. The FCS Championship, a decisive win from South Dakota State over North Dakota State, took place Sunday and directly competed with the final week of the NFL season, including games with playoff implications that drew eyeballs. Despite the time slot, the FCS matchup was a good one, and if it would have been played at a different time might have garnered more mainstream attention. In an expanded CFP, competing directly against the NFL will lead to inevitable attrition, which is not good for college football.

This year’s College Football Playoff semi-finals netted the largest audiences in five years. Of course they did, because Ohio State draws eyeballs. Comparatively, the Rose Bowl had the lowest ratings in years with just 10.2 million viewers tuning in to see Penn State beat Utah. Imagine the ratings in just a few short years when all the New Year’s Six bowls matter — as long as they’re not played after my bedtime on Mondays.

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You’re Nuts: What is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

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

No matter if you are playing in Lincoln against Nebraska or up in East Lansing against Michigan State, winning a basketball game on the road in the Big Ten is never easy. While some environments might be tougher than others, teams know when they hit the road in conference play, they are going to get a game from the hosts.

When the Big Ten schedule is released each year, there are some road games on the schedule that almost feel like a loss at first glance on the schedule for Ohio State just because of how tough certain road arenas are to win at. While the Buckeyes might end up winning some of those games, it takes a complete team effort for Ohio State to leave certain settings around the Big Ten with a win.

So what is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball? There certainly are plenty of options to choose from. Before the end of the regular season, Ohio State will see a number of road venues that are in the mix for the toughest road environment in the conference.

At the end of the month, the Buckeyes travel to Indiana to take on the Hoosiers. In February, Ohio State has back-to-back road games at Iowa and Purdue before closing out the regular season at Michigan State.

Today’s question: What is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball?

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

Brett’s answer: Mackey Arena


As tough of a time as the Ohio State football team has had in West Lafayette, the basketball team has had an even tougher time — especially lately. Last season, the Buckeyes fell behind by 20 points to the Boilermakers at Mackey before staging a furious comeback to tie the game, only to lose on a Jaden Ivey three-pointer at the buzzer.

Ohio State has lost five of their last six trips to Purdue, with the only victory being a 64-63 win in 2018. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Buckeyes also lost as a two-seed to Oral Roberts in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament when the whole tourney was held in the state of Indiana because of COVID-19.

So what makes games at Purdue so tough? The Paint Crew are a wild bunch that get extremely vocal to try and support their team. Purdue’s student section is like Duke’s Cameron Crazies, except the fans of the Boilers aren’t nearly as punchable. The noise made by The Paint Crew is amplified by the domed aluminum roof that Mackey Arena has. As a Buckeye fan, I wish we had a basketball arena that helped out the home team in terms of acoustics. Instead Buckeye fans get the sterile, lifeless building that is Value City Arena.

Mackey Arena is exactly the environment you want if you are a Purdue fan, and the environment you loathe if you are a fan of any other team in the Big Ten. At least if the Buckeyes do happen to win a game in West Lafayette, I know that they have a shot at having a really good season because it takes a team effort to leave Mackey Arena with a win.

Meredith’s answer: Assembly Hall


There’s a reason Assembly Hall has such historical significance. It was the site of Bob Knight’s famous chair throw, for example. And it’s an unapologetically vintage venue that seeps with the history of Indiana’s relevance on the hardcourt. So far this season, Assembly Hall is just edging out Purdue’s Mackey Arena when it comes to home attendance (14,898 fans per home game) to lead the Big Ten.

Fitting in all those attendees, with a total capacity of 17,000, means that seats are famously steep. It’s like the basketball version of Kinnick Stadium, where rowdy home fans are literally within reach. It’s pretty defining when it comes to the intimidation factor when, as an opposing team, you’re facing a literal wall of fans rising around you.

In commission for more than half a century, the Hoosiers are an impressive 634-136 all-time at Assembly Hall. Then again, the Big Ten has boasted absolutely terrifying environments for away teams when it’s come to hoops in recent years. On that note, Ohio State last won in Assembly Hall in 2019.

Also, it has to be said, Indiana’s warmups are the best in the conference.

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Competitive Character and the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s a common phrase used by coach and players alike, and you know it when you see it.

The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team is 17-0 — their best start to a season in program history. Sunday, the Scarlet & Gray added that 17th win, but it was an uphill climb. Pushing the Buckeyes to the win is what head coach Kevin McGuff calls “competitive character,” and even if the phrase is new, you know it when you see it with Ohio State.

Like many other games this season, the Buckeyes overcame a deficit to earn a marquee 87-81 conference win. This time it was a 17-point deficit with less than seven minutes remaining in the third quarter against a tough Illinois Fighting Illini team.

Ohio State flipped a proverbial switch Sunday, with forward Cotie McMahon going on a seven-point run on her own, when the Buckeyes went down 17 points with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter. That’s competitive character.

Forward/guard combo Taylor Thierry led everyone on the floor in rebounding in the third quarter, plus she added two steals and four points — two from the high-pressured free throw line. A key performance during a 25-8 run erasing the Illini’s lead in 4:40 of game time. That’s competitive character.

Substitute guard Hevynne Bristow grabbed eight rebounds in only 18 minutes on the court, and five of those came in the fourth quarter. Once again, competitive character. So what is it exactly?

“Competing at a level we know we’re capable of and executing at a level we know we’re capable of,” said coach McGuff. “When we show how good we can be and we sustain it to me that’s great competitive character. When we don’t sustain it, because either mentally we’re not locked in or we’re not playing as hard, that’s not.”

This season, the Buckeyes have had competitive character in droves. Ohio State’s caused fits for opposing teams with their full court defense, and pushed big leads against teams on the other side of the scorer’s table.

At different points in the season, the Scarlet & Gray have led the nation in scoring per game, steals per game and scoring margin. Sustaining those is no easy task. Especially considering the schedule McGuff put together for Ohio State this year facing three ranked teams, plus a tough unranked USF Bulls before Big Ten play got going at the end of December.

Even so, for all the impressive quarters for Ohio State, there have been equally less impressive alter egos. A Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde situation, with Dr. Jekyl coming out on top time and time again.

Sunday, it was a second quarter where Illinois beat the home side in just about everything. The Fighting Illini scored 25 points on 73.3% shooting, mostly from forward Kendall Bostic who had eight in the quarter on her way to a 27-point, 15-rebound, performance. Illinois shot 33.3% better before going into the halftime locker room.

Illinois also out-rebounded, out-assisted, out-stole and out-blocked in the second quarter. The lone area where the Buckeyes had more was turnovers. Not the competitive character expected from coach McGuff. The players know what it looks like, and know when they’re not living up to it.

“We came out and put a lot more pressure on them in the third quarter,” said guard Taylor Mikesell who led Ohio State with 31 points in the win. “And kind of got a momentum shift and more energy swing our way and then got some shots to fall.”

Other words used for competitive character might be intensity or energy, but when it's about this Ohio State Buckeyes team its more. The word character means its something embedded inside of the person. Part of who they are.

That character pushed Ohio State late in the third, when they earned their first lead since the beginning of the first quarter. In the fourth, guard Rikki Harris hit a three to start the scoring and the Buckeyes never looked back, leading the rest of the way.

After the game, Mikesell also cited bringing that sense of urgency into earlier parts of the game. It was a post-game press conference not fitting of an impressive win against an Illinois team on an upward trajectory. Instead, it felt like the numbness that comes after a loss.

“I don’t know, it’s really frustrating,” said McGuff. “I just told them in the locker room “if I was asking you to do something that you couldn’t do, ok that’d be one thing. But I’m just asking you to do what we just did. We’ve proven time and time again, when we play the right way and really stick to our identity, good things happen.’”

Good things are happening. Like for instance, not losing a game all season and beating four ranked teams in the process, plus two unranked foes who pushed the Buckeyes to the brink. The competitive character is there, now its about McGuff and the Scarlet & Gray showing it for four quarters.

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tcu vs ga

Column: Hey, ESPN, bring ‘College GameDay’ to Columbus to highlight the No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball team
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

After waiting 13 years, ESPN is ready to consistently bring College GameDay to women’s basketball, and Ohio State needs to be part of those plans

On Jan. 16, 2010, ESPN did something revolutionary for the time — they brought their famed “College GameDay” franchise to a women’s basketball game. The No. 1 UConn Huskies humbled the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 70-46 and went on to win their seventh NCAA title a few months later. ESPN repeated the idea in January 2011 but waited 11 years to do it again. Now, in 2023, ESPN has three women’s basketball “College GameDay” trips planned, and Columbus, Ohio is a natural pick.

Tuesday, The Tennessean reported the news, and dropping the first matchup with the Worldwide Leader in Sports heading to Knoxville, Tennessee on Jan. 26. It pits the No. 4 UConn Huskies against the unranked Tennessee Volunteers. The other two games will be announced later in the season.

On paper, the matchup makes total sense. They’re two teams with the strongest histories in women’s college basketball, winning a combined 19 Division I titles out of 40 tournaments. UConn’s 11 championships made them media darlings, plus their proximity to the ESPN Bristol, Connecticut campus didn’t hurt either. Tennessee has the legend of Pat Summit and a rowdy fanbase.

All of that is great and will draw in fans and probably get ESPN the ratings numbers they want. Hear me out though, one of those two remaining, unannounced, games needs to be in Columbus, Ohio. It’s a no-brainer.

After all, who better for “College GameDay” to go to than Columbus? The school has a fanbase that’s been weaponized for GameDay on the football side for years. Ohio State’s hosted the show 22 times in football, and throw in a 23rd if you count the one game they came to for the men’s basketball team.

Tell fans of the Scarlet and Gray that ESPN is coming to Columbus and the Block O Women’s Basketball student section will get the people you need in the stands. Also, the team isn’t so bad either.

The Buckeyes are No. 3 in the country with wins against four ranked teams, including the Volunteers who will play in their third of four overall women’s College GameDay events this month. Ohio State beat the Vols like they did the Louisville Cardinals, Oregon Ducks, and Michigan Wolverines.

Ohio State also feature a type of blistering full-court press that gets people excited. Then they have players like guard Taylor Mikesell who can hit a three from the fifth row and freshman Cotie McMahon who won four Big Ten Player of the Week awards in a row.

They’re one of three undefeated teams in the entire country in arguably the strongest conference in the nation. The Big Ten features six teams in the AP top-25 poll. Ohio State plays games, in Columbus, against the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 9 Maryland Terrapins (this one falling on the last day of the conference schedule for both teams with potential championship implications).

Another fantastic reason for choosing Brutus Buckeye over any of the other teams within the ESPN family of conference contracts is some diversity that shows the growth of the game.

No offense to UConn and Tennessee but featuring the two of them is like featuring another human-interest piece on Tom Brady. Ew.

UConn hasn’t won a title since 2016. Tennessee is a top team in the SEC in a year where only two SEC teams are actually good and nobody, not even the No. 5 LSU Tigers who haven’t played anyone of interest is close to the No. 1 North Carolina Gamecocks.

This won’t likely be the first time you’ve read this, but women’s college basketball is on a meteoric rise in popularity. All rounds of the NCAA women’s tournament grew 81% in viewership, compared to their y-chromosomed counterparts on the men’s side.

So why not help that grow in other areas of the country? College GameDay in Columbus could create a whole slew of new fans for head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes. Also, it could help fill the cavern that is the Schottenstein Center. Which is a win regardless of the result on the court when ESPN comes and visits Central Ohio.

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never forget! beat their ass

2023 Way-Too-Early college football Top 25

CFP participants Ohio State, Georgia and Michigan were all ranked in the top five of last year's Way-Too-Early Top 25. TCU wasn't ranked at all.

Among the teams that were ranked too high: Texas A&M (No. 4!), NC State, Oklahoma State and Michigan State. In addition to TCU, teams ranked too low (or unranked) included Tennessee, Kansas State, Washington and Tulane.

1. Georgia Bulldogs

2. Ohio State Buckeyes
2022 record: 11-2, 8-1 Big Ten

Expected returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense, 1 special teams

Expected key losses: QB C.J. Stroud, OT Paris Johnson Jr., OT Dawand Jones, G Matthew Jones, DT Taron Vincent, DE Zach Harrison, S Ronnie Hickman, K Noah Ruggles

Expected key additions: WR Brandon Inniss, DE Jason Moore, OT Luke Montgomery, WR Noah Rogers, TE Jelani Thurman, CB Calvin Simpson-Hunt, G Joshua Padilla

Outlook: It might have been a deflating end to the 2022 season, after the Buckeyes lost to rival Michigan for the second straight season and then fell to Georgia in a CFP semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Bowl. But to suggest that Ohio State isn't trending in the right direction under coach Ryan Day is laughable. The Buckeyes won 11 games this past season, despite playing without star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and tailback TreVeyon Henderson for much of the campaign. Henderson is expected back in 2023; Smith-Njigba has already declared for the NFL draft. Kyle McCord, who started against Akron in 2021, will battle Devin Brown for the starting quarterback job in the spring. Whoever wins the job will be surrounded by plenty of playmakers, including receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. Replacing Johnson and Jones on the offensive line will be a priority in the spring. The Buckeyes play road games at Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan in 2023.

3. Michigan Wolverines

4. Florida State Seminoles

5. Alabama Crimson Tide

6. Penn State Nittany Lions

7. USC Trojans

8. LSU Tigers

9. Oregon Ducks

10. Tennessee Volunteers

Entire article: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35391913/2023-way-too-early-college-football-top-25

Kind of surprised ESPN has Ohio State #2 in their way-too-early 2023 poll. Kind of expected their top 3 teams to be all SEC teams....

Column: Is next season national title or bust for Ryan Day?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Four seasons and no ring... what will happen in the fifth?

It’s been a long time since Ohio State has won the National Championship. A whopping eight years! I say that honestly with only a bit of sarcasm. Since Ryan Day became the head coach of the Buckeyes, they have come close to hoisting up that trophy, but have fallen short each year. So, what does that mean for this next season?

Since Day took the reins in 2019, he has complied a 45-6 record. He’s only beaten TTUN once, back in his first season, with Justin Fields at quarterback. They didn’t play each other in 2020, and then lost to them the past two years. In 2019, Day and the Bucks lost to Clemson in the CFB Playoff. It was, at the time, a great run for his first season.

In 2020, he got redemption against the Tigers as Ohio State prevailed in the Sugar Bowl against them before getting creamed by Alabama in the title game. So, a step forward was made that year, as even with all of the craziness of the pandemic, the Buckeyes still advanced to the National Championship game.

Then 2021 happened. Ohio State lost to Oregon in the second game of the season. This was Day’s first big upset as head coach, but personally I didn’t take the loss too hard. I just was hoping that would be the only loss of the season, just like 2014 against Virginia Tech. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, as the Bucks lost to TTUN which officially put them out of the playoff conversation. The season ended with a thrilling Rose Bowl win against Utah, but still an overall disappointing season for Buckeye nation.

I’ll allow the fact that 2021 happened. Day had phenomenal first two seasons as head coach and was bound to slip up a bit at some point. All good though, 2022 would be the rebound year, right? The Buckeyes absolutely had to beat TTUN this year, as they had home field advantage. This would be the year they returned to the playoff and made a championship run.

Well, one of those things happened. Day is now 1-2 against that team up north. It’s very difficult to accept this loss. The entire season leading up to that game, the whole team and coaching staff was adamant that it wouldn’t happen again. There was absolutely no way they would lose two years in a row. But it happened. And one of the main reasons why was because of the coaching. That was definitely one of the worst games of his career.

Yet, Ohio State still made the playoffs. Okay, redemption time. It wasn’t Day’s fault that they lost. He did redeem himself, in my eyes, with his play calling. Yes, they did lose, but that doesn’t fall entirely on Day.

So, what does next year mean for him? He’s had an impressive first four seasons, but unfortunately the first two were better than the last two. With the talent this team has, and the offseason Jim Knowles will have to get the defense into shape, there is no reason why the 2023 team can’t win it all. The QB is unknown, yes, but with the veterans coming back that are hungry for a trophy, I don’t think it will matter who is behind center.

Let’s play some hypotheticals. If Day loses to TTUN for a third time, is he out? Is 1-3 against the rival too much to bear? I honestly don’t know. In my eyes, yes. That is your first and foremost goal every season, and if you fail to meet that goal three years in a row, I think you gotta go.

But, say he does beat TTUN, and assuming Ohio State is undefeated heading into the conference championship, say they win that too. Let’s assume the Buckeyes are in the playoff. If the Buckeyes get embarrassed in whichever bowl game they play in, you would think there would have to be some changes. If they lose like they did to Georgia this year, well, you can’t really blame Day once again.

It’s tough to say right now what Day’s fate will be. In simple terms, I think if he loses to TTUN again he’s out. You just can’t be the head coach of Ohio State and put a team on the field that is that unprepared in the biggest game of the season. But, is it natty or bust for him? Not necessarily. He just can’t have play-calling blunders like he did against Penn State and TTUN.

I think this season he certainly learned a lot, so let’s see what next season holds.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 10, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

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

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

You’re welcome!

On the Gridiron


OSU TE Stover announces he is returning to Buckeyes
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

What return of captain, tight end Cade Stover means for Buckeyes
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Analyzing what Cade Stover returning means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes


Ohio State Wide Receiver/Running Back Xavier Johnson Indicates Return for Sixth Year with Buckeyes
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Buckeyes safety Tanner McCalister declares for NFL Draft
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Ohio State’s Tanner McCalister, Jerron Cage accept Hula Bowl invitations
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts


Denzel Burke enters offseason with a new “perspective” after up-and-down 2022 season (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

Column: What questions face the Ohio State Buckeyes as they head into the offseason
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land


While Ryan Day Hoped Ohio State Would Be at Full Strength by the Peach Bowl, Injuries on Offense Impacted End Result
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

You’re Nuts: Which celebrity should Ohio State bring in to run its S&C program?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Zed Key expected back ‘relatively soon,’ considered day-to-day
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Buckeyes captain Justice Sueing takes blame for rough second half
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Listen to Chris Holtmann’s Radio Show from Monday:


Taylor Mikesell wins Big Ten Player of the Week award
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State stays unbeaten, beats Illinois
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Column: I think the women’s basketball team can win it all
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


We’ll talk about this later: Toys for everyone, an apropos touchdown and nothing but love
Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

And now for something completely different...


We all feel the same way watching the National Championship Game, Mark.


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Ohio State makes top schools for 2024 DB
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2024 safety Edrees Farooq via @EdreesFarooq21 on 247Sports

With only a couple days remaining in the recruiting dead period, Ohio State made the cut for a 2024 safety.

For the second year in a row, Ohio State’s football team was at home last night — like the rest of us — watching the College Football Playoff Championship game. This is something Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day does not want to become a reoccurring event. Day knows the best way to ensure future success is through recruiting, and he is one of the best in the country at it.

This is why, despite the big game yesterday, Ohio State still found themselves in the recruiting headlines.

Ohio State makes top 10 for 2024 safety


Monday was a rather quiet day for college football recruiting, as we are currently in the midst of a recruiting dead period. A time where college football coaches are unable to make contact with recruits, this dead period will come to an end Thursday, but the open contact period will only be open for a couple of weeks.

During the contact period, Ohio State is able to host recruits on unofficial visits and are able to make in-home visits as well. Because the contact period will only be open for a short window, things will easily heat up for the Buckeyes on the recruiting front.

However, just because things are slow, does not mean Ohio State is not making headlines. The Buckeyes are one of the best college football programs at recruiting for a reason. The coaches are great at building long-term relationships with prospective recruits. This is why on Monday, despite the dead period, Ohio State still made recruiting news.

2024 three-star safety Edrees Farooq (Baltimore, MD / St. Frances Academy) announced his top-ten schools on Monday, and Ohio State made the cut.


Alongside Ohio State, Pitt, Cincinnati, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Penn State and USC all made the cut for Farooq. Ohio State certainly has competition for Farooq, which shows that despite his lower star-ranking, college football coaches around the country think he has the potential to excel at the college level.

Ohio State offered Farooq in December of last year, and seem to be serious about adding him to their team given their standing on his list. Because of this, his name immediately gets added to any watch lists for Ohio State to visit when the dead period comes to an end.

The Buckeyes are certainly contenders in his recruitment, but they are not alone. Michigan, Maryland and Penn State all seem to have built solid-standing relationships with Farooq and it certainly appears the Maryland native will stay within Big Ten Country.

The timing of his list gives some indication that his recruitment is further along than many others in his class. However, a commitment date has not yet been mentioned, maybe not even thought about.

Expect Farooq to make multiple visits in the coming months, and a commitment could come before the start of his senior season. Farooq is the No. 46 S in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 599 overall prospect. He is also the No. 19 recruit from Maryland.

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Column: What questions face the Ohio State Buckeyes as they head into the offseason?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State will need to replace a quarterback and other key contributors with national championship expectations still in mind.

Ohio State’s football season is over, which means the offseason is officially here. Before we fully transition to recruiting, basketball, and the other fantastic sports teams at Ohio State, there are some significant questions for the Buckeyes heading into 2023.

On the surface, the Buckeyes went 11-2 and made the College Football Playoff. To many schools and their fans, this year would be seen as a resounding success. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Ohio State fans aren’t like most, because the Buckeyes have different expectations than most. Losing to Michigan, not winning the Big Ten, and failing to win a national championship means the Buckeyes were 0-3 in their public goals that define the season.

Finishing up the year 0-2 is not the way any one wants their season to end. The Georgia loss gave a shot of confidence into the arm. Even with that, there were some glaring issues that arose at the end, including giving up over 1,000 yards of offense and 97 points in those final two games. But just looking at the last two games would be disingenuous.

The defense improved significantly in every statistic, the offense showed it can compete with the best defenses in the country, and in spite of all the injuries the Buckeyes dealt with through the year they were still just a field goal going through the uprights away from having a chance to win it all.

What is Ryan Day’s future as the play-caller?

This year there were a larger number of complaints about Ryan Day as a play-caller. After the Oregon and Michigan games last year his reputation came into question. Too many bad games against the better teams on his schedule made it feel like the time had past him by. Gone were the clinical and dynamic games that defined his time as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and in his first two seasons as head coach. The lasting glimpse was his playoff win over Clemson, in which Justin Fields’ arm was put on full display.

After not keeping up with Oregon, having long stretches of stagnancy in tougher matchups, and not having the same inventiveness, the questions really came to light. Day was still doing a passable job as the play-caller, but the responsibilities of being a head coach and play-caller adds a lot of weight to the headset. It felt like a time to pass the torch was here, and this was realized in the lead up to Ohio State’s matchup against Georgia during Day’s production meeting with ESPN.

“Ryan Day mentioned in our production meeting, he’s going to stop calling plays next year, because he needs to become more of a manager as a head coach. And when you’re prepping a game plan, there’s a lot more that goes into it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday to be ready to call those plays on Saturday. So he’s thinking about maybe relinquishing those (play calling duties),” said Kirk Herbstreit in regards to Day’s play-calling future.

In a world where Day gives up play-calling, the question of how that looks will define the offseason. The voice making the decision on a play-by-play basis will be different. This is not a light decision for Day. Giving up that control takes away a defining strength of Day, and that strength is what made him the head coach at Ohio State.

Ryan Day will still be the architect of what the offense looks like, but the game day operation changes entirely. The new offensive coordinator and play-caller is likely already on staff due to the 10-coach rule, but the new voice will have the responsibility of running Ryan Day’s offense to his standards. Whether that’s run game coordinator and offensive line coach Justin Frye, or pass game coordinator and wide receiver coach Brian Hartline.

Whoever is calling the plays will be responsible for bringing along a first-year starting quarterback and building a run game that can be dominant in power run and short-yardage situations. This will come with a lot of pressure, and a lot of questions as the season approaches.

Quarterback Competition

C.J. Stroud played his final game as a Buckeye, and although his legacy at Ohio State left a little on the table, he proved he can lead a team to a playoff while leading an explosive offense. The next quarterback is following up four record-setting QBs, multiple playoff appearances, and three-straight Heisman finalists. Stroud leaves with 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns — second in Ohio State history in both categories — leaving a lot of production needing replaced.

The contenders for the job are third-year quarterback Kyle McCord and second-year quarterback Devin Brown. Both come with elite recruiting pedigree like their predecessors, but they both come with a different skill set. McCord brings a more traditional pocket-passing style, staying in the pocket and using his arm strength to stretch the field. On the other side is Brown, who is able to create off schedule and has an incredible ability to layer his throws even when he is off platform.

McCord has a start under his belt and a year of experience in the offense, which should give him the edge entering camp. Brown was an early-enrollee and did get snaps under his belt this season, so he could make it interesting. Their play styles are different enough that it can impact how the entire offense looks.

On top of that, there will be plenty of questions and a deep-dive into whoever wins every throw as they enter their career as the starter. The pressure is meant to create the best possible player, and this leads to the expectation that there will be no drop off, even though it is a major transition. There will be tons of questions along the way, and even more when the decision is made — including questions about transfer possibilities. This is the first time in two years, so let’s buckle up.

Offensive Line Depth

On the offensive line this year, there were two All-Americans and two more All-Conference selections. Four out of five starters receiving end of year accolades is no small feat, and shows the talent the Buckeyes had.

This year they will be replacing both tackles in Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones. These two accounted 1590 snaps played last season. Ohio State has looked in the transfer portal at a few linemen, and zoned in on Washington State’s Jarrett Kingston, who would come in and be able to start immediately. On the roster, Josh Fryar held up well in his one start this season and in heavy tight end duty in the Bison packages.

Center Luke Wypler was the 5th rated center in the country and has a major decision coming up. With many draft sites having him in the 3rd round range, it is unlikely he can raise that status much higher given the position he plays. If he chooses to go, that leaves arguably the largest hole to fill on the team. Matt Jones may have another year of eligibility and can slide over. If not, then Jakub James was the only other player to take snaps at center.

The only full lock to return next season is right guard Donovan Jackson. This gives you a strong foundational player who can play at left guard or left tackle. If you’re Ohio State, the hope would be to keep him at his natural position. Outside of Jackson, there are tons of questions ahead for the offensive line, and year two will be a real test to what Justin Frye can do as an offensive line coach.

Second Corner

This unit struggled this year under new corners coach Tim Walton. The level of play and injuries led to a disappointing season for the third consecutive year. The lack of development could be blamed on the missed time from every corner on the roster. Starters Cam Brown and Denzel Burke both missed times and battled injuries from Fall Camp well into the season, and the young corners struggled at times when thrown into the fire. Jordan Hancock was the third corner coming into the year, and never got going due to injuries.

The health alone raises a lot of questions for the team, and the lack of success should lead to a wide open competition. There are two four-stars coming in Jermaine Mathews and Calvin Simpson-Hunt. With Burke likely being one of the starters, that second spot will be wide open.

For this group, there is continuity going from this season into next with Walton entering year two, and his second year with Jim Knowles should add to his ability to coach what Knowles needs. Developing in year two can define the defense, and if they improve, the defense will have the ability to be even more creative.

The level of corner play is a huge question entering the offseason, and the answers to these questions will have a lot of ramifications on what this Ohio State team can accomplish.


These aren’t the only questions heading into the offseason. The Buckeyes have some key contributors they’ll be replacing and are still waiting on some key players making decisions about their NFL futures. Once the Buckeyes get their answers on the draft front, we’ll have a full idea of what the team will likely look like in 2023.

Ohio State is expected to reload and take another shot at a national championship, and looking across the country they are not alone. They will once again have one of the most-talented rosters in the nation, so expectations will be high. With the additional pressure of ending the losing streak against Michigan, winning the Big Ten Championship, and winning a national championship, these questions will need to be answered early and emphatically.

There is no time to waste for Ryan Day, and every decision will define the next steps for Ohio State as the conference expands with the playoff. Other Big Ten foes have shown they’re not sitting around any more with their recent coaching hires. If Ohio State falls short again, the rest of the conference can make more strides.

That is why asking these questions now is important, and whatever the answers to these questions are will define the season ahead.

Continue reading...

You’re Nuts: Which celebrity should Ohio State bring in to run its S&C program?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Pablo Cuadra/WireImage

The Buckeyes could use some help in the strength and conditioning department.

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

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

This week’s topic: Which celebrity should Ohio State bring in to run its S&C program?

Josh’s Take


Ohio State football recently lost two members of its strength and conditioning staff, with Niko Palazeti and Quinn Barham leaving the program to take elevated positions at Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina. This is a common occurrence in the S&C world, as there are only so many Mickey Marotti-level prestige jobs to go around.

But OSU also lost Chris Fenelon after last season, which means they have now watched at least three S&C staffers leave in the past 12(ish) months, all of whom had spent three or more years working under Marotti.

For some, including my man Gene, this means that all the wrong people are leaving Ohio State’s S&C program. He has long been on the “Fire Marotti” bandwagon, so recent developments have presumably left him less than enthused. But in all seriousness, these men and women are beyond critical to any team’s success. Because S&C staffers typically spend more time with athletes than their coaches do, and that relationship goes beyond simply lifting weights together.

S&C assistants are trainers, dieticians, life coaches, mentors, and much more. Palazeti and Barham also played football in the Big Ten, so their experience and ability to relate – specifically to Ryan Day’s team – should not be understated.

However, this could turn out to be a net positive for Buckeye football. OSU dealt with significant injuries throughout the 2022 season, and for whatever reason, could never get guys back to 100 percent. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, TreVeyon Henderson, Michael Hall Jr... The list goes on.

There have also been questions and complaints regarding how players’ bodies are developed and maintained in Columbus, and whether that approach has led to players getting too big, sacrificing speed and/or quickness, and potentially becoming even more prone to injury. Those questions and concerns have little or nothing to do with Palazeti and Barham, but significant staff losses could force Ohio State to re-evaluate its approach and philosophy.

To begin moving forward, Marotti must first fill the open positions on his S&C staff. It takes a village, as they say, and with the offseason being of the utmost importance, there is no option to leave spots vacated. So where does he go? Who does he target? These are questions I found myself asking internally, with no real endgame in mind.

But then it came to me... An idea/question I just had to present to Gene: What if Ohio State could hire anybody to join the S&C staff? We’re talking real human beings, but salary, schedule, possibility of it actually happening — none of that stuff matters.

He (Gene) laughed and asked if I was under the influence of anything in particular, to which I responded: “Not at this time.” This might sound like a silly premise, but the next few S&C hires could very well dictate the future of Buckeye football. So I was deadly serious when coming up with my answer...

I also cheated a little bit, choosing to identify two candidates. But OSU has two open positions, so I don’t really see a problem. These two men are well known within the football community, which adds to their credibility. They also have different training methods, which is just as important (in my opinion) as credibility. Marotti surely wants people from various backgrounds and with different perspectives to have a voice within the Buckeyes’ program, and bringing both of these men in will help accomplish that. Who are they? Let’s get into it.

First, I suggest that Ohio State brings in Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock. A former college and USFL football player himself, The Rock knows what it takes to compete at this level. He also knows what it takes to compete on the world’s biggest stage(s), in front of millions (and millions!) of fans. The Buckeyes do that every week, so like, how much more relatable could The Rock possibly be?

From a strength training perspective, this former WWE megastar and current Hollywood movie star brings anything and everything to the table. Literally. Have you seen the man’s personal, traveling gym? I am pretty sure his equipment costs more than The Woody, which means The Rock would be welcome to bring his “iron paradise” to Columbus. And have you seen his physique? The proof is in the pudding. He is absolutely jacked to the gills, even after turning 50 years old. I am sure it is completely natural, and that dedication to training helped turn him into a full-on superhero. Imagine what it could do for the Buckeyes.

But don’t worry about The Rock only whipping these OSU candy asses into big, brawny meatheads. No sir. He knows how to find a perfect balance. Wrestling matches and 12-hour days of shooting movies also take an incredible amount of cardio and endurance – in addition to raw strength and functional power – all of which then needs to be supplemented by a perfect recovery diet. Some of The Rock’s epic cheat meals would be perfect for a postgame celebration dinner, reserved only for winners. You know, really dangle the carrot in front of Ohio State players and coaches.

So what do you think of my first candidate, Gene? Wait... Wait... It doesn’t matter what you think!

As for who will (or should be) joining The Rock on OSU’s S&C staff, look no further than Alex Guerrero. That’s right! This alternative medicine practitioner and co-creator of the TB12 lifestyle is bringing his unorthodox training method and questionable dietary restrictions to Columbus in this wildly warped and made-up scenario I have created. While he might intend to wait until Tom Brady is retired, I think the allure of joining the Buckeye Nation of Domination would be too much to walk away from.

Guerrero’s insistence on pliability could act as a good counterbalance to both Marotti and The Rock preaching 600-pounds bench presses. His diet, while restrictive, would certainly help Ohio State players avoid inflammation. And as for his other qualifications or traits? Well, Brady is going to play until he’s 62 years old. Guerrero has essentially turned him into a White Walker. That’s all I need to see.

There you have it, Gene. Two completely normal, reasonable options for this OSU S&C staff. Good luck topping that! If ya smell-lalala.... what Josh is cookin’.

Gene’s Take


I wasn’t prepared for Josh to really go all in on this topic when he first suggested it to me, so now I feel as if I also have to pick two candidates for the job. I think my co-host picked two pretty darn good choices, and I like the two-man approach he went with where one guy is more on the strength and bodybuilding side while the other focuses on diet and nutrition — an area I think Ohio State’s current S&C program is greatly lacking.

For my first pick, I wanted to go with someone who has ties to the university. Someone who both understands what it takes to get an athletes body in peak condition while also understanding the competitive nature that comes along with building up players to play a sport — not just getting big for the sake of looking big and lifting heavy weights. I wanted this person to be an accomplished athlete in a sport that focuses on strength and technique. Who better to fill that role than one of the greatest and most successful athletes in the school’s history: Kyle Snyder.

Currently just 27 years old, Snyder became the youngest Olympic and World Champion wrestler in United States history when he took home the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Summer Games. His list of accolades would take up an entire article just to write them all out, but the highlights include: three-time NCAA Champion, three-time Big Ten Champion, U.S Olympic Male Athlete of the Year (2017), two-time Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year — and it goes on and on. When it comes to competitive excellence, Snyder embodies that and then some.

He also understands that strength training must be functioning rather than just for show. All too often it seems these past few years that a handful of players on Ohio State’s roster have gotten bigger in the weight room, but it has not shown improved results on the field. In fact, in many cases it has actually hampered these players, making them slower and taking away from some of their natural abilities that made them highly-touted recruits in the first place. Snyder may not know all the ins and outs of putting together a detailed training program for specific position groups on a football field, but he does understand that working out to be an athlete is different than working out to be a body builder.

To pair with Snyder, I want a proven sports dietician to help Ohio State’s athletes maximize themselves through the help of their diet. For that, I'm looking to the NFL, and specifically Kansas City Chiefs dietician Leslie Bonci.

Bonci has been an NFL dietician for the last 32 years, spending the first 25 years of her career with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Chiefs in 2015. While it obviously isn’t all because of her procedures and eating techniques, it is worth mentioning that the Chiefs have made the playoffs in every single year of her tenure. In addition to her work in the NFL, she has also worked with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL as well as the Washington Nationals in the MLB, while also functioning as a sports nutritionist for the WNBA. Needless to say, her methods seem to work.

A big part of her diet plan, and a big reason why I think her methods would be perfect for college players especially, is making traditionally unhealthy foods in healthy ways so that athletes can still enjoy the food they are eating. Bonci takes foods like fried chicken and pizza and tweaks them slightly to cut out most of the unhealthy fats and sugars. For example, making chicken in an air fryer to to cut out trans fats and making whole-grain pizza crust that contains ground-up beans. This style of eating also encourages players to eat meals together, which is good for team chemistry and morale as an added benefit.

So thats my big plan. It might not be as flashy as The Rock and Alex Guerrero, but I like the dynamic duo style of S&C that Josh went with. Give me the tremendously successful athlete mixed with the professional football dietician to run the Buckeyes’ strength and condition program and let’s see how many fewer soft tissue injuries Ohio State winds up with under their tutelage.

Continue reading...

Taylor Mikesell wins Big Ten Player of the Week award
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ohio State graduate senior guard wins the award for the first time

Sunday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team played a second half to remember. After going down 17 points with 6:56 left in the third quarter, the competitive character of the Buckeyes hit a new level, and the Scarlet & Gray erased the deficit in just under five game minutes. Then, they went on to win 87-81 against the now No. 24 ranked Illinois Fighting Illini.

Monday, a key name in that win, guard Taylor Mikesell, won her first Big Ten Player of the Week award.

In two games this past week, Mikesell averaged 26.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Sunday especially, Mikesell was big.

Against the Illini, Mikesell hit 7-for-14 from deep and led the Buckeyes with her top scoring game of the season, putting 31 points on the board. Her performance made Sunday’s win the largest second-half comeback in program history.

This season, Mikesell is picking up where she left off in the 21/22 campaign. The guard from Jackson High School, in Massillon, Ohio averages 18.8 points this season, leading the Buckeyes. Last year, Mikesell’s 18.6 was good for second on the team behind fellow guard Jacy Sheldon.

An impressive feat considering last season was Mikesell’s first with the Scarlet & Gray. The guard who started at Maryland transferred to the Oregon Ducks for a season before coming back to Big Ten country, and her home state.

While Mikesell’s season last year was important, helping lead the Buckeyes to a share of the regular season conference title, there’s an argument to be made that the 22/23 season is even better.

That’s because Mikesell is doing it without Sheldon or fellow guard Madison Greene. Playing with three different point guards, Mikesell’s all-around impact has increased. Mikesell’s assists, steals and blocks are up compared to last year, with the graduate senior stepping into the point guard role now, alongside Rikki Harris, with both starters at the position out long term.

Sunday was Mikesell’s second 30+ point game, after getting 30 against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to start the Big Ten calendar on Dec. 4. Against her former Oregon Ducks team, Mikesell scored 25 points with six assists and five rebounds.

Thursday, against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Mikesell scored 22 points with seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals in another Buckeyes comeback. Until Sheldon returns from her lower leg injury, Mikesell’s taking on multiple roles and excelling across the board.

Mikesell is crucial for the upcoming stretch of games. After this weekend’s trip to Nebraska, Ohio State welcomes the Northwestern Wildcats before a main event-style pair of matchups against the No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes followed by a trip to Bloomington, Indiana three days later for a game against the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers.

The win is the second weekly honor that the guard’s won, after earning a Freshman of the Week honor back in her freshman season with the Maryland Terrapins.

Continue reading...

Column: I think the women’s basketball team can win it all
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

This team needs to be talked about more!

Don’t look now, but the Ohio State women’s basketball team is currently having its best start to the season in program history. I simply don’t see them being talked about enough, and I am guilty of it too. So, I’m here to share my two cents on why I think that they can win the National Championship.

They have played 17 games so far and have lost ZERO. When a team starts off the season this hot, you know that they have something special going on. The women proved themselves last season after having an impressive finish to their year, ending with a phenomenal tournament run.

The end of the last year has carried into the start of this year. Clearly, the women worked even harder in the offseason to ensure they would make it even further in the postseason tournament. The same core group remains, besides the loss of Braxtin Miller and the addition of Cotie McMahon.

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

This team has been battle tested in many ways, yet has not let difficulty knock them down. Their best player, Jacy Sheldon, went down early in the season with an injury and hasn’t played since Nov. 30. Additionally, the Buckeyes’ other guard, Madison Greene, who tore her ACL last season, suffered another knee injury this season and has been out since Dec. 20.

So, two of the best players go down, yet this team keeps winning! That is impressive and definitely a quality of a championship team. They certainly have the next woman up mentality, and that is needed especially late in the season. No matter who plays, they find their groove and find a way to win.

Players getting injured isn’t the only challenge these women have faced. Their schedule has not been easy, and that started with their very first game of the year — a top-five matchup against Tennessee. This game put the Buckeyes on the map, as they took down the Vols to show they are the real deal.

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

So, they had no games to just ease into the season, but they didn’t need those games. They proceeded to take down top-20 ranked Louisville fairly comfortably just a couple weeks later. After beating two Big Ten opponents, their first test came against USF — the game where Greene went down. Yet, they pulled it together and won in overtime. An unranked team can always be a sneaky threat, and while the Buckeyes faltered, they did not fall.

They ended 2022 with a bang after beating No. 14 Michigan on New Year’s Eve in front of a sellout crowd in the Covelli Center. Carrying that energy into 2023, the Buckeyes defeated Minnesota in their first game of the year, and then had to play Illinois on Sunday.

While the Fighting Illini aren’t ranked, they are 14-3 on the season and a very solid team. So much so, they had the Buckeyes down by 10 at the half, and 17 at one point in the third quarter. However, Ohio State does not back down, and came all the way back for the largest second-half comeback in program history to take dub No. 17.

Clearly, this team hasn’t had an easy path. Two of their best players went down and the schedule hasn’t gotten any easier. Yet, it doesn’t matter. This team has grit and depth, two crucial things in order to make a deep postseason run. McMahon, a freshman, has transitioned seamlessly from high school to college. She’s already recorded six 20-point games.

I could go on and on about each player on this team. Everyone plays an important role, because they never know when they’ll be called upon. The best part about this team is that they are having so much fun. When your work doesn’t even feel like work, that’s when you know you are truly winning.

Hopefully that carries them all the way to the National Championship.

Continue reading...

Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State stays unbeaten, beats Illinois
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It wasn’t just the Cotie McMahon and Taylor Mikesell show on Sunday.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team has made a living this season out of coming back to win. On Sunday, they added another example when the Illinois Fighting Illini came to Columbus.

In an eventual 87-81 Buckeyes win, the Scarlet & Gray came back from seemingly insurmountable odds, and redefined the word insurmountable in the process.

Here are notes from the impressive victory.

Playing with Fire


The old adage goes that if you play with fire you get burned. Multiple times this season, it looked like the Scarlet & Gray were scorched. Against then-No. 5 ranked Tennessee, the Buckeyes were down 12 in the second quarter. In a trip to then-No. 16 Louisville, it was 14 in the first half. Just three weeks ago, it was at the San Diego Invitational, down 18 in the second quarter.

Even three days ago, in Minnesota against the Golden Gophers, the Buckeyes were down 10 points in the third quarter.

Sunday’s win marks the largest second half comeback in program history when Ohio State was down 17 points to Illinois with 6:56 left in the third quarter. Head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout 10 seconds later, and said this to his team:

“‘Stay level headed. Keep playing how we know how to play and everything will work out if we do what we’re supposed to do,” forward Cotie McMahon revealed following the win. “That was really it, there was no yelling. We know what we’re supposed to do we just gotta do it.”

McMahon and the Buckeyes did that following the timeout to the tune of a 25-8 third quarter run and eventual 50-34 run by Ohio State in the second half. Winning is great, but going down double-digits consistently might not always go in the Buckeyes favor.

“We have to be a four quarter team,” said McMahon. “Not just two. I feel like we always end up, you know, being the ‘hero team’ in the second half and have to stop doing that. Soon it’s going to bite us in the butt.”

Mikesell and McMahon Come Up Big Again


Because of the play of McMahon and guard Taylor Mikesell especially, that didn’t happen. McMahon cut the Illini’s 17-point lead to 10 in under a minute of the third quarter by herself. Then Mikesell scored five in the Buckeyes’ subsequent 11-point run.

The third quarter was the only quarter where Mikesell didn’t lead Ohio State in scoring. Mikesell finished the night with 31 points on 7-for-14 three-point shooting. The shots from deep were falling for Mikesell, leading to a dub chain performance.


McMahon was second on the team, scoring 22 points, but added four rebounds, four assists and two blocks on the night. The emotion from both was evident in the second half after the entire Buckeyes roster looked demoralized — especially compared to a rowdy Illinois team making noise on every play in the Illini’s favor, which there were a lot of examples in the first half.

The win was another step in the development of the freshman McMahon.

“Cotie played really hard, she usually does and I think as the season goes on, every game you can see just a little more understanding of what we do and how we do it,” said McGuff. “She’s practicing really hard, that’s been a big part of her growth. Her practice habits are really good.”

Illinois is the Real Deal


The Fighting Illini weren’t ranked when they faced the Buckeyes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a top team in the country. Illinois took it to Ohio State for most of the game. While the Scarlet & Gray went blow for blow with the team from Champaign in the first quarter, it was Illinois’ game to win.

New Illinois head coach Shauna Green has a team of transfers, and few returners from last year, playing with passion and intensity. In her first year, Green’s leading the Illini in their best start in program history.

Sunday’s win was Illinois’. Forward Kendall Bostic had 27 points and 15 rebounds — her third double-double in a row and a new career scoring high for the junior. Guard Genesis Bryant scored 15 points in the first half on 6-for-8 shooting, missing only one of her four shots from deep in the game.

“I thought Illinois played great, in the first half especially,” said McGuff. “They were playing harder and executing better and doing a really good job and we were not playing hard or executing, and they were making us pay.”

It’s their third loss of the season, but also their largest margin of defeat after losing by a combined seven points to the Indiana Hoosiers and University of Delaware. The starting five for Illinois features no seniors either, so the future of the Big Ten might go through Illinois.

Team Basketball


The play that personifies the Buckeyes’ comeback is a three-point shot by Mikesell. It’s not the shot that made it important, but how the play turned into the Mikesell make.

With 7:25 left in the fourth quarter, Ohio State had a three-point lead. Substitute guard Hevynne Bristow, who had a great game off the bench with eight rebounds in under 18 minutes, went towards the basket.

In most cases, a college player with the room Bristow had would go for the layup, especially in the lead. Instead, Bristow found McMahon charging the baseline on her right. McMahon received the pass and went towards the basket too, but like Bristow she decided to pass.

Guard/forward Taylor Thierry got the pass near the basket and without hesitation passed back to Bristow who went around the arc to pass to a wide open Mikesell. The guard from Massillon, Ohio extended Ohio State’s lead to five, and it never went under four in the rest of regulation.


“That was a big point of emphasis at the half, we weren’t moving the ball in the first half, and we were one or two passes and trying to dribble dribble dribble,” said McGuff. “Second half, I thought we moved the ball around quite a bit better and really kind of spread them out, we got them spread out and just led to a lot more good shots.”

It was nothing new to the players on the court.

“We work on that every single day, driving and kick,” said Mikesell. “Find the open person being super unselfish at that point. We had started to see shots fall and we were getting a lot of different momentum swings while there was defense turning into offense.”

For the Fans


An element that doesn’t get talked about more than a blurb or two for ambiance is the crowd. Ohio State had 6,273 fans in attendance for the game. In the grand scheme of the Schottenstein Center’s attendance it isn’t much, but it was a loud and energetic crowd for youth night.

Coach McGuff felt it, and used it to the Buckeyes’ advantage giving the team an added boost in the third quarter.

“I said ‘Hey, we’re either going to fight right now and hit back or we’re going to get embarrassed,’ said McGuff to his team. “We were getting embarrassed. We have a great crowd today here and we’re playing like this its embarrassing. I feel bad for the fans who came out, at that point.”

Also in attendance was arguably the Buckeyes’ No. 1 fan — Landon McChesney. The six-year-old boy with genetic disorder TBCD was honored at halftime with his family in tow. McChesney is one of only a handful of children in the world with the rare disease, and through the LandOn a Cure foundation, they’ve teamed up with the Ohio State basketball team.

Thomas Costello - Land-Grant Holy Land
The Buckeyes saying hi to Landon McChesney on the court following their win over Illinois.

Maybe it’s a coincidence that the Buckeyes fought back shortly after he was honored at halftime, but maybe it wasn't?

Continue reading...

National Championship Game TCU vs. Georgia: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Just in case you are a glutton for punishment.

Sometimes pain can be good. In its basest form, it can be an instantaneous indication that trouble lies ahead. But, in more cathartic instances, it can serve as a way to harden the more sensitive portions of ourselves to prevent even more extensive damage long-term.

While pain, by definition, hurts in the moment, what’s left behind — be it scars, calluses, or a heretofore unacknowledged truth — can protect us the next time that danger approaches. Thus is the case with tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs will face off against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, and for Ohio State football fans, this is an opportunity to either embrace the ultimately fortifying benefits of pain or to practice self-care in avoiding the heartache that will inevitably result by tuning in.

All too often in recent years, there has appeared to be something lacking with our beloved Buckeyes; be it any semblance of a reliable defense, or something more ethereal like toughness, a killer instinct, or late-game leadership. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes came up just ever-so-slightly short of playing in tonight’s contest, but still, as a result, feels miles away from where they (and we) want them to be,


Let’s be clear, Ohio State should be playing in this game; should be playing for a national championship tonight were it not for key offensive injuries, were it not for a stupifying reversal on a targeting call, were it not for absolutely horrific play by the defensive secondary, were it not for highly questionable play calling on both sides of the ball down the stretch, were it not for a split-second timeout called by Kirby Smart, were it not for a blown field goal attempt.

If even one of those things above does not happen, Ohio State is likely favored by double digits over the Horned Frogs tonight and Ryan Day is making like Steve Young and miming pulling an invisible monkey off of his literal and proverbial back as he hoists the trophy pictured at the top of this article. Instead, we, as Buckeye fans, are now subjected to another offseason of hand-wringing, concern trolling, and uncertainty as opportunity, optimism, and goodwill have seemingly dissipated from the collective conscience of the vocalist of minorities online.

So, if you are a glutton for punishment, some sort of college football masochist, or an unrepentant college football obsessive, there is one more game to watch tonight. But, if you do watch, just make sure to check in with your sponsor in the morning and embrace the benefits of the pain that you are voluntarily subjecting yourself to.

When is the game and how can I watch it?


Game Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, Cali.
TV: ESPN
Online: Sling TV

DraftKings Sportsbook line: Georgia -12.5 | o/u 63

SP+ Prediction: Georgia 34.9, TCU 24.0

Official LGHL Prediction: We don’t care

Matt’s Official Prediction: I predict I will not be watching

Join the conversation


Below is your College Football National Championship GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. 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 finish the season strong!

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

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 9, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

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

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

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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On the Gridiron


National Championship Game TCU vs. Georgia: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

You’re Nuts: Best thing to do instead of watching the National Championship game
Jami Jurich and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State has three signees named Gatorade State Players of the Year
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

This seems promising:


Which Ohio State football 2023 recruits are expected to enroll early?
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

What Miyan Williams returning means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

What Miyan Williams return means for tailback room, Buckeyes offense (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

What Ohio State is getting in former Syracuse safety Ja’Had Carter
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Check out the latest episode of “PLAG”:


Watch: After biding his time, McCord ready to compete for OSU starting QB job
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Storylines to track for Buckeyes after busy first week of offseason (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Ryan Day’s big-game record took a hit on New Year’s Eve, but bad luck is at least partially to blame
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

Despite Finishing as a top-25 Scoring Defense in 2022, Job One for Jim Knowles in 2023 Is Limiting Big Plays
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors

Three desired 2023 resolutions for Ohio State football
Chip Minnich, Land-Grant Holy Land

#DevelopedHere


Ex-Ohio State WRs Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, make NFL history with 1,000-yard seasons
Cameron Salerno, 247Sports

Across the Shield: Cameron Heyward Dominates in Season Finale, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson Make History and Nick Bosa Secures NFL Sack Title
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

On the Hardwood


No. 24 Ohio State men fight back, but fall to Maryland 80-73
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Felix Okpara, Ohio State struggle with Zed Key sidelined at Maryland
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Here’s something good that’s OSU MBB related:


No. 3 Ohio State women come back from 17 down to beat Illinois 87-81
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Hear the full postgame press conference following the WBB win on Sunday:

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 12 Ohio State Completes Sweep, Shuts Out No. 14 Spartans 6-0
Jacob Benge, The Lantern

Wrestling: Pair Earn Second-Place Finishes in Edinboro Sunday
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Gymnastics: Buckeyes Win Season Opener in Front of Sold Out Covelli Crowd
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


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National Championship Game TCU vs. Georgia: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Just in case you are a glutton for punishment.

Sometimes pain can be good. In its basest form, it can be an instantaneous indication that trouble lies ahead. But, in more cathartic instances, it can serve as a way to harden the more sensitive portions of ourselves to prevent even more extensive damage long-term.

While pain, by definition, hurts in the moment, what’s left behind — be it scars, calluses, or a heretofore unacknowledged truth — can protect us the next time that danger approaches. Thus is the case with tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs will face off against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, and for Ohio State football fans, this is an opportunity to either embrace the ultimately fortifying benefits of pain or to practice self-care in avoiding the heartache that will inevitably result by tuning in.

All too often in recent years, there has appeared to be something lacking with our beloved Buckeyes; be it any semblance of a reliable defense, or something more ethereal like toughness, a killer instinct, or late-game leadership. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes came up just ever-so-slightly short of playing in tonight’s contest, but still, as a result, feels miles away from where they (and we) want them to be,


Let’s be clear, Ohio State should be playing in this game; should be playing for a national championship tonight were it not for key offensive injuries, were it not for a stupifying reversal on a targeting call, were it not for absolutely horrific play by the defensive secondary, were it not for highly questionable play calling on both sides of the ball down the stretch, were it not for a split-second timeout called by Kirby Smart, were it not for a blown field goal attempt.

If even one of those things above does not happen, Ohio State is likely favored by double digits over the Horned Frogs tonight and Ryan Day is making like Steve Young and miming pulling an invisible monkey off of his literal and proverbial back as he hoists the trophy pictured at the top of this article. Instead, we, as Buckeye fans, are now subjected to another offseason of hand-wringing, concern trolling, and uncertainty as opportunity, optimism, and goodwill have seemingly dissipated from the collective conscience of the vocalist of minorities online.

So, if you are a glutton for punishment, some sort of college football masochist, or an unrepentant college football obsessive, there is one more game to watch tonight. But, if you do watch, just make sure to check in with your sponsor in the morning and embrace the benefits of the pain that you are voluntarily subjecting yourself to.

When is the game and how can I watch it?


Game Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, Cali.
TV: ESPN
Online: Sling TV

DraftKings Sportsbook line: Georgia -12.5 | o/u 63

SP+ Prediction: Georgia 34.9, TCU 24.0

Official LGHL Prediction: We don’t care

Matt’s Official Prediction: I predict I will not be watching

Join the conversation


Below is your College Football National Championship GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. 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 finish the season strong!

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

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We’ll talk about this later: Toys for everyone, an apropos touchdown and nothing but love
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings. Or, in this case, just a lot of heart.

Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?

Sorry folks, this one isn’t exactly lighthearted, but it’s got a lot of heart.

Last Monday night, the world stopped for a moment as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in the Bills’ Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The game stopped. Nothing else in sports mattered for days.

As we anxiously sat refreshing our news feeds, hoping for good news on Damar’s condition, another story began to emerge. Damar had started a GoFundMe to purchase toys for kids in his community. He had hoped to raise $2,500. As folks searched for news and found this page, thousands and thousands of people began donating. Within hours, the fundraiser had pulled in more than $3 million in donations.


The gifts kept coming in as Buffalo fans, non-Buffalo fans, sports fans and non-sports fans alike rallied for a way to do anything to support the 24-year old laying in critical condition in Cincinnati. Many fantasy football leagues, whose final weeks were left undecided with the game’s cancellation, donated their collective purses to the cause. As of Sunday afternoon, folks had donated nearly $8.5 million.


We collectively rejoiced when we heard Damar was awake and communicating through writing. We cheered when we heard his breathing tube was removed and he was making steady progress. We continued to hope and pray for a continued recovery. And we probably cried a little as tributes poured in throughout the weekend from NFL teams honoring Damar in their own ways, including in Cincinnati, where Damar was still hospitalized.


And then Sunday, in a moment of absolute poetry, Nyheim Hines ran back the opening kick for Buffalo against New England.


And it was clear who everyone was thinking of.


From the absolute terror we felt last week, it’s been beautiful to see once again how sports have the power to unite and bring love and kindness into the world. From all the kids who will eventually benefit from Damar’s charity to the unity we’ve seen throughout the NFL and beyond — there’s nothing but love for Damar.


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