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Three Storylines: No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Michigan State
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Who leads scoring, a potential injury return and keeping up trending against the Spartans

The Ohio State women’s basketball team is back to Big Ten conference play after a record-tying non-conference win against the New Hampshire Wildcats. On the schedule are the Michigan State Spartans, who are the strongest conference test in the early Big Ten schedule.

Before the home game at the Schottenstein Center, here are three Buckeye storylines to keep an eye on heading into Sunday’s game.

Does Jacy Sheldon Play?


Following the Ohio State Buckeyes' win in Athens, Ohio, against the Ohio University Bobcats, guard Jacy Sheldon was limping slightly as she walked out of the locker room. It was on a short walk for Sheldon to talk about her 22-point night, leading the Buckeyes in a tough shooting performance against in-state rivals.

Sheldon played the next game against the McNeese State Cowgirls, but since then has played only one of the last five games, against the then No. 18 ranked Louisville Cardinals. Called a lower leg injury by head coach Kevin McGuff, Sheldon’s status of day-to-day kept her out of four games, sure, but they weren’t against ranked opponents of the best of the conference.

Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Does guard Jacy Sheldon return for the first home conference game this Sunday?

Sunday seems like it could be a good day, playing a Sparty team who’s rebuilding, but still possesses talent.

When the Dublin, Ohio guard isn’t playing, the Buckeyes’ average turnovers forced per game drops from 32 to 22.75 per game, which 22.75 would still be good enough for third in the conference.

Even without Sheldon, starting-caliber guard Madison Greene’s started in her place. In those four starts, Greene averages 11 points, 6.5 assists, and 2 steals per game. Also, Greene’s only given up the ball seven times across the four games. This is on top of sound defense from the redshirt junior who started for the Buckeyes back in the 20/21 season before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the days leading up to the 21/22 campaign.

Team Scoring


Starting the season, the Buckeyes’ scoring featured seven straight games with at least four Ohio State players hitting double-figures per game. On Sunday, at the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, that changed.

The Scarlet & Gray were led by two players, offensively. Guard Taylor Mikesell’s 30 points and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková’s team-high 31 points were 74% of Ohio State’s scoring on the day, with four other scorers making up the remaining 21 points in the win.

A lot of that drought was attributed by coach McGuff to a lack of energy by the Buckeyes. It looked like Ohio State was playing like they were automatically the No. 3 team in the country and didn’t have to continue playing their game to earn it.

Ohio State found that energy on Thursday, against the Wildcats. While they still ended the day with three Buckeyes in double-figures, the looks became easier than their game against the Scarlet Knights and players made better decisions in the paint to either lay it off or go for the points.

The Buckeyes outscored the Wildcats 53-7 in the second half. While Ohio State won’t expect that lopsided of a half against the Spartans, it’s a sign that their motivation is back.

Another positive is who’s leading the way. There are five Buckeyes averaging at least 10 points a game. Also, in their nine wins, five different players led the team in scoring whereas last season it was a toss-up between either Sheldon or fellow guard Taylor Mikesell on who would run the game.

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Rebeka Mikulášiková leads the Buckeyes this season in scoring team highs in four of nine games

Mikulášiková leads the way in leading the way, earning top Buckeyes’ scorer in four of Ohio State’s nine games. Mikesell has two and Sheldon, and forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon each take a game.

All of last season, only three players ever led Ohio State in the scoring column across 32 games.

Reaching .500


In coach McGuff’s 20 seasons as an NCAA head coach, he has winning records against all but two Big Ten teams. Sunday, McGuff and the Buckeyes have the chance to get one of those teams off the list when Sparty comes to town.

McGuff’s teams over the years are 6-7 against Michigan State, with Ohio State earning all six of those wins in the past five seasons. Last year, the Buckeyes won three, including a postseason Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game.

If the Buckeyes get the win, only Maryland is left on McGuff’s list of Big Ten teams, with a 5-11 record against the Terrapins all-time.

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Bowl season is almost here; it’s time to measure the Big Ten against other conferences
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Previewing the Big Ten bowl games for the 2022 season.

Living in Savannah, a southern city deep in the heart of SEC country but also one with scads of midwestern retirees, I hear the continual arguments about the relative strengths of the two super conferences.

Big Ten proponents will say “Sure, Georgia and Bama are good, but the Big Ten is deeper, top to bottom. We don’t have anybody as weak as Vanderbilt, year in and year out.” SEC fans will count national championships in the last several decades and smile. I’m even starting to hear that Ohio State has the talent but can’t win the big game. What I don’t hear anymore is that the Big Ten is the physical conference, and the SEC the finesse conference. I think that we all agree that those days are getting smaller in the rear-view mirror.

Since Big Ten and SEC teams rarely play each other during the regular season (Penn State and Auburn the notable exception during the past couple of years), bowl season provides an opportunity for head-to-head matchups and also to compare bowl won-lost records, not only between these two leagues but also among all of the Power-Five conferences.

Last year both the Big Ten and the SEC had ten teams participate in bowl games. The Big Ten went 6-4, while the SEC finished 5-5. Not a big difference. No real bragging rights in those stats. For the record, the Big 12 was 5-2, the ACC 2-4, and the PAC-12 0-4.


This season, there are nine Big Ten teams playing in the bowl games – including Ohio State and Michigan in the College Football Playoffs. I’ll take a look at those playoff games later and make my predictions for them then. For the moment, let’s examine the other seven matchups.

Wisconsin (6-6) vs. Oklahoma State (7-5)


Guaranteed Rate Bowl, December 27

Here are two teams that have had a great deal of success recently but suffered disappointing seasons this year. And to make matters worse, they’re playing in a bowl with one of the worst names (though I must say that the competition for stupid bowl names is pretty fierce and getting stronger every year.)

The Badgers will be starting a new era in their program history, and I see them winning a close one here. Statistically, both teams are about in the middle of the pack of their respective leagues. With their defensive guru stolen in the off-season, the Cowboys’ D wasn’t up to par. Wisconsin 34, Oklahoma State 28.

Syracuse (7-5) vs. Minnesota (8-4)


Bad Boy Mowers Pin Stripe Bowl, December 29

Syracuse started off the 2022 season in a blaze of glory, surprising foes and critics alike. By mid-season, however, they had burned out and had been reduced to a barely glowing ember and finally to a (small) pile of ashes. It’s hard to imagine a recovery. Minnesota, on the other hand, was pretty decent all year. I figured that they might win the Big Ten West, but it was Purdue, as we well know, who was left standing. Nonetheless, I like the Gophers here. And pretty big. Minnesota 42, Syracuse 24.

Maryland (7-5) vs. North Carolina State (8-4)


Duke’s Mayo Bowl, December 30

Yeah, the Wolfpack beat their big rival UNC, keeping the Tarheels out of a potential playoff spot. But so what? Does anyone have confidence in these ACC teams? Oh, Clemson is clearly decent, and Seminole fans are happy with Florida State’s season. But look at all of the flops this year. Maryland can put points on the board, and I look for them to do just that as we inch our way toward “more meaningful” games. Maryland 45, NC State 30.

Iowa (7-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5)


Trans Perfect Music City Bowl, December 31

This one is the first of four B1G – SEC bowl matchups. Iowa was a letdown this year. A lot of folks saw them repeating as west champ and making a solid go at the east winner for the conference championship. Nope. No offense. Kentucky, another strong starter, faded a bit as they faced tougher competition toward the end of the year. I (sorry to say) like the Wildcats in this game. Kentucky 27, Iowa 17.

Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4)


ReliaQuest Bowl, January 2

Here’s a game that has my interest – and not just because I went to Illinois and am happy to see the Illini playing well. No, this one is, in my estimate, an even matchup. Watching the Illini outplay TTUN in Ann Arbor, I don’t know how they lost those games toward the end of the season to blow the west championship. And Mississippi State? 8-4 in the SEC is really about all we need to know to realize that the Bulldogs are a pretty good team. There will be some fierce line play in Tampa. Illinois 28, Mississippi State 24.

LSU (9-4) vs. Purdue (8-5)


Cheez-it Citrus Bowl, January 2

This SEC—Big Ten contest constitutes a true losers’ bracket, as these are the teams that lost their conference championship games to Georgia and Michigan, both of whom are in the playoffs. (Let’s hope that the winners of those games don’t play for the national championship.) LSU’s claim to fame is its narrow win over Alabama. Don’t get me wrong. That’s a feat worthy of a boast or two. But they’ve had some ugly, unexpected losses too. Inconsistent. Purdue has a good passing attack. But probably not one good enough by itself to beat the Tigers. Look for Brian Kelly’s team to pull this one out. LSU 41, Purdue 35.

Penn State (10-2) vs. Utah (10-3)


Rose Bowl, January 2

Make time in your Monday schedule for this one. It should be a dandy. The Nittany Lions lost only to Ohio State and Michigan and got obviously stronger as the season went on. Utah simply stomped on Southern Cal, ending the Trojans’ playoff hopes and opening the door for the Buckeyes to jump in. It will be close, but I see the Utes still riding high after their championship game. Utah 38, Penn State 31.


Against strong teams from other conferences, these seven Big Ten teams will be competitive. If you’re keeping count of my predictions, you’ll notice that I’ve given the Big Ten teams a 4-3 edge in these games. And with two conference teams in the playoffs for the first time ever, the league has a good chance of posting a winning record for the bowl season.

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: Hendon Hooker, you should have been a Heisman finalist
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images

Also, talking all things playoff.

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Megan and Jami talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Happy Reaction Week and welcome back to the Play Like a Girl podcast! This week, Jami and Megan give their thoughts on the playoff rankings, and Ohio State’s odds against Georgia. Plus, they discuss who will take home the Heisman trophy, and why it definitely should not be Stetson Bennett.

Additionally, the pair breaks down the big names in the transfer portal and the impact Coach Prime will have at Colorado.


Contact Megan Husslein
Twitter: @meganhusslein

Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Holden, Key, Holtmann on Rutgers buzzer-beating hysteria
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There was much to discuss following Ohio State’s last-second win over Rutgers Thursday night.

Throughout the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


Well, if you missed Tanner Holden’s last-second buzzer-beating three-pointer at the Schottenstein Center Thursday night, I apologize. After 39 minutes and 55 seconds of agonizing, back-and-forth battling between two physical Big Ten teams, it was one shot that mattered, and that shot was a blind heave from Holden that won the Buckeyes the game, 67-66.

After the game, the man of the hour spoke with the media, as well as Zed Key who set a career-high with 22 points, and head coach Chris Holtmann. The Buckeyes blew an 11-point first-half lead and trailed with five seconds remaining as well, but were able to pull it out right at the horn.

Holden spoke first, letting everyone know that he actually couldn’t see the basket when he shot the ball, nor could he see if it went in — he knew when the crowd let him know. Key said it was even crazier than his game-winner against Akron last season.

Holtmann spent as much time talking about point guard Bruce Thornton as he did Holden afterward, praising some of the plays Thornton made during the “guts” of the game. He also said Holden was subbed into the game with five seconds left because they were anticipating him needing to inbound the ball full court.


Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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Even without Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State wide receivers set the Buckeyes apart in this year’s College Football Playoff
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Kyle Robertson / USA TODAY NETWORK

JSN’s absence has been a source of sadness and frustration, but it should not take away from the fact that OSU still has the best and possibly second-best downfield threat(s) in the upcoming CFP.

Ohio State and its fans received an early Christmas present this past weekend when Ryan Day’s team was chosen to compete in the 2022-23 College Football Playoff. Certain pundits and media trolls debated whether OSU made the CFP based on merit or reputation, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be in it to win it. And the Buckeyes are in it, baby!


The scarlet and gray even withstood a last-minute (and nationally-televised) smear campaign from an older gentleman begging the CFP selection committee to break precedent for a two-loss team with one marginally impressive win. So it was certainly an anxiety-inducing week or two for Ohio State and its fans, but calm(er) times are just ahead... Oh, never mind, that would be just about any other sport besides college football.

Regardless, OSU earning a spot in the CFP was great news for an otherwise anxious fanbase. I imagine the same could be said for Day and his guys, especially after a second consecutive loss in The Game. Unfortunately, that joy became short-lived – or just slightly less joyful – when significantly less-than-great news came down the very next day.

A mere 26 hours after CFP teams were revealed, star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba regretfully announced that a seemingly never-ending hamstring injury would not allow him to suit up in the upcoming Peach Bowl, and that he would be turning his attention toward NFL Draft preparation.


JSN only confirmed what most had already suspected, but being prepared as a fan does not exactly soften the blow. It stung Monday. It still stings as I write this. And I imagine that JSN’s absence – for pretty much the entire 2022 season – will be felt months or even years down the road. Unless the Buckeyes win a national championship, which is fully on the table. So before we collectively grieve the on-field loss of a player we never (really) had, let’s appreciate and take solace in a few of the players who put Ohio State in position to, apparently, shock the world.

In JSN’s absence, sophomore Marvin Harrison Jr. has developed into the premier WR in college football. That’s right, I said it: Route Man Marv sits atop the mountain, regardless of whether or not he is named the Biletnikoff Award winner or First Team All-American. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound unicorn has garnered attention throughout the football-watching world, and is already being mentioned as a potential top-5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With 72 receptions for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdown so far this season, Harrison Jr. has led the OSU pass catchers and adequately replaced his injured teammate. Some would even say he has surpassed JSN in terms of potential and on-field impact — myself included.

We know that JSN was an electric safety blanket of sorts for C.J. Stroud in 2021, with the added ability to make a house call on any play. You simply do not replace 95 catches and 1,600 yards, so this is the furthest thing from a veiled shot at the Texas native now that he is out of the picture... But Super Marv is a Martian — a physical freak and a matchup nightmare. He gives Stroud something JSN, Chris Olave, and/or Garrett Wilson could never provide: SUPREME SIZE.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

If and when all else fails, and an opposing defense has Ohio State in handcuffs, Harrison Jr. is a potential get out of jail free card. There are few players in the country who possess his size, speed, and technique combo, making him the ultimate “break glass in case of emergency” option. And when the Buckeyes go up against a team as talented and well-prepared as the Georgia Bulldogs, they are going to need all the advantages they can get. We saw a few YOLO throws from Stroud-to-Harrison Jr. against Penn State and TTUN – in pivotal moments – and I expect to see a few more in Atlanta. I want Stroud to have a “f*ck it, Marv down there somewhere” mentality, and for Day to trust his guys. Harrison Jr. at least provides ample opportunity; even more so than JSN, in my humble opinion.

Opposite Route Man Marv is fellow sophomore Emeka Egbuka. The dynamic open-field playmaker has been quiet at times, but still finished his regular season with 1,039 yards and 9 TD. Egbuka also racked up five 100-yard games as the Yin to Harrison Jr.’s Yang, essentially giving OSU two No. 1 options. 2021’s top wideout has more than justified his recruiting pedigree, and should be viewed as another threat to UGA’s recent dominance. But I, for one, am hoping the Bulldogs sleep on Egbuka’s potential, freeing him up to create a few of his patented chunk plays.

Egbuka is more similar in style to JSN (than Harrison Jr.), and I do believe that he has proven to be a near-equal replacement. Again, no shots fired at the presumptive 2023 first-rounder, but it’s not as if there has been a huge drop-off from one guy to the other. The Buckeyes have not downgraded. They have simply and slightly altered the DNA of their passing game — which was going to happen anyway, due to the losses of Olave and Wilson. So argue with results and play-calling all you want, but Ohio State is really no worse for wear without last year’s breakout star. They are just different.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

And let us not forget about Julian Fleming and Cade Stover, who have combined for nearly 900 yards and 11 TD this season. They are tremendous third and/or fourth options, and help to set OSU apart in this playoff. They, along with Harrison Jr. and Egbuka, are ingredients in a recipe which gives Coach Day and his staff an advantage over every other team in the upcoming CFP. I am talking about four and five-star pass-catching talent all over the field.

Quentin Johnston, Brock Bowers, and Ronnie Bell (only if you’ve had a few martinis)... It is fair to say these guys bring a special skillset to the table. Bowers in particular is one of the best players in the country, regardless of position. But what the TCU, UGA, and TTUN pass catchers do not have is an equal counterpart – or, in some instances, a strong supporting cast – to do heavy lifting as part of their team’s aerial attack.

Georgia fans might throw out Ladd McConkey’s name, but while I admit that he is certainly a weapon, he finished with 675 receiving yards in 13 games. Harrison Jr. and Egbuka both topped 1,000 in 12. Fit and functionality are great, and I understand that different teams run different offenses, but if you need one game-breaking deep call or a contested catch in the back of the endzone, Harrison Jr. and Egbuka should both be in your top-4. Stroud pulling the trigger is a nice little advantage as well.

My larger point is this: Ohio State’s passing attack has more potential than any other (passing attack) in the 2022-23 CFP. TCU’s Max Duggan is nice, and UGA’s Bowers could be a future NFL Hall of Famer, but you will not find a better active trio than Stroud, Super Marv, and Egbuka. Does relying almost exclusively on this group guarantee a national championship? Absolutely not. Hell, it didn’t even lead to 12 regular season wins or a Big Ten title.

But I believe that my team has at least one clear advantage over the rest of the field, even without JSN. And that is all I need to maintain hope and optimism.

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You’re Nuts: Is USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten good for men’s basketball?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Who doesn’t love a good Wednesday night game on the west coast?

As we move into December, teams have moved into conference play and it’s nearly Christmas. We’re right in the meat of college basketball season. And of course, the Land-Grant Holy Land Bucketheads, Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, are back with another iteration of You’re Nuts, where we debate the hottest and most interesting topics pertaining to college hoops.

Insert shameless podcast plug here:


Last week, we debated what should replace the iconic Big Ten/ACC Challenge since it is ending this season. Connor said the Big Ten should start a regional rivalry week and Justin wants a Big Ten/MAC Challenge.

Justin won a tight one with 28 votes while Connor got 26. A handful of you want neither of things. What else could you possibly want?



Here are the updated standings after a long 78 weeks.

After 78 weeks:

Connor- 33

Justin- 32

Other- 9

(There have been four ties)


This week, we are looking into the future. Is USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten in 2024 a good or a bad thing for the conference from a basketball perspective? This move has been looked at as mostly a football-driven move, but newsflash: there’s a whole slew of other sports that will be affected too!

Let’s dive in.

Today’s question: Is USC/UCLA joining the Big Ten good for basketball?

Connor: No

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Time for me to spew my boomer views on conference realignment — I’ve been waiting so long to complain about this! In short, two west coast teams joining the Big Ten conference is dumb, looks unnatural, and is simply a money grab. It also ignores the welfare of student-athletes who will have to travel across the country for a single two-hour game, when conferences were aligned based on geography.

First and foremost, the conferences were created based on geography, and no matter how messy we make them or how much we bastardize them for money, the conferences were always created to compete against teams near you. Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, etc. The Big Ten made sense for a while. I was not a fan of Rutgers or Maryland joining the Big Ten either when they are clearly in ACC/Big East country.

Second, the majority of basketball games are during the week, not the weekend. This means that, unless the Big Ten can pull a Houdini act and schedule every USC and UCLA game on the weekend (other than games between the two California schools), some schools will have to fly to California on a school night to play a game, and then fly three time zones back the next day. I’m not sure how this will be organized from a scheduling perspective, but it sounds incredibly dumb to me. They’re nowhere near the midwest!

Third, I don’t think the Big Ten needs to have sixteen teams — period. If the B1G wants to add two more teams, then unfortunately they’ll need to send eviction notices to Nebraska and Rutgers — the two teams who, in my opinion, fit the Big Ten identity the least. At what point is too big, too big? Eighteen teams? Twenty?

There’s a good chance I’m just stuck in the mindset of the Big Ten I grew up with, and that I’m unwilling to change. College sports are changing, and some conferences may just wind up going extinct when the dust settles. But if we could hang on to some of what makes the Big Ten the gritty, midwest conference, that would be fantastic.

Justin: Yes

Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images

This is a big one because if you have been paying attention to the rankings, I can tie it up with this one and I am not positive this thing has ever been tied or I have been leading. I have been chasing for a solid year and a half, but I am coming back.

Regardless of that, I can see both sides of this argument. There are pros and cons. However, I do think the pros outweigh the cons in this case.

First of all, you are adding two premier programs to the conference. That is never a bad thing. UCLA is obviously one of the top programs in the history of the sport (shoutout to John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Walton) and USC has been incredibly solid under Andy Enfield and one of the better programs in the Pac-12.

They are also recognizable, not just successful. The more eyeballs and national TV games, the better and that is exactly what USC and especially UCLA games bring.

Plus, Bill Walton! Love him or hate him, Walton is one of the most entertaining broadcasters in the business and he is a package deal with UCLA so he will be calling some of their ESPN games, especially the late, after-dark ones.

Also, they make the conference better. Some people don’t care about the stigma or narrative surrounding the conference, but I do. And right now, that narrative is that the conference is overrated and cannot win in March. I disagree with this and adding teams like USC and UCLA that have had recent success in that realm will help. Plus, more challenges to ready Ohio State and the rest of the Big Ten for conference play.

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Three Positions To Watch from the transfer portal
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

The Buckeyes may want to replenish these position groups for 2023

Ohio State has had quite a turnaround in the last two weeks. After losing The Game on Nov. 26 and being eliminated from the B1G Championship Game, the Buckeyes are now seeded fourth in The College Football Playoff, preparing to battle Georgia in The Peach Bowl on Dec. 31.

While game preparations and the early signing period that begins on Dec. 21 are paramount, Ohio State’s coaches should also be keeping their eyes and ears open on another area of college football — the transfer portal. Like, love, or loathe it, the transfer portal is impacting every college football program, Ohio State included.

Earlier this week, Jalen Johnson and Teradja Mitchell announced their intentions to leave Ohio State and entered their names in the transfer portal. Both players are leaving Ohio State with positive things to say about their respective experiences, and I wish them well, wherever they wind up.

Below are Three Positions To Watch from the transfer portal, as Ohio State may need to utilize this much more than in previous seasons, when the Buckeyes would get one or two players from the transfer portal...

1. Defensive Backs

This can be for either cornerback or safety, but Ohio State is lacking depth in their defensive backfield. Compounding the issue is Ohio State will be losing several players, such as Cameron Brown, Josh Proctor, and Tanner McCalister due to exhausted eligibility, while Ronnie Hickman has announced his intentions to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Lathan Ransom could also declare, but that has not yet been determined.

While Ohio State has been recruiting talented high school players who will sign in December and possibly February 2023, it would probably be helpful to have at least one cornerback and one safety added from the transfer portal to come in and contribute. Other players, such as Ryan Turner, Jordan Hancock, and Sonny Styles may be in line to play considerably more in 2023.

2. Offensive Line

Speculation is rampant that starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. will declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Starting right tackle Dawand Jones is also expected to leave. Throw in the possibilities that starting center Luke Wypler and starting right guard Matthew Jones could also leave, and you will see why I am listing this as a problem area that needs to be addressed with depth available via the transfer portal.

3. Defensive End

Zach Harrison, Tyler Friday, and Javonte Jean-Baptiste are all going to be leaving after the 2022 season. While J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer will return, Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson prefers to rotate players continually along the line. Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson, and Omari Abor could use some additional depth at the position, as they will likely be needed more in the 2023 season.

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Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State women beat New Hampshire Wildcats with historic second half
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

Historically good defense and Cotie McMahon propelled the Buckeyes Thursday

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team truly played a game of two halves on Thursday against the New Hampshire Wildcats. Ohio State struggled in the first quarter, extended their lead a bit in the second but gave New Hampshire momentum entering halftime. What fans saw in the second half of the 92-36 rout was a sight to see.

It was a half for the history books and the first game note.

Seven Points


Thursday, Ohio State entered the halftime locker room up 10 points. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Buckeyes amassed a 56-point lead allowing only seven points on defense to the Wildcats.

“It started with the press,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “In the first half, we weren’t putting much energy into it. It’s kind of an all-or-nothing thing. We’re either doing it or we’re not.”

Look at the stat sheet and it becomes evident. In the first half, the Wildcats shot 37.5% from the field, and 50% in the second quarter, showing a lull in the Buckeyes’ energy. Ohio State forced nine turnovers in the second half.

Shifting to the third and fourth quarters, the Scarlet & Gray allowed two made shots all half. Two. Both came in the third quarter, with the Wildcats shooting and missing 12 attempts in the fourth quarter. Outside of three shots made at the free throw line in the last 10 minutes of the game, the Wildcats didn’t make a shot in-play for 15:56.

Ohio State forced nine turnovers in the first half and doubled it in the second half, ending the day just below their NCAA-leading average with 27 forced.

Making History


The Buckeyes’ seven points allowed in the second half was the fewest allowed in a half this season. Previously, a 20-point second half against the McNeese State Cowgirls topped the list. With the seven-point defensive performance, Ohio State tied their program record when they held Nicholls State to seven points on Nov. 25, 2005, in an eerily similar scoreline of 94-35.

Center and All-American Jessica Davenport led the Buckeyes that day with 18 points. The 2005/06 season is also the first year Ohio State won both the Big Ten regular season and tournament in the same season.

That season also saw the Scarlet & Gray hit a program-high No. 2 ranking to end the season. It’s a record that Ohio State could match if they continue their winning ways and teams ahead of them slip up.

Looking Past a Ranking


Ohio State’s second half also broke a funk that stretches back to the early minutes of the Buckeyes’ first Big Ten game of the season, at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights lost by 12 points but outscored Ohio State in the final three quarters of the game.

Coach McGuff diagnosed the issue after the win over the Wildcats, and how the Buckeyes fixed it.

“We didn’t play hard, we weren’t focused, we didn’t play with intensity,” said McGuff. “I told them at halftime, ‘we look like a team for the last 10 days everyone’s been telling us how good we are, and not like the team that started the year as one of the hardest playing teams in the country.’”

After the game, forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry echoed that sentiment. It was a moment that changed the game and reminded the team that they can talk the talk about not letting the ranking affect their game, but they also have to play what they’re saying.

Cotie McMahon’s Big Second Half


Personifying this intensity and energy coming out of the locker room was McMahon. In the first three minutes and six seconds of the third quarter, McMahon had four steals that resulted in 10 points. The freshman forward scored 10 points, on her way to a 20-point game, tying her early NCAA career high.


“That’s our game, that’s my game,” said McMahon. “We should have started like that from the jump.”

McMahon added four assists and four rebounds, plus only one turnover committed. It’s a sign of McMahon’s early growth as a freshman who entered Ohio State with big expectations next to her top-25 recruit in the country title.

Scoring Through the Roster


All but one healthy Buckeye saw time on the court Thursday, and 10 of 11 got their name in the scoring column. What sticks out is forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The forward scored a season-low seven points, but Ohio State didn’t need a big scoring day from the big. Mikulášiková was valuable on defense, getting hands in the faces of shooters, often from beyond the arc. The forward also grabbed six rebounds, tied for the team-high.

Fellow forward Taylor Thierry was one point shy of her 15-point career high, but those 14 points got Thierry back into double-digit scoring after two games in a row with seven. The sophomore’s playing consistently this season, grabbing six rebounds on Thursday and blocking a shot for the fourth consecutive game.

Guard Taylor Mikesell was a close second for top scorer with 19 points. The guard scored 11 of those points in the first half, keeping Ohio State in the lead against a surging Wildcats side.

Mikesell led from deep, hitting four shots, one of six players who made a three-pointer on the day. Transfer sophomore Emma Shumate hit two herself.

Columbus City Schools Impact


Lining the streets surrounding the Schottenstein Center were a swarm of yellow school buses and a line of kids wrapped around the building. Those attendees created the loudest home advantage of the season as close to 4,000 students from Columbus City Schools made their way into their seats.

The 2nd and 7 Foundation awarded kids who held strong attendance at school to a Thursday basketball game, and their presence was more than felt.


Every Buckeye shot made or rebound on the defensive boards elicited screams of joy and vigorous shaking of red pom-poms. When the in-arena team put the kids on the scoreboard, their smiles showed a crowd who enjoyed the game.

They weren’t alone.

“It increased our motivation to play hard,” said Thierry. “Yeah, it was loud but honestly it hyped us up and motivated us and benefitted us.”

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Buck Off Podcast: First thoughts on Georgia, Ohio State OC vacancy, and the JSN situation
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

The guys are back to get into Ohio State’s playoff opponent and the big news of the week.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to discuss Ohio State’s biggest stories from the week and get into the the Buckeyes’ playoff opponent in the Georgia Bulldogs.

We start the show with a long discussion about our initial thoughts surrounding Ohio State’s Peach Bowl matchup. In this conversation, we get into some key stats for the Buckeyes and how they compare to Georgia. Then we look at how the cultures of the programs will have just as much an impact as the game plans starting with the margins.

Then we get into a talk about Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson moving on from the program. We assess the opportunity this provides for coaches in-house, but our real conversation dives into some outside options. This discussion leads to a talk about why sometimes the outside isn’t always bad.

Next, we look at the Jaxon Smith-Njigba situations. This topic gets into the common theme of fans disregarding players being people. Then we talk about how opportunistic “journalists” take irresponsible approaches to stories like this for the audience to swallow.

Then, to close out the show, we get into our final thoughts and send you on the road!


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Buckeyes make the cut for five-star defensive lineman, check in on 2025 offensive tackle
Caleb Houser 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 is still trying to land a five-star pass rusher in the 2023 class.

The most pressing need remaining in the 2023 class has been an elite edge rusher. For what seems like an eternity now, Ohio State has been in the mix for three of the nation’s best, and most recruiting followers can name them by heart. Going through this process, the Buckeyes have seen their momentum come and go, but at least have remained in serious contention for their top targets.

On Thursday, the Buckeyes found their name once again in a solid spot, as five-star talent Matayo Uiagalelei named his final three schools. Oregon and USC being the other two, in addition to Ohio State, isn’t a surprise by any means, but cements what most believed to be Uiagalelei’s top three schools for some time now.

Destined to go the distance in his recruitment timeline wise, Matayo has really seen all he can from the Ohio State side of things. After being on campus multiple times and getting the stamp of approval from his family, the Buckeyes don’t need to show much more, but down the stretch are still going to go full head of steam after him until pen hits paper.

The No. 28 player nationally, Uiagalelei would be a massive addition to Ohio State’s 2023 class, and would be the boost that honestly feels needed at this point, but there’s plenty of work still to be done to make that a reality.

Coach Frye makes a stop in Georgia


It’s crootin’ season for Ohio State and the rest of the college football landscape right now. Even with the College Football Playoff looming in the near future, the staff knows just how important it is to say active on the trail. Now more than ever, the Buckeyes are in some battles for their remaining top targets, and there’s no time to waste when it comes to checking in on both current class of 2023 guys and even players that are in the next couple of cycles.

That said, yesterday offensive line coach Justin Frye was on the road and made a stop in Evans, Georgia. Taking time to visit with the head coach at Evans, Frye was likely there to talk about 2025 offensive tackle target, Mason Short. A 6-foot-7, 280 pound sophomore, Short is already one of the top players in the country regardless of position and it makes sense when you consider his size.

The No. 28 player nationally, Short is already considered to be the third best tackle in the class and the fourth best player from Georgia in 2025 all per the 247Sports Composite. Already nearing 20 offers to his name from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, and a host of others, it’s pretty easy to see why the Buckeyes jumped in this recruitment as early as they did.

Making an appearance in person shows how highly Ohio State thinks of Short, and this early on in his recruiting process, the Buckeyes are hoping to make more than just an impression. Frye will certainly keep in contact as he was brought here not only to develop the offensive line itself, but also the raise the level of recruiting. Landing a top national tackle hasn’t been easy for Ohio State, but in the 2025 class it looks as if Short will be one of those candidates to hopefully change the narrative.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State has benefitted mightily over the years from their top in-state products, and keeping with the offensive line trend, the Buckeyes are hoping that remains the case. With three in-state offensive line commits in the 2023 class, Frye has a stable of talent coming in that will know what it means not only to be a big time player, but also what it means to be a Buckeye.

Among the many accolades these young men already possess, on Thursday both Luke Montgomery and Joshua Padilla were named first-team All-State for division one in Ohio. A major honor for both, this further shows the caliber of players Ohio State is getting especially with how competitive Ohio high school football is in the biggest division.

• In addition to Uiagalelei dropping a top schools list, the Buckeyes also received good word from 2023 running back Jamarion Wilcox. The No. 39 ranked running back in the class, Wilcox is down to Kentucky, Clemson, Auburn, and Ohio State. A recent offer by the Buckeyes, Wilcox has quickly become one of the more frequently mentioned names and very well could be the running back in this 2023 class. For now, Ohio State is still certainly in the mix.

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Tanner Holden’s buzzer-beater wins it for Ohio State, 67-66 over Rutgers
Connor Lemons 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

TANNER HOLDEN! ONIONS!

Winners of three of their last four and coming off a dominant second half against St. Francis last weekend, the No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2) welcomed the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-2, 2-0) to Columbus Thursday night to kick off Big Ten play. Steve Pikiell’s squad knocked off No. 14 Indiana 63-48 over the weekend, starting Big Ten play 1-0. Ohio State entered this game trying to start 1-0 in conference play for the second-straight season.

This matchup featured Rutgers’ top-10 defense (No. 6 according to KenPom) versus Ohio State’s top-five offense. The Scarlet Knights have also proven to be an elite team playing at home in recent years, but have a combined record of 12-31 (.279) playing away from the RAC over the last four seasons.

The Scarlet Knights, who defeated Ohio State last season in their lone matchup of the year, went with a starting five of Cam Spencer, Caleb McConnell, Mawot Mag, Aundre Hyatt, and Cliff Omoruyi. Chris Holtmann countered with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Justice Sueing, Zed Key, and Brice Sensabaugh — who started in place of Isaac Likekele, who was away from the team due to a personal matter back home in Texas.

Rutgers did, in fact, continue that trend of struggling away from home, falling to the Buckeyes 67-66 Thursday night at the Schottenstein Center. It was a brutally physical game that stayed within one possession each way for almost the entirety of the second half, keeping the fans on the edge of their seat for the entire second half. But despite holding a lead with 50 seconds remaining, the Buckeyes were able to score in the closing seconds and escape with their first conference win of the season.

Despite coming into the game as the worst three-point shooting team in the Big Ten at just over 31%, the Scarlet Knights began the game by knocking down three of their first four triples. Steve Pikiell’s team took an early 11-8 lead thanks to long-distance makes by Spencer, Hyatt, and Mag. Rutgers was especially going after Sensabaugh, who’s shown real chops on the offensive end but to this point of the season has struggled on defense.

However, the Buckeyes blindsided Rutgers out of that first media timeout, scoring seven-straight points in 63 seconds to turn an 11-8 deficit into a 15-8 lead. Pikiell called timeout to try and halt their momentum, despite it being only 68 seconds after the forced media timeout. By the 12:00 mark of the first half, Ohio State had a 19-14 lead over the Scarlet Knights.


The Buckeyes opened their lead up to as many as 11 points during the first half, but Rutgers ended the first half on a 9-0 run to close that gap down to just two points by the halftime buzzer. The Buckeyes did not score over the final four minutes of the first half, but still led 31-29 heading to the locker room. Zed Key led all scorers with 15 first-half points, as well as eight rebounds and a block. Spencer led Rutgers with nine first-half points.


The lead changed hands four times over the first eight minutes of the second half, with Omoruyi providing Rutgers’ first nine points of the second stanza. Four Ohio State freshmen played at the same time for a stretch, and by the under-12 media timeout the Buckeyes led by a single points, 47-46. Rutgers’ full-court press and aggressive style of defense were making Ohio State’s guards uncomfortable, especially Thornton who was bothered by McConnell throughout.

The two teams more or less went bucket-for-bucket over the next six minutes, with the Scarlet Knights holding on to a 55-53 lead with 6:11 remaining in the game. Key and Omoruyi seemed to switch places after the halftime break, with Ohio State’s junior big man being held in check for quite some time while Omoruyi slammed home dunk after dunk after dunk for Rutgers.

The two teams stayed within two points of each other each way for the majority of the second half, trading one-possession leads over and over and over.

By the time all was said and done, Ohio State had won 67-66, thanks to a miracle three-pointer from Tanner Holden. If you didn’t catch Ohio State’s Big Ten opener tonight on ESPN2, here are some of the big plays and moments that swung the game:

Key on both ends


At 6-foot-11 and nearly 250 pounds, Omoruyi has been developing for two years at Rutgers but is playing the best basketball of his career this season, his junior year. The ball was forced down to him on Rutgers’ first possession of the game this evening, but despite being three inches shorter than his counterpart, Key was able to get up and send Omoruyi’s shot packing for his first block of the game.

Moments later, with the game tied 2-2 early, Omoruyi gave Key a bit too much space at the top of the key. Key knocked down his fourth three-pointer of the season to give the Buckeyes a 5-2 lead 1:47 into the game.

Rutgers making it rain?


Rutgers entered tonight’s contest as the worst three-point shooting team in the Big Ten, knocking it down from distance at a clip of just 31.3%. The Scarlet Knights only have two players who shoot better than 37% from distance — McConnell and Spencer. So naturally, Rutgers knocked down three of their first four three-point attempts — one apiece from Spencer, Mag, and Hyatt — to take an early 11-8 lead.

Buckeyes bum-rush Rutgers out of the timeout


After surrendering the lead to the Scarlet Knights for a brief moment, the Buckeyes scored on three consecutive possessions after the first media timeout. From 15:07 to 14:06, the Buckeyes got a three-pointer from McNeil, a layup from Key, and an authoritative dunk from Key to take a 15-11 lead, and Steve Pikiell called timeout as the crowd roared.

Story of two first-half bigs


After holding his own against the biggest team in the country last week at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Key had 15 first-half points tonight against Rutgers — mainly battling with Omoruyi below the basket. While Key had maybe his best half of basketball in his career with those 15 points and 8 boards, Omoruyi struggled mightily. The junior big man from Nigeria had just two points on 1-3 shooting over 12 first-half minutes.

Rutgers ends the first half strong


Right when it looked like the Buckeyes had this game completely under control, Rutgers re-asserted themselves on the defensive end, holding Ohio State scoreless over the final four minutes of the half. They forced the Buckeyes into four turnovers during the final four minutes of the first half, used that to fuel a 9-0 run to end the opening stanza.

Had Ohio State just kept things even over the final few minutes, they could’ve gone into the locker room up double digits. Instead, Rutgers knocked the Buckeyes square on their rear with a sucker punch between the eyes, and OSU led by just two points at halftime.

Omoruyi puts the Knights on his back to start the half


After a very poor first half where he scored just two points, Omoruyi put his team on his back when they needed it the most, scoring nine points over the first 5:02 of the second half to keep up with the Buckeyes. Omoruyi was the only Rutgers player to score during the first five minutes of the second half, and his nine points matched Ohio State’s nine points during the opening minutes to keep it a two-point game.

Thornton beats the buzzer to escape the jam


With Ohio State trailing 44-42 and just over 13 minutes remaining, Ohio State had four freshmen (Thornton, Sensabaugh, Roddy Gayle, and Felix Okpara) on the floor along with Tanner Holden. The Rutgers defense had tightened quite a bit, and Thornton had the ball near the “Value City Arena” logo on the right wing, about 12 feet beyond the free throw line.

With absolutely nothing going and the shot clock at two, Thornton hoisted a deep three from that spot over the head of Mulcahy, and he drilled it to give the Buckeyes the lead back. Holtmann kept the mostly-freshmen lineup on the floor for a few more minutes before pulling Thornton in favor of Sueing, but the young guys held their own and didn’t let the game snowball out of hand.

Sueing’s triple reclaims the lead with five minutes left


Sueing’s had an up and down season thus far, struggling in several games but also mixing in a 33-point effort at Maui that showed just how talented the sixth-year forward is. He’s shot the ball miserably from long-range this season, especially considering he shot 36.1% from downtown just two seasons ago.

This season Sueing entered the game shooting a paltry 16% from three-point range, but he knocked a clutch three-pointer from the corner with 5:15 left in the game to give Ohio State a 56-55 lead. It was just his fifth tripe of the season.

Omoruyi’s thunderous and-one slam


Immediately after Sueing gave the Buckeyes a one-point lead, Spencer found Omoruyi on the back end of a pick play for a wide open, left-handed dunk that darn near bent the rim. He was also fouled by Sueing, but Omouyi missed the free throw and Rutgers’ lead was only a single point with 4:45 left, 57-56.

Sensabaugh bangs a three for the lead, but Key’s moving screens wipes it away


Sensabaugh knocked down a clutch three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 62-59 lead with 2:41 remaining, but Key was called for a moving screen below the basket at the same time and the basket was waived off and the ball given back to Rutgers. Mulcahy immediately took the ball the other way and scored on the ensuing possession, giving the Scarlet Knights a 61-59 lead.

Omoruyi’s clutch block


Ohio State went for the win in the closing seconds, with Sensabaugh taking a step-back one legged floater from about six feet away from the basket — not a bad shot, considering the circumstances. However, his shot was sent flying by Omoruyi, and and Mulcahy collected the rebound. Sensabaugh had to foul, sending Mulcahy to the line.

Tanner Holden! Onions!


After McConnell missed a free throw with five seconds remaining that could have made it a three point game, Thornton was able to find Holden for a buzzer-beating three pointer to win the game for the Buckeyes, 67-66.


Up Next:

No. 25 Ohio State (7-2) gets eight days off before heading to NYC to face a struggling North Carolina Tar Heels team on Saturday, December 17. UNC, the preseason No. 1 team in the nation and last season’s national runner-up, has lost four consecutive games and is now unranked at 5-4. The game between Ohio State and Carolina is part of the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. That game will be broadcast on CBS and is set to tip off at 3:00 p.m. E.T.

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You’re Nuts: Which non-invitee most deserved to be a Heisman finalist?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

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: Which non-invitee most deserved to be a Heisman finalist?

Jami’s Take: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee


While it seems like a pretty done deal that Caleb Williams will win the Heisman Saturday night (which I predicted back in October to laughter and doubt, thank you very much. I will accept apologies in the form of cash, check, or Venmo from my haters), there were a few noticeable names missing from the list of Heisman finalists.

No omission was more egregious than that of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.

The veteran captain of the Volunteers shattered program records throughout the season, guided his team to a New Year Six bowl game (they’ll be facing Clemson in the Orange Bowl), and at one point, was at the helm of a ship that held the No. 1 ranking in college football.

He did all this while putting up spectacular numbers despite playing in fewer games, thanks to a season-ending injury in the Vols’ loss to South Carolina. In fact, until Tennessee fell to Georgia in November, Hooker was the Heisman favorite.

And yet, it won’t be Hendon Heisman this year (not to mention that while leaving him off the list, the committee decided to go the inexplicable route of including Stetson Bennett among the finalists).

Somewhere in recent years, the Heisman took a turn toward really only recognizing quarterbacks, which I take issue with. I would love to see more position players recognized as they were in days gone by, so I acknowledge that simply replacing one quarterback with another goes against my principles. To that end, I respect Matt’s choice to go with a running back.

But what Hooker accomplished this season was worthy of Heisman recognition, whether or not I am contributing to a larger problem.

Hooker’s passer rating was second in the nation (he led the SEC), and he ranked in the top-10 nationally in completion percentage and total offense. He had the best numbers nationally in yards per attempt, bringing his season-end stats to 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions in 10.5 games. He put up an average of 9.53 yards per attempt, leading the FBS. Hooker’s final quarterback rating at the end of the season – 89.4 – put him ahead of all four of the Heisman finalists.

Under his lead, the Volunteer offense led the entire FBS in yards per game (538.1), yards per play (7.3), and scoring (with a whopping 47.3 points per game on average).

Thanks to these impressive numbers, Hooker was named the SEC Player of the Year. Yes, player of the year in what was indisputably the strongest conference this season. He is the first quarterback to receive that honor and then not be named a Heisman finalist while another SEC QB heads to New York instead.

Bennett, for his part, was not even named the second-team All-SEC quarterback (that would be last year’s Heisman winner Bryce Young of Alabama). In fact, Bennett is not even the best player on his own team! That would be Bulldog tight end Brock Bowers, in my opinion (see also: Nominate position players, you cowards).

Bennett is an above-average quarterback with an NFL-caliber team behind him making him look better. Hooker, on the other hand, made his team better, rather than the other way around. Putting up historic numbers in a season with a brutal schedule and missing a single game due to injury, while still leading the nation in several statistical categories? If that doesn’t justify a trip to New York, I truly don’t know what does. Simply throwing the ball for the No. 1 team in the country at the end of the year? That’s not the point of the Heisman!

Rarely do I feel so strongly about an omission by the Heisman that I feel it actually lessens the award’s legitimacy. This is one of those oversights.

Of the four finalists, my heart says C.J. Stroud, my head says Caleb Williams, my indifference says Max Duggan, and my body says ride at dawn to avenge Hendon Hooker’s honor if Stetson Bennett wins.

Matt’s Take: Blake Corum, Michigan


I know some people aren’t going to like this, but to me, it’s kind of ridiculous that Blake Corum got beat out for an invitation by Stetson Bennett. Now, I know that we are all still upset about Ohio State losing to its rival for the second straight year, but if you watched Corum at all this year before his injury, there was no doubt that he was an electric playmaker that should (and did) strike fear into the heart of every Buckeye.

The Wolverine running back averaged 121.92 yards per game, which was 10th nationally, by far the most of anybody on a team of note. So clearly he was a very deserving candidate, but more importantly, I am comfortable championing him because of the repeated ridiculousness of The Heisman Trophy Trust.

What has always annoyed me is how fickle and short-sighted the Heisman voters are. Corum was injured at the end of the first half in the penultimate game of the season. Until that happened, not only was he a contender to be a Heisman finalist, but he was also a legitimate contender to win the award. Now obviously, he only had one snap in the second half against Illinois and only had two carries against the Buckeyes, but that is no reason to erase the rest of his body of work. If he was in legitimate consideration to win the Heisman in the middle of his Week 12 game, he should still be a finalist at this point.

That is especially true considering that he is the most deserving candidate at any position other than quarterback. To have a group of Heisman finalists comprised completely of QBs — including one who comparitvely doesn’t deserve to be there and another who wasn’t getting legitimate Heisman buzz until conference championship weekend — is a major disservice to all of the non-signal callers in the sport.

Yes, I understand that quarterback is the most important player in the sport, but the Heisman is not the college football MVP award, it is supposed to be given to the most outstanding player who demonstrates diligence, perseverance, and hard work. On the merits of the latter criteria, I suppose I could understand an argument for the Georgia QB, but the MOP? No chance.

I will obviously be pulling for C.J. Stroud to win on Saturday (although, I imagine he’ll finish third at best), but we all know that he’s not even really the most outstanding player on Ohio State’s offense. Sure, you can argue diligence, perseverance, and hard work, because those are ultimately subjective traits, but Marvin Harrison Jr. is clearly the most outstanding player on OSU’s entire roster.

So, the Heisman’s insistence on focusing so heavily on quarterbacks has pushed many of the best players in the country so far away from the conversation, that they never even really factor in. Corum did, and were it not for an injury against Illinois, chances are that he would have been in New York this weekend; better yet, had he been a quarterback, chances are he would win.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Thierry, McMahon, McGuff on New Hampshire blowout, Brittney Griner release
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

Following a game that was practically two games in one, the Buckeyes talk about the performance, Brittney Griner’s release, and more.

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.


The Ohio State women’s basketball team played an early, 11:00 a.m. ET, basketball game on Thursday against the University of New Hampshire. In a crowd full of up to 4,000 elementary-aged kids celebrating good school attendance, the Buckeyes played a lethargic first half and then a record-tying second half in a 92-36 win over the Wildcats.

After the game, after the hours of screaming subsided and kids returned to school, head coach Kevin McGuff and forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon spoke about the win.

Thierry discussed the play of her teammate McMahon, adjustments the players had to make at halftime, and how the Buckeyes reacted to the release of Brittney Griner from Russian imprisonment.

McMahon went into detail about what it means to play in front of kids, and how it can motivate them to play the game themselves. Also, her thoughts on Thierry’s game and the big turnaround the team made to hold the Wildcats to seven second-half points.

Coach McGuff gave insight into what he said in the locker room to his team, the record-tying defensive effort in the second half, and his feelings about the Griner release.

All of that and more in the Buckeyes’ last game before returning to Big Ten play on Sunday, against the Michigan State Spartans, now on Uncut.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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Ohio State coach and players reflect on Brittney Griner release
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Hours after the basketball star was released from Russian imprisonment, Buckeyes share their thoughts

WNBA and Team USA star center Brittney Griner never played against the Ohio State Buckeyes in her four seasons at Baylor University. However, the impact of Griner’s game on the court, and arrest and subsequent imprisonment in Russia on Feb. 17, 2022, sent shockwaves throughout basketball, especially in the women’s game.

At 8:14 a.m. ET, on Dec. 8, after 294 days, Griner release back to the United States became public.


Less than three hours later, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team took the court against the University of New Hampshire. The Scarlet & Gray took care of business, defeating the Wildcats 92-36. It was a game that, in the grand commentary of the basketball world, won’t make a huge ripple in the narrative of the day, especially considering Griner’s release.

Forward Taylor Thierry, who continued a season of good performances on Thursday, is known within the team as a more subdued, timid, personality. After the game, Thierry gave a view into the emotions within the team upon hearing the announcement.

“Oh my gosh, we were all so happy,” exclaimed Thierry with a smile on her face. “I’m just happy for her. Her family gets to see her and hopefully her transition back ... goes well.”

Thierry chose Ohio State as a more under-the-radar signing than some, playing lower-division high school basketball in Cleveland, Ohio before joining the Buckeyes in 2021. Others on the team, like Guard Taylor Mikesell and forward Cotie McMahon, joined Ohio State and the Big Ten ranked in the top 100 in the country, on a path to playing professionally.

Players from all levels of amateur basketball have aspirations of reaching the level of Griner: a two-time Naismith Player of the Year, a two-time gold medalist, and a WNBA star with the Phoenix Mercury.

Ohio State is a program that attracts those who want to reach the WNBA. Lining the hallway that leads to the team’s practice court are plaques for all the former Buckeyes who have made it into the United States’ top women’s basketball league.

Names like Katie Smith, Jantel Lavender, and Kelsey Mitchell give recruits a look into the strength of the program and offers motivation to current players.

A player on the Buckeyes’ roster who is eyeing a place on that wall is forward Cotie McMahon. After a game in which McMahon led the Buckeyes with 20 points, five steals, and four rebounds, the freshman shared her feelings on the day’s news.

“I’m really happy that she’s free,” said McMahon. “I feel like it was long awaited but everything happens for a reason and she’s finally out.”

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Freshman and WNBA hopeful Cotie McMahon played her strongest game of the season against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats

It’s a sentiment felt by many, including head coach Kevin McGuff, who called the release “incredible” and wished everyone involved well.

While there wasn’t any formal acknowledgment of it in the game or on the court — which isn’t shocking considering that there’s no real connection between Griner and the Buckeyes’ basketball program — the excitement was felt throughout the team.

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This contest will be only for this season's bowl games. @Honor&Glory was the winner for this year's Upset Contest, which ended last week.

2007 Bowl Upset Winner - 26.5 points, @Piney
2008 Bowl Upset Winner - 20.0 points, @EgonSchiele
2009 Bowl Upset Winner - 32.0 points, @sears3820
2010 Bowl Upset Winner - 21.5 points, @Piney
2011 Bowl Upset Winner - 12.5 points, @gracelhink & @MD Buckeye, tied
2012 Bowl Upset Winner - 26.0 points, @808 Buck
2013 Bowl Upset Winner - 41.0 points, @AuTX Buckeye (record total)
2014 Bowl Upset Winner - 29.0 points, @Mothra
2015 Bowl Upset Winner - 19.0 points, @osugrad21
2016 Bowl Upset Winner - 37.0 points, @AuTX Buckeye
2017 Bowl Upset Winner - 32.0 points, @TampaBuckeyes
2018 Bowl Upset Winner - 39.5 points, @buckeyemania11 (6 for 6)
2019 Bowl Upset Winner - 21.5 points, @Jake
2020 Bowl Upset Winner - 27.5 points, @BB73
2021 Bowl Upset Winner - 29.5 points, @Jake
2022 Bowl Upset Winner - 20.5 points, @TampaBuckeyes in a tiebreaker

Pick 6 Underdogs that you think will win their games outright. If they cover the spread but lose the game, you get no points for that selection. The point spreads in this post are locked for purposes of this contest.

Picks are due before the kickoff of the Myrtle Beach Bowl game at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Monday, December 19th. There are games starting before that, but obviously you can't pick a game once it's kicked off.

Pick 6 underdogs to win outright. For each game that you pick correctly, you receive the number of points for the pointspread in that game. The person with the most total points will win this game, and $25,000 SportsBook "vCash".

In the event of a tie, I'll contact the winners and have them pick the total points in the National Championship Game.

FAVORITE........SPREAD......UNDERDOG.......Must pick by

UAB...............11.5......Miami OH.......Dec 16 11:30 ET
Troy...............2.5......UTSA...........Dec 16 03:00 ET
Cincy..............1.5......Louisville.....Dec 17 11:00 ET
Wash St............4.5......Fresno St......Dec 17 03:30 ET
Oregon St..........7.5......Florida........Dec 17 03:30 ET
Southern Miss......5.5......Rice...........Dec 17 05:45 ET
SMU................2.5......BYU............Dec 17 07:30 ET
Boise St...........7.5......North Texas....Dec 17 09:15 ET
Marshall...........9.5......UConn..........Dec 19 02:30 ET (all picks deadline)
San Jose St........4.5......Eastern Mich
Toledo.............1.5......Liberty
South Alabama......2.5......Western Ky
Baylor.............6.5......Air Force
Houston............3.5......La Lafayette
Wake Forest........1.5......Mizzou
San Diego St.......1.5......Middle Tenn
New Mexico St......1.5......Bowling Green
Ga Southern........4.5......Buffalo
Memphis...........10.5......Utah St
East Carolina......7.5......Coastal Carolina
Wiscy..............2.5......Oklahoma St
UCF................3.5......Duke
Arkansas...........4.5......Kansas
Oregon.............9.5......North Carolina
Ole Miss...........3.5......Texas Tech
Minny..............6.5......Syracuse
Florida St.........7.5......Oklahoma
Texas..............3.5......Washington
Maryland...........2.5......NC State
UCLA...............3.5......Pitt
Notre Dame.........4.5......South Carolina
Ohio...............2.5......Wyoming
Clemson............4.5......Tennessee
KY Jelly Cats......3.5......Iowa
Alabama............4.5......Kansas State
TTUN...............9.5......TCU
Georgia............6.5......Ohio State
Miss St............1.5......Illinois
LSU................6.5......Purdue
Tulane.............1.5......USC Trojans
Penn St............1.5......Utah

Key Stats: What makes Ohio State’s playoff opponent Georgia so dominant
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

We are weeks away from the Peach Bowl matchup, but its not too early to scout Ohio State’s opponent.

The College Football Playoff is set, with the No. 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes taking on the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl. If you ask anyone outside of the Ohio State sphere what the Buckeyes chances are, they’ll probably tell you that they don’t have one.

Georgia is a juggernaut, and over the past few years they are one of the few teams that have out-recruited the Buckeyes. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has built a defense that reloads and routinely has stretches of dominance that teams across the country just can’t match. Ohio State’s offense will need to be at its best from a competitive and play-calling standpoint to have success. They can not let Georgia’s defense go on an explosive run that has buried teams these past two seasons.

This shows up statistically, and despite some let down performances in the middle of the season, Georgia has had another dominant campaign. Their offense has been surprisingly explosive and their defense’s reputation has been as advertised. Statistically for Georgia, the hype is well represented across the board.


Average margin of victory against ranked teams

Starting with scoring margin, the Bulldogs have won by an average of 25.8 points per game. This ranks right between Michigan and Ohio State, which makes sense given the three teams are in the College Football Playoff. All three teams have taken care of business on the field, especially against overmatched opponents.

Where Georgia separates in this category is their average scoring margin against ranked teams. Against currently ranked Top-25 teams, the Bulldogs have won by an average margin of 26.7 points. In Ohio State’s two ranked wins, they have won by 11 and 13 points. Georgia has shown up in big games, and both the LSU and Tennessee final scores don’t tell the full story. The Tennessee game had the second half played in a monsoon, and Georgia had the game well in hand from the jump against LSU.

Even with those circumstances, Georgia has been able to find a higher level in meaningful football game.

Red zone scoring percentage

In the modern game of football, defenses have leaned on red zone success as a benchmark for team success. If you can hold teams to field goals and limit the amount of touchdowns scored when the opponent gets to the small part of the field, that is seen as a success. The goal is to limit points, and the best teams in the country excel at this. Conversely, the best offenses are able to convert these opportunities into touchdowns.

Georgia ranks No. 1 in both categories.

On defense, the Bulldogs only give up points on 60.7 percent of red zone trips. That is 4 percent better than the next ranked team, and 19 percent better than the next highest playoff team. They have only allowed 27 trips to the red zone, but that adds to the level of dominance here. Not letting teams get to the red zone is the first step, being dominant when they get there is the separator.

For Georgia, their offensive success is reliant on a solid kicker, a power run game, and elite tight end play with a quarterback who doesn’t make mistakes. They are only 3 percent better than Ohio State here, and this is a place where they differ from the Buckeyes. They have taken 71 trips to Ohio State’s 58. Of those 71 trips for Georgia, they have converted 67 percent into touchdowns, which shows you can limit the points they score.

If the Buckeyes can hold Georgia to field goals, that is a sign of success. Matching that with success by scoring touchdowns on offense is one of the keys to Ohio State winning the football game.

Line stats

Some other key stats have to do with the offensive and defensive lines of Georgia. They rank with the best groups in the country, which once again should not come as a surprise. The Bulldogs offensive line has only given up seven sacks this year. That is only one better than Ohio State to give context, with Georgia playing one more game. Where both sides are similar in pass-pro, the Buckeyes rank higher in sack percentage and sacks per game defensively.

This is key area for the Buckeyes, and if they can limit Georgia’s interior pass rushers, teams have been able to find success throwing the ball down the field. If they can put the Bulldogs behind the sticks on offense, that takes them out of their comfort zone. Georgia is only giving up sacks on 1.1 percent of drop backs, meaning the Buckeyes will have their work cut out for them. Jim Knowles has shown a willingness to blitz, and if Ladd McConkey is unable to go, I’d expect a higher percentage of blitzes to force Stetson Bennett into some rushed throws.

According to Football Outsiders, Georgia’s offensive line ranks 21st in stuff rate, meaning they are prone to getting stopped for no gain. They also rank 66th in power success rate, meaning in short yardage situations like 3rd-and-1 or situations they need to gain three yards or less – which is another place Ohio State needs to find situational success,

Both teams lines will have a crucial role in this game, and the Buckeyes have had some trouble in short yardage scenarios on both sides of the ball. Given the reputation of Georgia’s defense, they live up to it with defending the power run at a 50 percent clip, good for 7th in the country. Giving up 2.07 average line yards means Ohio State will have to grind for every bit of offense, but if they can find success on early downs, Georgia ranks in the 100s for every pressure stats.


Stats don’t always tell the full story, but this is a natural place to start in comparing the two teams. Both teams have similar stats – as do the other two playoff teams – so the takeaways need to be taken with a grain of salt. Looking at the details gives us an indication that Ohio State and Georgia aren’t separated by as much as the national media would have you believe.

Georgia is a dominant football team. They have risen to the occasion and been dominant in the biggest games on their schedule. Ohio State has shown weaknesses, but the Bulldogs have for stretches as well. As many have predicted for a long time, this will be a game of one great unit versus another. Ohio State’s offense is still explosive and has the dynamic ability to change the game in a snap.

Statistically, these two teams are separated by razor thin margins, and the stats they excel in aren’t the same as each other. This game will be a matchup of differing philosophies, but both teams have found success in their own way. As we know, numbers only tell us how the teams got here. We will know how much they really mean come Dec. 31 in Atlanta.

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Ohio State women beat New Hampshire 92-36 in afternoon game
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University athletic department

The No. 3 Buckeyes deflate the Wildcats in the second half and win big

In a sea of red pom-poms, held by close to 4,000 Columbus City Schools students, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team celebrated the first day after the end of the semester with a game against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. In the first of two Buckeye games in Columbus on Thursday, Ohio State took care of business, defeating New Hampshire 92-36.

Absent again for the Buckeyes was guard Jacy Sheldon. Still listed as day-to-day with a lower leg injury, Sheldon sat on the bench, wearing a boot on her right foot. That meant a fourth start for Madison Greene, and second in a row.

The Buckeyes began the game by hitting two early shots, but in a loud Schottenstein Center, the Scarlet & Gray looked a bit disjointed. That gave the University of New Hampshire Wildcats a chance at competing.

Starting with 5-for-14 shooting, Ohio State came out of a media timeout and went down a point. From there, the offense started to click. The Buckeyes responded with a 12-point run, going up 20-9 after hitting a three to start the second quarter.

While the offense continued its improvement in the second quarter, led by Guard Taylor Mikesell hitting nine of her 11 first-half points, the defense for Ohio State lagged behind.

To New Hampshire’s credit, they played well through the Buckeyes’ press. Ohio State only forced nine turnovers entering halftime, with the Wildcats quick passing breaking up the press that isn’t quite the same without Sheldon.

The Wildcats’ shooting also improved. After going just 25% from the floor in the first quarter, New Hampshire doubled it in the second. Leading the way was senior Brooke Kane. The guard scored eight points in the half, keeping the Buckeyes’ lead from growing.

Up 15 under three minutes remaining in the first 20 minutes of the game, the Wildcats showed resiliency. New Hampshire scored seven of the last nine points, including a three at the buzzer by Canton, Ohio guard Breezie Williams. UNH entered the locker room at halftime down 39-29.

All that Wildcats' momentum was crushed at the start of the third quarter. In the first 1:40 of the quarter, the Buckeyes went on a 10-2 run. Leading the charge was forward Cotie McMahon.

The freshman from Dayton had five points in that run, and it showed the press was beginning to click. After hitting a three, McMahon jumped in front of a pass in the backcourt to go on a mini fastbreak. It was her second of the early quarter.

McMahon added a third soon after. This time, sending a deep pass down the court to a charging Mikesell. The guard grabbed the pass under the basket and hit a reverse layup. Halfway through the third, McMahon already amassed eight points and four steals, on her way to tying her season high in scoring with 20 points.

Other Buckeyes joined McMahon in a quarter where Ohio State scored 30 points, extending their lead to 36 points. Mikesell went 2-for-3 from deep, scoring eight points. Forward Taylor Thierry had six points and a block. Even though forward Rebeka Mikulášiková had a quieter shooting day, she added three in the quarter and three rebounds.

It seemed like Ohio State could do no wrong, which followed them into the fourth.

The Buckeyes extended their 15-point run to end the third into a 26-point run before the Wildcats hit a shot. Almost 10 minutes of game time between New Hampshire points.

After a first half that looked like a potential letdown game for Ohio State, their second half was unstoppable. The Buckeyes comfortably beat the Wildcats 92-36.

Buckeyes Find the Energy


For five quarters, stretching back to the second quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday, Ohio State lacked the energy. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes discussed not meeting their expectations in their first Big Ten win but it seemed to follow the Scarlet & Gray back home to Columbus.

Entering halftime on Thursday, the Buckeyes, the No. 3 team in the country, were up only 10 points to the 4-6 New Hampshire Wildcats. That changed in a big way in the third quarter.

Ohio State started hot and their temperature only increased. The Buckeyes scored 30 points, outscoring the Wildcats by 26. That was through separate 10-point and 15-point runs.

Defensively, they forced 12 Wildcat turnovers, after allowing just nine in the first half. Ohio State also didn’t allow easy shots. Anytime UNH had an offensive possession, there was a Buckeye hand in the face of a shooter. It was the lowest point total allowed in any quarter for the Scarlet and Gray so far this season and the 7 overall New Hampshire points are a new half-low this season.

The previous low was 22 against the Ohio University Bobcats.

Staying in the Game


Sitting in the arena on Thursday were nearly 4,000 elementary school students wearing “Stay in the Game” shirts, a program promoting school attendance. The kid’s attendance was felt all game.

The loudest basketball crowds in America couldn’t compete with the high piercing sound of excited Buckeye fans. Every shot made and Ohio State rebound turned into a wave of sound crashing throughout the Schottenstein Center.

Making the game more exciting for the Columbus City Schools students were the Buckeyes players playing Simon Says on the video board, free t-shirts tossed into the crowd, and of course, Brutus Buckeye, who reached deity status in front of the young crowd.

What’s Next


After Thursday’s game, there’s a short turnaround for the Buckeyes. Next on the docket for McGuff and the Scarlet and Gray is their first home conference game of the season, welcoming the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.

Last season, Ohio State won all three games against the Spartans, including a quarterfinals game in the Big Ten tournament.

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The 2022 Ohio State team has a lot of similarities to the 2014 title team
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott Donaldson/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

If Ohio State wants to win a second College Football Playoff title, they’ll have to channel some of the magic from the 2014 team.

As soon as it looked like Ohio State had a chance to make the College Football Playoff despite losing 45-23 to Michigan, I started thinking back to the first College Football Playoff at the end of the 2014 season. While the situations aren’t exactly the same, there are a lot of similarities between 2014 and 2022.

A loss to rebound from


In 2014, Ohio State was beaten at home by Virginia Tech 35-21 in the second game of the season. Even though the loss came in early September, at the the time people were already counting out the Buckeyes.


Really though, once Clay Travis said Ohio State was already eliminated from the playoff, we should have known the Buckeyes were a lock to make the first-ever CFP. If you ever want to put your money to good use, just bet against anything Travis says.

Granted, Ohio State had a couple months to state their case as to why they deserved to be in the CFP in 2014. This year the Buckeyes used their résumé heading into the Michigan game to earn a spot in the playoff. Ohio State started the season with a win over Notre Dame, and added victories over Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin to strengthen their case.

Key injuries


Ohio State suffered a huge loss in 2014 even before the first snap of the season when Braxton Miller was ruled out for the year with a shoulder injury. It looked like it was going to be a long season for the Buckeyes when J.T. Barrett under center when they lost to Virginia Tech in the second game of the year. Luckily for Ohio State, Barrett found his groove quickly after, leading the Buckeyes into the Michigan game with a 10-1 record.

Photo by Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Then Ohio State was thrown for another loop when Barrett suffered a leg injury against the Wolverines, leaving Cardale Jones to finish out the year. Prior to his first start in the Big Ten Championship Game, Jones was only known as the “we ain’t come to play school” guy. The third-string quarterback would go on to total six touchdowns in the final three games of the 2014 season.

This year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was thought to be a serious contender for the Biletnikoff Award after a 2021 season where he caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards. Smith-Njigba was injured early against Notre Dame, and we only saw him for a handful of plays the rest of the year. Even without Smith-Njigba, Ohio State’s passing attack was one of the most feared in the country with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming. The Buckeyes were able to survive without Smith-Njigba, but who knows where they could’ve been had the wide receiver not gotten hurt in the season opener.

SEC semifinal foe


In 2014, Ohio State was matched up with top-seed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This year the Buckeyes will face top-ranked Georgia in the Peach Bowl. Eight years ago, not many were giving Ohio State a chance against the Crimson Tide, as Alabama was favored by more than a touchdown. This year’s point spread against the Bulldogs isn’t quite that high, but it’s clear that the majority of people think Georgia will move on to the title game.

It’s understandable why Ohio State is an underdog against the Bulldogs. Georgia not only won last year’s title, they also were able to get through their schedule this year without a loss so far. While the Bulldogs lost a lot of talent from last year’s title team, Kirby Smart has stocked the cupboards in Athens with some of the best talent in the country. Not that Ohio State doesn’t have some great athletes, it just seems like Georgia has some of the most athletic monsters in the trenches that you’ll ever find.

Silencing the doubters


A week before Selection Sunday, any Buckeye fans were ready to blow the whole football program up. Some were packing Ryan Day’s bags, while others were certain we had seen C.J. Stroud take his last snaps in the scarlet and gray. Nobody was looking forward to another meaningless Rose Bowl, or matchup against Clemson in a New Year’s Six bowl.

Despite winning his first 24 games as Ohio State head coach, Urban Meyer did face plenty of criticism for how the 2013 season ended, as well as how the 2014 season began. Following the loss to Virginia Tech, Meyer had seen his team lose three out of four games, and there were many that thought more losses were on the way with Braxton Miller sidelined for the season.

Since taking over for Meyer as head coach following the 2018 season, Day has only lost three regular season games as Ohio State head coach. Unfortunately for Day, two of those losses have come in the last two seasons against Michigan. Many are wondering if Day is the next coming of John Cooper. While many schools would kill to have Day as their head coach, losing to Michigan is unacceptable. This year’s loss to the Wolverines would be forgotten if the Buckeyes are able to not only beat Georgia, but also beat Michigan if the two teams square off in the national title game.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

On a smaller scale, Stroud also has a lot to prove. Even though the Ohio State quarterback is a Heisman Trophy finalist for the second straight year, he wasn’t all that impressive in the final few games of the regular season. There are some that have questioned Stroud’s toughness and leadership following the loss to Michigan. The New Year’s Eve tilt against the Bulldogs will give Stroud a chance to make some of his doubters eat their words if he can lead the Buckeyes to victory against the toughest defense in the country.

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B1G home opener for the Bucks. Top 5 defense in nation vs Top 3 offense in nation to boot. Rutgers already beat Indiana by 15. Should be a good game. Bucks favored by 5.5 for those wondering. Holtmann 4-1 in Conference home openers

Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for December 8, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Danny Moloshok/Getty Images

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...

On the Gridiron


Michael Doss Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
Ohio State Athletics

Ohio State has 10 players named to 2022 AP All-Big Ten teams
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Marvin Harrison Jr., Paris Johnson Jr., and J.T. Tuimoloau Received All-American Honors from The Athletic for Their Efforts in 2022
Chase Brown, Eleven Warriors

After being injured for most of his freshman year, Omari Abor is now officially a Buckeye!


PFF snap counts, player grades from Buckeyes regular season (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s family speaks out against ‘false claims’ about injury
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba shows how college football’s opt-outrage is overblown in both directions
Jimmy Watkins, cleveland.com

ngl, this is Ryan Day and Ohio State’s fault for being so tight-lipped about injuries.


C.J. Stroud and Ohio State’s Passing Attack Can Give the Buckeyes a Chance to Beat Georgia
Josh Poloha, Eleven Warriors

Big names to watch in the transfer portal for Ohio State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


With Rutgers on tap, Ohio State preparing for another disruptive defense (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Four Ohio State freshmen give Buckeyes rare scoring output
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Freshmen, grad transfers paying early dividends for Buckeyes’ mens basketball team
David M. Wheeler, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State women’s basketball coach, players on No. 3 ranking
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Hear the latest OSU WBB’s press conference with McGuff, Harris, and Greene

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Ohio State Wrestling: Sammy Sasso wins, Buckeyes take disappointing 8th at Cliff Keen Invitational
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

Women’s Volleyball: Ohio State Makes Third-Consecutive NCAA Regionals Appearance
Ohio State Athletics


Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes Reflect on NCAA Tournament Run, Seniors’ Departure
Gaurav Law, The Lantern

Shelley Graf Reflects on Time as First Female Drum Major
Meghan Beery, The Lantern

And now for something completely different...


I know that there are dozens (or hundreds) of extra layers of geopolitical ramifications at play here, but for now, this is just really fantastic news.


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Bucketheads Podcast: The Big Ten might be good, Rutgers visits Columbus, more
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

We also get into Hunter Dickinson’s smack talk and the Ohio State women’s team climbing to No. 3 in the country.

‘Bucketheads’ is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


During this week’s episode, Connor and Justin take a broad look at the Big Ten and assess if it’s actually over-delivering based on the low expectations we had one month ago. Maryland and Purdue have surprised everyone, while teams like Indiana and Illinois have delivered as expected. Is the Big Ten the premier college basketball conference this season?

They also dive into a mess of other topics, including Hunter Dickinson talking that talk only to lose both times he ran his mouth, the Ohio State women’s team eyeing the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll, and Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson dominating in the Big 12 after two years away from basketball. They close with a brief preview of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights leading into Thursday night’s game.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

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Game Preview: No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. New Hampshire Wildcats
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Buckeyes face one of their last small conference opponents of the season, in a Thursday basketball double-header

The daily schedule gets shaken up for the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team this week. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Scarlet & Gray play an early game, part of two home Buckeye basketball games on Thursday. Up first is the No. 3 women’s team in the country versus their first of four final non-conference regular season games of the season. On the docket is another smaller conference opponent, the University of New Hampshire.

Preview


Thursday’s lunchtime tip welcomes the New Hampshire Wildcats. It’s another game, now their fifth this season, where the Buckeyes can hone their game before the Michigan State Spartans descend on Columbus, Ohio.

For Thursday’s opponents, they sit 4-6 in the America East conference, the same conference for the Buckeyes' last small non-conference game against the University of Albany on Friday, Dec. 16.

Chosen to sit in seventh of eight teams this season in America East’s preseason poll, the Buckeyes will be the biggest test for the Wildcats, so much of Ohio State’s focus will be internal.

Against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday, coach McGuff applauded a strong start but after the first quarter, the team went stagnant. After Rutgers adjusted, Ohio State had trouble getting back to their game plan, something Thursday will help.

The press didn’t have the same intensity and the team didn’t have the same energy, looking like the Scarlet & Gray weren’t as concerned with the Knights. Even if Ohio State won by 12 points at the final buzzer, it featured the Buckeyes hanging on in the final quarter with a surging Rutgers team who outscored Ohio State from the second quarter through the end of the game.

Expect a motivated Buckeyes team, giving guard Jacy Sheldon another game off to recover her lower leg injury and guard Madison Greene more opportunities to fill that pressing role left by Sheldon. Without Sheldon, the Buckeyes’ opponents average 11 fewer turnovers a game. If Sheldon’s injury continues for bigger opponents, the press will need consistency.

Another area to watch is communication on the floor. Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková and guard Taylor Mikesell played off each other well to score 31 and 30 points, respectively, but coach McGuff referenced overall team communication as a concern versus Rutgers. That meant players forced shots without playing on the same page as their teammates.

On the opponent’s side, the Wildcats' lone game outside of the New England area came in Florida, against Ohio State’s Dec. 20 opponent, the USF Bulls. The Bulls took care of the Wildcats 75-57. Even if it looks like a game with a lot of Buckeyes scoring, there’s still an Ohio connection to watch on the Wildcats.

Photo/Nick Aivazian / USA TODAY NETWORK
Guard Breezie Williams (5) dribbles up the court in a game against Holy Cross on Nov. 16, 2022

Freshman guard Breezie Williams joined New Hampshire this season out of Glenoak High School, outside of Canton, Ohio. Although there wasn’t overlap between Williams and Mikesell, who played close at Jackson High School, their schools are conference rivals. With New Hampshire, the freshman has started all 10 games and averages 10 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Don’t be surprised to see a lot of Wildcats blue in the Schottenstein Center on Thursday.

Projected Starters

Lineup Notes

• Considering the match-up, a Greene start for Sheldon seems likely, making it the guard’s fourth start of the season
• Mikulášiková’s 31 points against Rutgers put her team-leading points per game up to 19.8
• Ohio State features five players averaging double-digit scoring per game

Lineup Notes

• Guard Avery O’Connor is fifth in the conference in scoring per game (12.8) and third in three-pointers made (22)
• The Wildcats are the only America East team with a positive turnover margin (1.20)
• New Hampshire features no NCAA DI transfers on their roster

Prediction


This game should go the way games against North Alabama, Wright State, and McNeese State have gone for Ohio State. In other words, Buckeyes domination.

The Scarlet & Gray will limit starter minutes, and allow players on the bench to continue their progression in competitive play. Starting forward Cotie McMahon’s been benched the last two games, in favor of more experienced players. Thursday gives her the chance to get back on track, offensively. McMahon’s defense has been great throughout.

Watch guard Emma Shumate, who missed two games before the Buckeyes' trip to Louisville. The Newark, Ohio native played against Rutgers in meaningful minutes and should see more Thursday.

How to Watch


Date: Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022
Time: 11:00 a.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center - Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+

LGHL Prediction: 101-52 Ohio State Buckeyes

Buckeye Double-Header Benefits Women’s Team


Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center plays host to two Buckeyes games on Thursday. The second is on the men’s side when the No. 25 Scarlet & Gray men welcome the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to Columbus. The men sit 6-2, and Thursday’s game against Rutgers is their first Big Ten conference game of the season.

The early tip-off might hurt attendance for the women’s side, but there are still positives.

With a game against Sparty three days later, McGuff gets the extra time to prepare for Michigan State’s visit. If Thursday was a night game for the Buckeyes, that’d cut hours of prep away from a tough conference game.

Inside Thursday’s crowd is the second positive: the children. Thursday’s game is an incentive for students in Columbus City Schools. Through the 2nd and 7 Foundation, close to 4,000 students will be in attedance, a reward for students with good attendance to take in a basketball game.

“Our kids have been doing a great job with [being good role models],” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “I think it’ll be great to have the younger kids here for a game.”

If attending in-person, remember that 4,000 kids can be loud. Bring hearing protection if you need it.

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