A Pall Over the Horseshoe


Over the years, I have lost enough friends and acquaintances (figuratively and too often literally) to alcoholism, drug abuse, mental illness, and other less unnatural means that a bad result in a football game means fuck all to me - it's four hours of lousy television and then back to the regularly scheduled programming of everyday life, the stuff that allegedly really matters, the stuff from which sports is supposed to be our distraction (although we often invert the reality and the diversion therefrom, grieving over the entertainment whilst ignoring (or at least de-emphasizing) the trials and tribulations of real life). Losing a game, even The Game, can be painful, but that pain of loss is ephemeral and insignificant compared to the pain of loss that occurs every day in real life (on both the macro and micro levels). I'm already over it. I hope that you are as well - get back to the everyday pain that really matters, because I know that you have some to deal with.

1. As I've said before, I will say again: C.J. Stroud doesn't have the "it" factor, he isn't a dynamic football player. Stroud is robotic, and while robots might perform exceedingly well in Hollywood movies they have a difficult time succeeding on the gridiron in real life. If Stroud has a clean pocket, and if his receivers run precise routes, and if the timing is just right, and if there's no wind or rain or snow, and if the opposing defense isn't a bunch of big meanies getting in his face and disrupting plays, then Stroud is just fine, way better that fine actually, maybe even superb. But if some little thing goes just a little bit wrong, then we get what we got today in The Game, a performance that wasn't bad, exactly (31/48, 349 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs), but was far from a winning effort. Passes that were just a little bit behind receivers or just a little bit overthrown ... retreating in the pocket when stepping up or moving laterally would be far more likely to keep the play alive ... failing to take 5 or 10 or 15 yards on the ground when the defense is literally giving it to you ... panicked decisions that gave Browns fans PTSD flashbacks of Brandon Weeden. Stroud may be a perfectly fine NFL quarterback - he may even be the Next Big Thing in The League - but he is not really all that great at the college level, where a quarterback is supposed to lay everything that he has on the line to lead his team to victory. Craig Krenzel, with half the surrounding talent and a quarter of the natural ability, comes directly to mind....

2. Emeka Egbuka had 9 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown, while Marvin Harrison Jr. had 7 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown. Both were excellent in defeat, if there is such a thing as excellence in defeat.

3. The running game was working ... until it didn't. In the first half, the Buckeyes rushed 19 times for 128 yards (6.7 average, not counting a kneel down), but in the second half rushed only 8 times for 27 yards (3.4 average, not counting an 8-yard sack). The Buckeyes were gaining significant yardage running between the tackles but for reason the Smartest Guy on the Sidelines decided that what was working wasn't good enough to win The Game.

4. Outside of a hold (legitimate) and a couple of procedure penalties, the offensive line played just fine. Stroud had plenty of time to throw (not that all that time helped him very much) and there were running lanes for the backs (at least when the Buckeye Braintrust called for the run).

5. Counting punts and kick offs, there were 161 total plays in this year's version of The Game; in my humble opinion, exactly three of those plays doomed Ohio State's chances for a victory.


6. Leading up to The Game, Cade Stover said: "To be honest, I really don’t give a shit what anybody else says about our toughness. We know what we’ve got." Well, Mr. Toughness dropped a pass on fourth down to kill a drive, dropped a pass in the end zone to kill another drive, had a personal foul penalty, and generally failed to block anyone (a recurring theme for him). Anybody can talk tough, few can back up their bravado. Mr. Stover ain't that guy.

7. The defense gave up 45 points and 520 total yards, including long touchdowns of 45, 69, 75, 75, and 85 yards. It was perhaps the worst defensive performance in recent Buckeye history (they get somewhat of a pass for surrendering 52 points and 621 total yards to Alabama during the Covid season). Apparently, Jim Knowles hasn't changed much during his first year in Columbus, as Ohio State is still prone to giving up huge plays on defense (9 of the 25 touchdowns surrendered by the defense this season - that's 36% - were of 40+ yards), largely thanks to breakdowns in the secondary, linebackers not filling the proper gaps, and defensive linemen getting blown off the ball.

8. There were a couple of bright spots on the defense: Zach Harrison had 4 tackles, a TFL, 2 batted passes, and a QBH, while JT Tuimoloau had 4 tackles and 2 TFLs. Everybody else was decidedly below average.

9. Noah Ruggles was 3 for 3 on field goal attempts, with a long of 47 yards.

10. Continuing a bad year-long trend, Ohio State committed 9 penalties for 91 yards. Except for a questionable defensive pass interference call that had little to do with the final outcome, all of the penalties were justified.

11. Ohio State actually had more first downs than Michigan, 23 to 16 ... which makes sense because Michigan had so many long scoring plays.

12. The Buckeyes converted their first four third downs, and then went 1 for 12 the remainder of the game.

13. After the 2016 Clemson game, a 31-0 blowout loss in the Playoffs, I said:

LordJeffBuck said:

8. J.T. Barrett is an enigma. Is he part of the problem or part of the solution?

Click to expand...

At this point, the same can be said for head coach Ryan Day: Is he part of the problem or part of the solution? Although Day has an overall record of 45-5 (.900), he has a 1-2 record against Michigan, has a 2-2 record in bowl games, and hasn't had a signature win since beating Clemson in the 2020 playoffs (last year's Rose Bowl was fun but not really a satisfying consolation prize after losing to Michigan and missing out on the Playoffs). While Day is a great recruiter, program manager, and face of the franchise, he is stubborn, predictable, slow to adjust, and seems to lack both instinct and fire and p7erhaps even poise. Day may not be John Cooper (yet), but he might be Pat Fitzgerald with a bigger recruiting budget and lower admission standards - a guy who is too good to terminate but who will never lead his team to the promised land.

14. As you might imagine, I have written this drunk, not because Ohio State lost to Michigan, but because it's Saturday night and despite my advanced age I still often get drunk on Saturday nights: I like to do so, it's in my blood (I'm Welsh, which is like Irish on steroids), and my wife (the saint that she is) will stay sober and drive me home from the local watering hole while I play depressing songs (see above) way too loudly on the car stereo. It's a good system, it works for us, especially for me, life isn't fair but beatification comes with a cost just like everything else....

Tomorrow will be a new day. It will be a beautiful day for all the reasons that days are beautiful; it will be an awful day for all the reasons that days are awful; it will be one day closer to our human certainty. And if we're lucky, it will also be one day closer to Revenge.

Embarrassed to bring this up after getting violated today.

But are we in with a USC loss next week?
Do they play Oregon?

Or a loss by TCU to K-State?

The game is over and it was not the ending anyone other than michigan fans wanted. It was humbling and maybe what was needed. However, I am still optimistic about this team and coaching staff.

The rivalry is definitely back. As bad as it is to lose to ttun two years in a row, our run of dominance was due to come to an end. Things return to their mean. I would love to beat them by 50 every season, but having a true rival makes those wins that much sweeter.

I still believe in this coaching staff, although a few more changes will happen. We had quite a few new coaches added to the staff this season. I didn't expect any of them to turn their units into the number 1 units in the country. Change takes time and I expect continued improvement next season. So, I'm not expecting mass turnover like we had last season, but definitely some tweaking.

I would be perfectly happy with Day giving up calling plays. Being the head coach has always seemed like a CEO position to me - hire the best coaches and let them do their jobs while you coordinate the big picture. I'm sure he and Gene Smith will be having serious meetings soon.

The upcoming recruiting class seems underrated to me. We are grabbing most of the top players in Ohio and I don't expect a big let down as we approach the finish line. Plus the stud class we had last year has a full year under their belts and I expect are chomping at the bit. Lots of talented depth will be there.

We have resources most colleges cannot imagine. From the fan base to the facilities to the donors to the support of the administration.

We are definitely still in a golden era of OSU football. If you aren't sure, just go back and look at OSU records the last 50 years to see what the last 20 years have been like.

Before my final comment - thanks to all those young men who bring us this joy, and sometimes pain, every Saturday in the fall! I cannot imagine what they sacrifice for my enjoyment. Especially considering many of them are not even old enough for me to buy them a beer.

Finally, I lived in tsun during many of the Cooper years. If I can survive being an OSU alum living there during that period I certainly can handle a two game losing streak to ttun and am confident it will be a totally different outcome next November.

Go Bucks!!!

In this article, I will look at Ohio State and Michigan during three Eras of college football: the Pre-Poll Era (from 1869 to 1935); the Poll Era (from 1936 to 1997); and the Playoff Era (1998 to present).

During the Pre-Poll Era, all national championship recognized by the NCAA were awarded by historical committees after the fact.

The Poll Era began in 1936 with the advent of the Associated Press (AP) Poll, which is still in existence. From 1936 to 1949, the NCAA recognizes the AP national champion as the sole national champion; and from 1950 to 1997 as one of the national championship selectors. The NCAA also recognizes national championships awarded by the following selectors: United Press International (UPI) coaches poll from 1950 to 1997; the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) from 1954 to 1997; and the National Football Foundation (NFF) from 1959 to 1997. During the 48 years of multiple national championship selectors, there were 15 split national championships, and twice the national championship was split three ways (1964; 1970).

The Playoff Era began in 1998 with the BCS Championship, which was essentially a two-team playoff designed to settle all future national championship disputes. Despite the best efforts and intentions of the BCS and their computer models, there was still a split national championship in 2003, when the BCS awarded its championship to #2 Louisiana State (13-1 record, winner of the BCS Championship Game over #3 Oklahoma), while the AP and FWAA awarded their respective national championships to #1 Southern Cal (12-1 record, winner of Rose Bowl over #4 Michigan).

The Playoff expanded from two teams to four teams in 2014, and thus far this expansion has prevented any further split national championships.

A few additional notes: Unanimous national championships are in parentheses. Outright Big Ten titles are in parentheses. Consensus All Americans are those recognized by the NCAA. Vacated games and titles have been counted. The Heisman Trophy has been awarded from 1936 to present; the Maxwell Award from 1937 to present; the Outland Trophy from 1946 to present; and the Lombardi Award from 1970 to present.

The Pre-Poll Era

Michigan was clearly the dominant team in the Pre-Poll Era, with significant advantages in total wins (+75); winning percentage (+.118); Big Ten titles (+11); national championships (+7); and in The Game.

The Poll Era

In many ways, the two teams were basically even during the Poll Era: wins; winning percentage; postseason games; All Americans; Big Ten titles; and in The Game. However, Ohio State held a significant advantage in major award winners (19 to 3) and in national championships (6 to 2).

The Playoff Era

Ohio State has clearly dominated in almost all categories during the Playoff Era: wins (+54); winning percentage (+.150); postseason (19 wins to 8 wins); All Americans (28 to 17); Big Ten titles (12 to 5 overall; 8 to 2 outright); national championships (two to zero); and especially in The Game (18-5 record; .783 winning percentage).

For a definition of DSC, among other things, click HERE.

Teams Ranked by DSC, showing CFP ranking and the difference between DSC and CFP ranking.

Team	DSC Ratio	DSC Rank	CFP Rank	Difference	Conf.
Georgia	3.697	1	1	0	SEC
Michigan	3.115	2	3	1	B1G
Ohio St.	3.025	3	2	-1	B1G
Alabama	2.584	4	7	3	SEC
Penn St.	2.339	5	11	6	B1G
Tennessee	2.215	6	10	4	SEC
Texas	2.011	7	23	16	Big 12
Florida St.	1.960	8	16	8	ACC
Louisiana St.	1.863	9	5	-4	SEC
Kansas St.	1.861	10	12	2	Big 12
Illinois	1.810	11	NR	15+	B1G
Utah	1.793	12	14	2	Pac-12
Clemson	1.731	13	8	-5	ACC
Central Fla.	1.863	14	22	8	AAC
Notre Dame	1.863	15	15	0	Ind.
Louisville	1.863	16	25	9	ACC
Iowa	1.863	17	NR	9+	B1G
Minnesota	1.863	18	NR	8+	B1G
Tulane	1.863	19	19	0	AAC
Oregon St.	1.863	20	21	1	Pac-12
Southern Cal	1.863	21	6	-15	Pac-12
Boise St.	1.863	22	NR	4+	MWC
Texas Christian	1.863	23	4	-12	Big 12
Mississippi St.	1.428	24	NR	2+	SEC
Oregon	1.425	25	9	-16	Pac-12
UCLA	1.288	35	18	-17	Pac-12
Mississippi	1.277	38	20	-18	SEC
Cincinnati	1.222	39	24	-15	AAC
Washington	1.200	44	13	-31	Pac-12
North Carolina	1.168	48	17	-31	ACC

Teams in top 25 in DSC but not in CFP in RED.
Teams in top 25 in CFP but not in DSC in BLUE.

Here is a snapshot of The Rivalry as of Hate Week 2022 as seen through Differential Statistical Analysis (DSA - simpler than it sounds). For a primer on the terms used herein, click HERE. That's enough of an intro for Hate Week. Here it is, unvarnished:

Differential Statistical Analysis

SO: Scoring Offense
SD: Scoring Defense
DSO: Differential Scoring Offense
DSD: Differential Scoring Defense
RO: Rushing Offense
RD: Rushing Defense
DRO: Differential Rushing Offense
DRD: Differential Rushing Defense
YpCo: Yards per Carry - Offense
YpCd: Yards per Carry - Defense
DYpCo: Differential Yards per Carry - Offense
DYpCd: Differential Yards per Carry - Defense
PO: Passing Offense
PD: Passing Defense
DPO: Differential Passing Offense
DPD: Differential Passing Defense
PEo: Pass Efficiency - Offense
PEd: Pass Efficiency - Defense
DPEo: Differential Pass Efficiency - Offense
DPEd: Differential Pass Efficiency - Defense

Stat	Ohio State	Michigan
SO	46.455	39.364
SD	16.909	11.727
DSO	1.973	1.574
DSD	0.652	0.505
RO	203.55	243.82
RD	107.91	79.55
DRO	1.392	1.606
DRD	0.721	0.529
YpCo	5.528	5.507
YpCd	3.075	2.787
DYpCo	1.448	1.355
DYpCd	0.808	0.718
PO	289.18	208.82
PD	175.46	161.73
DPO	1.390	0.951
DPD	0.811	0.788
PEo	182.32	147.70
PEd	119.94	100.46
DPEo	1.494	1.184
DPEd	0.940	0.813

Numbers that lead the nation are shown in red. It should be noted that, while Ohio State's Differential Pass Efficiency - offense (1.494) is second in the nation to Tennessee (1.518 vs FBS opponents), CJ Stroud leads the nation's starting quarterbacks at 1.499 (Hendon Hooker is 2nd at 1.431).

Those familiar with DSA might remember that these numbers can be used to provide a crude prediction for the game. It is called a prediction, but no one actually believes that this (or any) analysis is capable of distilling this rivalry down to numbers. But where this rivalry is concerned, we leave no stone (or Buckeye) unturned. This year the predictions are tweaked by a new modifier we call rigidity, which measures how well a team holds up to better competition, something that is vitally important in a game this big.

DSA Prediction for the game:

Stat	Ohio State	Michigan
Points	27	28
Rushing	120	180
YPC	4.3	4.4
Passing	226	168
Pass Eff.	151.2	140.8

There you have it. Unvarnished, unadulterated. DSA predicts the unthinkable.

Vegas Disagrees - But Why?

As for the other games this week (if you're one who believes in the existence of such), DSA lines up with the Vegas predictions (line) for each game with amazing reliability. So why do DSA and Vegas see this one differently? There are several possibilities.

Injuries

It is possible that the Vegas line is based entirely on a belief in Las Vegas that Blake Corum is too injured to be a factor in The Game. That seems unlikely, as this line hasn't moved much since the pre-season (though there was a wider range of available lines shortly after the Corum injury than you usually see). Perhaps they know that some of Ohio State's players that have been out of commission will be redeployed. Also impossible for us mortals to know; only the scions of Vegas seem to have this information before game-time in the college football world.

Held in Reserve

There is the belief by some, most notably Austin Ward of Lettermen Row, as expressed in a radio appearance this week, that the Buckeyes have been holding back all year, and that the fully operational death star will not be unleashed until this week. This is one that all Buckeye fans would love to believe, but what reason have we to believe it?

On the plus side, there is the fact that previous Ohio State coaches have done it. Tressel famously went with a formation and personnel package that he hadn't used all year. On another occasion he lined Ted Ginn up as a tight end and ran him up the seam, something he hadn't shown all year. I could go on, but so could we all. John Cooper said that, "In order to break a tendency, you have to establish a tendency" or something to that effect. Other Ohio State coaches have done similar things throughout the years. But to what extent can this be counted on?

It seems likely that the Buckeyes might show something different on Saturday, not because it's been held back for use against the skunk bears (a Native American term for them, not mine), but because Day has been working on improving weaknesses against lesser opponents. This certainly seemed to be the case in some games, as he doggedly worked on the running game until finally taking what the defense was giving a time or two to create a comfortable margin.

Whether Day has been holding anything back for one reason or another, the question then becomes, is it wise to have done so? Speaking only for myself, it seems to me that the team's confidence seems to be dancing on rotten ice right now (for at least part of the team anyway). Can that just be reclaimed in a week of practice? Then there is the larger question: has Day really been holding anything back at all?

Perhaps the Offense...?

It used to be said that "Defense Wins Championship". In fact, "used to be" is something that applied just a few years ago, but college football has changed. Offenses have gotten to the point where the best of them can score at will against anyone. Is the Buckeye offense at that level? In a word, no. But they were approaching that level earlier this season.

At mid-season, a two-post analysis was done that showed that the Buckeye offense was far beyond any other offense in the country in the first 3 quarters, and that being the most dominant team in the country was hurting their traditional statistics as they coasted through every fourth quarter. Click HERE if you would like to see the details. The short version is that Ohio State was scoring 5.833 offensive touchdowns, on average, in the first 3 quarters of games, Tennessee was second at 5.0, and the rest of college football was even farther behind. The Buckeyes were crushing everyone and then coasting.

A repeat of that analysis shows that Ohio State is no longer the juggernaut they were at the time, but they are better than TTUN by a larger margin than even DSA would have you believe. This is best examined by showing Yards per Play (Y/P) and TouchDowns per Game (TD/G) for each team, by quarter. The following tables show each team's offensive output by quarter for all 11 games to this point in the season. Ranks for each stat are for all of FBS.

1ST QUARTER	Y/P	Rank	TD/G	Rank	Notes
Ohio State	8.503	1	1.818	1	That's Right; We Bad
Michigan	7.069	19	1.182	8	6 way tie for 8th place

2ND QUARTER	Y/P	Rank	TD/G	Rank	Notes
Ohio State	6.463	32	1.000	56	12 way tie for 56th
Michigan	6.157	48	0.909	69	8 way tie for 69th

3RD QUARTER	Y/P	Rank	TD/G	Rank	Notes
Ohio State	7.268	8	1.727	1	That's More Like It
Michigan	6.300	40	0.909	32	14 way tie for 32nd

4TH QUARTER	Y/P	Rank	TD/G	Rank	Notes
Ohio State	7.287	1	1.364	4	3 way tie for 4th...
Michigan	5.973	25	1.364	4	...with Clemson

Before we get to the important bits, let's get this out of the way... The second quarter issues that we thought might be a coincidence in the early season... Yeah... Whatever has been causing that all season; it doesn't last all season if it's a coincidence. Not to that level. Not #1 in the country in touchdowns per game in the first and 3rd quarters and #56 in the country in the 2nd. No... That's not a coincidence. The odds of it being a coincidence are far too small to be believable. Having said that, the conversation will be left there, not because one cannot think of an explanation, but because there are so many possibilities.

Having dispensed with the weirdness (after a fashion), let's get right to the point. Ohio State is better than TTUN in every single quarter, even the second quarter. The only place where they tie Ohio State is in Touchdowns in the 4th quarter. TTUN's BEST quarter for Touchdown production is the 4th, where it is tied with Ohio State's 2nd worst quarter of Touchdown production. The Buckeyes' worst quarter of TD production is better than two of TTUN's quarters (2nd and 3rd), and two of Ohio State's quarters are better than TTUN's best quarter, and the Buckeye's 3rd best quarter ties TTUN's best.

But the most important takeaway may be this, and it bears repeating. The Skunk Weasels score more offensive touchdowns in the 4th than in any other quarter, and that's when the Buckeyes are coasting.

I know what some of you are thinking. You're thinking that TTUN equals the Buckeyes in the 4th quarter because they have man-balled their opponent into submission by that time, right? If that's so, explain this:

In the first 3 quarters of games:

• Ohio State: 5.50 yards per carry - Pass Efficiency 177.09
  
• Michigan: 5.52 yards per carry - Pass Efficiency 147.10

BUT - (Yes, that's a big but)

In the fourth quarter of games:

• Ohio State: 5.59 yards per carry - Pass Efficiency 211.36
• Michigan: 5.46 yards per carry - Pass Efficiency 149.93

Why does Ohio State's rushing efficiency increase in the 4th quarter while the same can't be said for the Skunk Weasels? Perhaps the Buckeyes are tougher than you think.

Before turning to the defense: None of this pretends to be dispositive. The biggest question on all of our minds is, can the Buckeye offense return to that elite level that we saw earlier in the season; the kind of offense that needs only a mediocre defense to see it through to a National Championship?

If you dig a little deeper for context about that defense though, you might find that the offense might not have to be world beaters.

What About That Defense?

It turns out that Ohio State is even better on offense than most stats make them look because of all of the substitutions and clock-killing in the fourth quarter, while TTUN are bullies in the fourth quarter, at least on the scoreboard. Might the same be true on defense? Is there a way to dig in to the defensive numbers to see if one of these teams is building stats on the backs of weak opponents while the other is massively substituting and perhaps trading yardage for clock at certain points in the game?

If you've followed DSA this year, you know that we are now producing a number we call rigidity to determine how well teams hold up to better competition. The same concept can be used to produce a number that determines how well you're defense is doing with respect to how many points your offense is scoring. If you tend to give up more points in blow outs, that number would provide an indication of that. You could take the analysis further by comparing how well your defense does with respect to your opponent's differential scoring composite. By combining these numbers, we can separate teams that allow more points in blowouts from those who beat up on weaklings. The one fly in the ointment is that this analysis can allow teams who are getting blown out to have the same numbers as teams that are dominating. By combining our number with overall point differential, we now have a number that shows which defense has been hurt the most, statistically, by playing with large leads. The top 6 and one other team in this metric, called Defensive Coasting Factor (DCF), are as follows:

Team	DCF	Rank
Ohio State	1421.25	1
Clemson	868.32	2
Cincinnati	659.44	3
LSU	641.04	4
Utah	607.20	5
Alabama	530.24	6
Michigan	-56.08	71

While the numbers involved are large (well, some of them are), the adjustments they precipitate in our analysis are moderate. Nevertheless, this analysis shows the same thing that the deeper analysis of the offense showed. The Buckeyes' stats are hurt by taking it easy on vanquished opponents (to a greater extent than for anyone in the nation for the defense), while the Skunk Bears are bullies who have yet to come up against the kid who can stand up to them.

But the DSA numbers show that TTUN is a team to be respected, bully or no. What is clear is that they have not yet played a team that can put an end to the bullying. But is there something hiding in the numbers that we CAN learn from the teams they've played?

Another Explanation

And there it is, our favorite question, "Who have they played?"

In the case of That Team Up North, that question can be divided into parts. One, have they played a team the quality of the Buckeyes so far? Obviously not, but neither have the Buckeyes played a team as good as the skunk bears (not my term, I swear). The other part of the question is more about the type of teams faced than the quality of them. So of the teams that TTUN has faced, what quality gave them the biggest issues? It turns out that the numbers tell you the same thing that your eyes do. balanced teams are the skunk bears' Achilles Heal.

As with any other term, we have to define "balanced" carefully. In this case, let's not just look at balance based on regular stats, which can be skewed based on who you've played, but based rather on differential stats. When ranking teams based on their offensive balance using differential stats, Ohio State is the 4th most balanced team in the country, meaning that their Differential Passing Offense and Differential Passing Efficiency have similar rankings to their Differential Rushing Offense and Differential Yards Per Carry. That's good, but as with Defensive Coasting Factor, we need to analyze this to determine who is both balanced AND powerful. One of the teams ranked higher than the Buckeyes in Balance is Eastern Michigan, who is very well balanced, and also very bad at both running and passing. Among the top 15 most balanced teams, only 3 apart from the Buckeyes (Alabama, Penn State and Georgia), are also top 10 offensive teams, and Ohio State is actually significantly better than those 3, despite their high rankings as there is a very steep drop off from the best offenses to the rest of the top 10, and Ohio State is the only elite offense with elite balance.

Where this becomes relevant is when you start comparing defenses based on how well they handle balanced teams. By boiling balance down to a number and comparing each team's game-by-game results, we can come up with a number like Rigidity, but with a twist. Where Rigidity measures how well a team holds up against better competition, and Defensive Coasting Factor measures how much your stats are hurt by blowing teams out, our new number (Balance Rigidity for lack of a better term) measures how well a team holds up against more balanced competition. So where do the skunk bears (again, not my term) rank in terms of this metric? This is what this is all about right? We see that the Buckeyes are very balanced, so how well does TTUN stack up against balanced teams?

Their Balance Rigidity is -57.045, which ranks 128 out of 131 FBS teams.

128....

As in, only Louisiana Tech, Washington State, and South Alabama are worse by this metric.

Yes, TTUN is 4th from the bottom in holding it together against balanced teams, and Ohio State is 4th from the top in balance, but let's keep this in perspective. This is still the top scoring offense (vs FBS teams) against the top scoring defense (vs FBS teams). This is as much about Ohio State getting back to the potential they showed earlier in the season as it is about balance, but when it comes to balance, the numbers speak loud and clear: Few teams have more issues vs balanced teams than TTUN, and NO ONE combines balance with powerful offense like the Buckeyes do.

It Gets Better

So who was the most balanced team that TTUN faced? That's just it: by numbers Penn State is the most balanced team they faced (and UM did well), but anyone who watched both of the Nittany Lions' games against the participants of The Game can tell you that PSU was a total no-show against TTUN. They were awful on every level; they played much better against the Buckeyes. If you eliminate the game vs PSU as the aberration it was, then TTUN's Balance Rigidity goes down to -72.842.

This is a good defense, but their only opportunity to play a balanced offense came against an offense that didn't show up. If the Buckeyes don't similarly pull a complete no-show, look for them to use a balanced attack to score well beyond the DSA prediction.

Go Bucks
Hang 100

Game #3 in Maui is vs the Red Raiders of TT

Column: What I am grateful for heading into The Game
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 Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There sure is a lot to be thankful for surrounding this Buckeye football team, especially during rivalry week leading up to The Game.

Rivalry Week is officially upon us... as well as Thanksgiving (I think The Game might be a bigger holiday). This week is a time to pause and reflect on all that we are grateful for this year. Buckeye fans are supremely blessed with an 11-0 season, filled with breakout players and dominant wins. That all culminates on Saturday.

Here is a list of what I am thankful for as we head into The Game.

1. Home Field Advantage

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

How painful was it to hear “Pump it Up” after every single touchdown at The Big House last year? Six dreadful times of hearing that song along with the crowd going absolutely bananas. I am extremely grateful that this year, if the Shoe’s DJ decides to be petty and plays it, it will be for a Buckeye TD and not a Wolverine one.

If it isn’t played, I will be equally as happy. That song permanently scarred me. It is such an advantage that in one of the most important games in the series history, it will be played in Columbus. The Buckeyes have definitely had their fair share of struggles on the road this season with Penn State, Northwestern and Maryland. However, they are dominant at home.

Personally, this will be my first ever Ohio State-Michigan game that I am attending. I am ecstatic. The stadium was electric during the Penn State game last year and the Notre Dame game this year, but I expect the crowd to be dialed up about 10 notches. It’s going to be loud and there’s going to be a lot of scarlet. Buckeyes- 1, Wolverines- 0.

2. Dallan Hayden

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Obviously, I am thankful for everyone in the running back room. However, Hayden is stepped up big time when needed, especially against Maryland this past Saturday. It seems like either Miyan Williams or TreVeyon Henderson is out every week, making Hayden the backup. He has gotten a lot more snaps than initially anticipated this season, but he has made the most with the time he has gotten on the field.

It is nice to have him as a security blanket. Unfortunately, there seems to be a theme of a starting running back getting injured each week, and the other starter has to shoulder the majority of the load. That’s where Hayden comes in to share some of the snaps, and experiencing massive success while doing so. I feel like he will be a major key in The Game.

3. Marvin Harrison Jr.

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory. He’s the GOAT. He should be the Biletnikoff Award recipient. He’s been damn near perfect all year long. However, last Saturday’s game revealed why he is even more important than we think.

He’s clearly the best weapon on the team, making amazing plays for positive yardage and averaging one touchdown per game. However, he was being heavily defended against Maryland, even more so than usual, limiting him to just 68 receiving yards. This isn’t entirely a bad thing. When he gets double teamed, it frees up the other receivers to make great plays, as demonstrated by Emeka Egbuka on Saturday. This team is full of talent, and honestly, Marv makes a lot of great things possible.

4. A hungry defense in need of some food (I think Wolverine is their favorite)

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

This defense is READY!! This is the moment they have been training for all season long. They have skyrocketed in terms of their improvement, and this game I expect them to ball out. They are going to be amped up, they are going to jump from the line of scrimmage in search of someone wearing maize and blue to take down to the ground.

I see J.T. Tuimoloau and Tommy Eichenberg having big games. Eichenberg has been here before, so his leadership will be invaluable. Tuimoloau I think is just ready to erupt, and this will be the perfect opportunity. Yes, the defense had a bit of a blip against Maryland, but I think that was an anomaly. Will there be some nerves, and as a result some penalties? Probably. But I believe the good will outweigh the bad in this case, and their energy will be to their advantage.

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Column: Come on, where’s our petty Jim Harbaugh?
Meredith Hein 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

It’s only a matter of time.

Two decades ago, when Jim Tressel and Lloyd Carr faced off against one another, the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry was perhaps the classiest in all of sports. The two coaches never showed anything but the utmost respect for one another. And while other rivalries like the now defunct Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia or the Miami (FL) vs. Florida State games of old often resulted in fisticuffs, such occasions didn’t feel as common in the days of yore for the Buckeyes.

Then came the series of unfortunate events for Michigan that was Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke that eventually led to Jim Harbaugh, and the concurrent transition from Tressel to Urban Meyer and, finally, to Ryan Day.

And here we are, in 2022.

Things feel different now. But perhaps it’s just the passage of time and the warmth of nostalgia that makes me yearn for the rivalry of yore. Regardless, the rivalry we see today, from a coaching perspective, shows two men who are not fans of each other and don’t try to hide it.


That disdain may be because the pair are so different. Day is kind of a boring coach, all things considered. Obviously he has a great mind for coaching, but he’s about as anti-drama as they come. Generally, he’s calm, cool, collected and logical. It’s what made moments like his near-fight with Greg Schiano earlier this season so wild.

Harbaugh is Day’s foil. He is eccentric and, at times, downright absurd. See challenging a walrus to a pushup contest, having a sleepover at a recruit’s house and his obsession with milk. And that’s not even getting into the whole thing with his khakis. He’s a distraction in and of himself, and seemingly can’t get through a presser without either a weird or disparaging comment.

(We should give credit where credit is due: Harbaugh’s eccentricity is in many ways a shield for his players. As much as he’s blamed refs, opposing coaches and others for Michigan’s shortcomings, that blame has never publicly fallen on his players, which is more than can be said for a lot of coaches. Looking at you, Brian Kelly.)

Those personalities show themselves in perceptions of Ohio State and Michigan. Ohio State has a ton of flash (think Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Louis Vuitton cleats), but Day is very much the anchor behind the scene that keeps his stars flashing at their flashiest. When we think of the faces of Ohio State football, Day is probably not even in your top five.

On the other sideline, Harbaugh is Michigan’s brand all by himself — he’s undoubtedly the face and name that comes to mind when you think of Wolverine football.

Of course these opposites would clash over time. We all have that person who gets under our skin. For Day, that person is Harbaugh. For Harbaugh, it’s pretty much anyone who crosses his path, including Day. Seriously, he just doesn’t have the patience to maintain positive relationships with many opposing coaches, players and officials. See here and here for examples.

For Day, that frustration boiled over in 2020 during a Big Ten coaches conference call, when Harbaugh interrupted Day while he was speaking to accuse Day of breaking rules. Day responded by telling Harbaugh to worry about his own team while Day worried about Ohio State. Later that week, Day famously told his team they’d hang 100 on the Wolverines. (That was in 2020 and Michigan backed out of the regular season finale due to COVID). It was reminiscent of that time Woody Hayes said “because I couldn’t go for three” in response to why he went for a two-point conversion against his rivals in 1968, but without any of the genial ribbing.

For Harbaugh, things came to a head with Day in 2021 when he made his now worn statement: “Sometimes, people that are standing on third base think they hit a triple.” The words came in the post-game presser after, *gulp* Ohio State fell on the road to the Wolverines and, while not said directly in reference to Day, were a clear statement about the well-oiled program Day inherited from Meyer.

Neither of these statements was kind hearted or friendly needling. Both were incredibly mean spirited.

When asked in his Monday presser about Ohio State and Ryan Day, Harbaugh deflected the question and even said there was “No need to hate.” It’s a break from the drama we’ve grown accustomed to.

But it’s still early in the week, and Harbaugh has time.

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Silver Bullets Podcast: Maryland Rewind and Michigan Preview
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes overcame another stressful road game, and now it’s time for The Game.


Ohio State’s win at Maryland was a bit stressful, but in the end the Buckeyes did enough to get the job done on a day when other favored teams needed late scores to win — or didn’t survive at all. We dive into all the good and bad of Ohio State’s 43-30 win in College Park. Hopefully the team will be a lot more focused and amped up for an iteration of The Game between a pair of unbeaten top-five teams. We look back at our picks to click and our score predictions to see how reality stacked up against our imaginations, too.

After the Maryland talk, we welcomed in David Woelkers from SBNation site Maize N Brew to get us prepped on the Wolverines prior to their trip to the Horseshoe this Saturday. David gave us the scoop on what’s up with Michigan, but no one seems sure what to make of Blake Corum’s knee injury at this point. That is an important knee for the Wolverines. Big thanks to David for stopping by and helping us preview The Game.

We took our weekly walk through the rest of the Big Ten results from Saturday, and the West finally came into a little more focus with one weekend remaining. Meanwhile, Penn State has quietly rolled through everyone not named Ohio State or Michigan, and the Spartans almost certainly threw away their shot at bowl eligibility in the second half and overtime against Indiana at home.

Finally, we discussed the importance that Steele Chambers has in stopping J.J. McCarthy in the run game on Saturday, and we dove into Michigan’s stats a bit before making our predictions and picks to click for this weekend’s battle of the titans in Columbus.

We’ll be back next week to talk about Ohio State’s matchup with the Wolverines and to preview... well, whatever’s next, which we won’t know until after the game. It’s a little strange not having that next opponent set, but that’s what the end of the regular season brings. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share!

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BOOOOM!! Four-star athlete Garett Stover commits to Ohio State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2024 four-star ATH Garrett Stover via @GarrettStover2 on Twitter

Ohio State lost a member in its 2023 recruiting class, but added to its 2024 class on Monday.

Rivalry Week is finally here, and the Buckeyes are gearing up for their biggest game of the season. The ‘Shoe will be full Saturday when Ohio State plays host to Michigan, and most of the college football landscape will have their eyes on the game. ESPN, FOX, and many other media outlets will be setting up shop in Columbus Saturday, but they will not be the only ones making the trek to Ohio Stadium this weekend.

The visitor list for the game this weekend will likely be one of the largest of the season, and many of those making the visit are priority targets for the Buckeyes. While many of the Ohio State headlines this week will focus on the current roster, Ryan Day and his staff will also be heavily featured in the recruiting headlines as well.

Garrett Stover commits to Ohio State


Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class is in the midst of the final touches. While the Buckeyes will look to add a few more commitments to the class, a lot of focus has been put on next year’s class as well.

The Buckeyes entered the week with two verbal commitments in the class, good for the No. 11 group in the country. However, late Monday night that total rose to three, as 2024 four-star athlete Garrett Stover (Sunbury, OH / Big Walnut) announced his commitment to Ohio State.


Ohio State has long shown interest in Stover, who is cousins with current Ohio State tight end Cade Stover. He visited with the Buckeyes in the spring, and that was just the beginning of what grew to be a strong relationship with the Buckeyes coaching staff.

Stover took another visit to Ohio State for a June summer camp, and left with an official scholarship offer. The summer visit was not his last, however, as he made another return visit to Ohio State on Sept. 3 for the team’s home-opener versus Notre Dame.

Following his first visit for an in-game environment, multiple 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions started coming in, pegging him to Ohio State. Those predictions came true Monday when he made the decision official.

Stover spoke with Bill Kurelic of 247Sports following the commitment and had the following to say on Ohio State and his decision:


Stover chose to commit to Ohio State over a long list of impressive programs including Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwester, Iowa State, Kentucky, Duke, Pitt, etc.

Stover is the No. 17 ATH in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 168 overall prospect in the 2024 class. He is also the No. 6 prospect from the state of Ohio.

Brock Glenn de-commits, Ohio State to host four-star QB


Rivalry Week may have just arrived, but flip-season has been heavily active. Ohio State has had a rough go of things of late, seeing 2023 four-star running back Mark Fletcher (Fort Lauderdale, FL / American Heritage) de-commit from the program last week. On Monday, the Buckeyes lost another verbal commitment when four-star quarterback Brock Glenn (Memphis, TN / Lausanne Collegiate School) decided to leave the program in favor of Florida State.


Glenn committed to the Buckeyes on July 30, 2022 over LSU and Florida State. Both the Tigers and the Seminoles looked like the favorites at points late in his recruitment, but it was Ohio State that landed the blue-chip prospect. However, Florida State never stopped recruiting Glenn, and recent rumblings about a de-commit started to make noise. Those rumors quickly showed as true, as Glenn is now a member of the Seminoles’ class.

The move certainly hurts the Buckeyes class, as the team currently has no commit at the position. The class is still impressive, viewed as the No. 6 class in the 247Sports rankings as things stand, but the better news is the Buckeyes may already have a contingency plan.

One of the many recruits scheduled to be visiting Ohio State this weekend is 2023 four-star quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (Pierre, SD / T.F. Riggs). The blue-chip QB has seen an uptick in contact from Ohio State as of late, and he will now be using one of his five official visits with the team.


While the visit is good news for the Buckeyes, the coaching staff has plenty of work ahead of themselves if he is to play football in Columbus. Kienholz committed to the Washington Huskies on June 29, 2022 after using an official visit the week prior.

Despite being committed to Washington, Kienholz is deciding to visit with Ohio State late in the season. This compounded with the news on Glenn’s de-commitment certainly looks promising for the Buckeyes, but as the team has learned the hard way, nothing is a guarantee in college football recruiting.

Glenn is the No. 22 QB in the 247Sports Composite and is the No. 378 overall prospect. He is also the No. 12 prospect out of Tennessee. Kienholz is the No. 24 QB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 404 prospect. He is also the No. 1 recruit out of South Dakota.

While Kienholz may be ranked lower in the above metrics, he is far from a falloff at the position. The blue-chip prospect had an incredible season that led to a South Dakota state title. He also produced the below career stats:


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Three things from Ohio State’s 88-77 loss to San Diego St. at the Maui Invitational
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 Darryl Oumi/Getty Images

It might have been the Buckeyes’ first loss of the season, but there’s lots of positives to take from the defeat.

In the quarterfinals of the 2022 Maui Invitational tournament, the Ohio State men’s basketball team just flat-out lost to a better team. The No. 17 San Diego State Aztecs handed the Buckeyes their first loss of the season Xx-Xx on Monday night, but — call me a homer — I think that there were actually quite a few positives to take away from the game.

First and foremost, Sean McNeil is a scorer. The former West Virginia Mountaineer had 19 points through three games as a Buckeye, and dude went out and put on a show in the second half for OSU, nearly single-handedly keeping his team in the contest. McNeil ended the game with 22 points, just four off of his career-high.

It was also probably really good for the young Buckeyes to play a team early in the non-conference schedule that had the ability to push them around and show them what level of physicality will be needed to play college basketball.

Despite the fact that the Aztecs built a 14-point lead with 8:01 left to play, the Buckeyes continued to fight, eventually cutting the SDSU lead to just seven with 3:57 remaining. While Chris Holtmann’s team was never able to get any closer than that, the heart and perseverance that the team displayed have to build a little bit of confidence moving forward for the Buckeyes.

San Diego State is one of the best teams in the country and the experience of grinding it out in a respectable early-season game should pay dividends throughout the rest of the campaign.

In addition to McNeil’s game-high 22, true freshmen Brice Sensabaugh and Bruce Thornton contributed 17 and 13 respectively, and the latter freshman fouled out with just under two minutes remaining in regulation.

In his return home to Hawaii, Justice Sueing struggled a bit at times but ended up with 6 points and 6 rebounds.

Zed Key has to avoid foul trouble for this team to compete


The Ohio State veteran big man picked up his second personal foul just 5:21 into the game and ended up playing only three more minutes in the first period. With Key out, the Buckeyes first went with an all-guard/small-forward lineup with true freshman center Felix Okpara mixed in.

That is when the wheels started to fall off a bit for the Buckeyes. Not only does Key present a legitimate offensive threat inside, but just his presence on the court also allows the rest of the offense to have extra space to operate. Without a true inside scorer, San Diego State’s defense was able to gum up just about everything that OSU tried to do in the first half.

While it wasn’t exactly night and day, with Key back in the game in the first five minutes after halftime, the OSU offense found a bit of a rhythm with McNeil capitalizing on the increased room to operate. Key picked up his third foul (coincidentally enough) 5:21 into the second half. He did stay in the game this time but came out after a few more minutes.

I think that the Buckeyes have a number of veterans that can provide leadership — especially as the season goes on — but Zed Key is the guy who provides both the on-floor stability for the squad to be able to run its best offense and also the experience to keep his guys under control and focused on the task at hand.

Key ended the game with just 7 points and 3 rebounds in 21 minutes of action, but he was the leading Buckeye in terms of +/- at +5. The only other OSU player to have a + number was Sean McNeil; speaking of which...

Buckeye Nation, meet Sean McNeil


West Virginia transfer Sean McNeil did not score in 29 minutes of action against Eastern Illinois last Wednesday. Coming into Maui, he had 19 points on the season. He had 22 against San Diego State, one of the best, toughest defenses in the country.

At one point early in the second half, McNeil scored 11-straight points for Ohio State, keeping the Buckeyes in a game that could have gotten out of hand quickly coming out of the intermission.

Not only was McNeil showing his ability to connect on spot-up jumpers from distance, but what impressed me most about McNeil was his ability to come off of screens and create his own shots.

While so much of the conversation about this year’s squad has been rightly focused on the highly-rated recruiting class, Ohio State is going to need contributions from transfers McNeil, Ice Likekele, and Tanner Holden. So seeing what McNeil is capable of doing — turning into an absolute microwave — is definitely a positive.

It’s going to take a while for this team to gel


If you have watched the Buckeyes in their first four games this season, you know that there are a lot of new faces playing big-time minutes for Holtmann’s squad. Against San Diego State, the only returning contributor from the 2021-22 season to play was Key. Of course, Justice Sueing was injured for nearly the entire season, but the rest of the rotation for OSU currently is made up of true freshmen and transfer players.

During their first three games of the season, the Buckeyes beat up on Robert Morris (this is actually a school, not just one dude who tried to take on the entire OSU team), Charleston Southern, and Eastern Illinois. So, Monday night’s game against the No. 17 Aztecs was really the first time that this new configuration of Buckeyes has played against anyone of substance.

There were certainly things to be excited about from the game — obviously, McNeil, Bryce Sensabaugh, Bruce Thornton — but the lack of cohesion was pretty obvious in the game. The offense felt more than a little disjointed, which is probably just as much a function of Ohio State’s lack of time together as it is San Diego State having the No. 7 rated defense in the country according to Ken Pomeroy.

In the first half, the Buckeyes were 9-for-30 from the floor (including 1-for-11 from distance) and with Key out, there just wasn’t much flow on the offensive end of the floor.

In the second half, thanks to McNeil’s hot hand and some impressive defensive possessions, the Buckeyes cut what was a 15-point hole to just four at the 13:28 mark in regulation. Then, thanks to back-to-back triples and a turned-over in-bounds play, San Diego State had pushed the lead back up to 59-47 just 51 seconds later.

It’s moments like that where a more experienced group might have been able to slow down the action and keep the deficit to seven instead of 12.

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‘Ball Hell Broke Loose: Your Week 12 College Football Chaos Roundup
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images

The moments that left our jaws on the floor this week.

Has anyone told OSU Halloween was a few weeks ago and it’s time to stop scaring us? Other than the mild heart attack they gave Buckeye fans, this weekend in college football seemed to have it all. Underdogs annihilating favorites. Rivalry matchups with playoff implications. Snowball fights. Actual fights.

The fun started early in the day and continued all the way through Pac-12 after dark, leaving us with no shortage of moments that were scary, fun, or entertaining as hell. Let’s unpack the weekend that was in college football.

Ohio State vs. Maryland


This dumb team has really aged me lately, and yesterday’s chaos perhaps took more years off my life than any game up to this point. Let’s be clear – if we play like this next week, we are going to get absolutely creamed. I’m sure this was a fun game to watch for someone with no stakes in the game, but for me personally, it was very stressful. Flirting is fun, but flirting with disaster is not.

I’ll be naming my gray hairs after Ohio State’s defensive backs, who looked a total mess yesterday. We’ve had close calls before, but suffice it to say this felt like the first real test – against a team that was shut out by Penn State last week.

It wasn’t that we were down 13-10 at halftime that had me a little panicked. OSU tends to be a second-half team, after all. I was much more concerned when we turned the ball over on downs about halfway into the Fourth Quarter while we held onto a marginal 33-30 lead. But a three-and-out seemed to shift something, and from there, the Buckeyes we know and love seemed to take the field.

It wasn’t all bad. TreVeyon Henderson returned, and while his performance was underwhelming, it was great to see him on the field again after sitting out the last two with an injury. But this was the second-most points the Buckeyes allowed this season (topped only by Penn State), and the performance we saw this weekend won’t be enough to smash through to victory next week.

Illinois vs. Michigan


The good news is OSU wasn’t the only one who had a tough time in the week going into The Game. Illinois gave Michigan a very solid run for its money on the road in Ann Arbor, with Michigan’s victory coming down to the final drive of the game.

With that said, it’s not much consolation for me, as the Wolverines were missing running back Donovan Edwards, and then Blake Corum – a Heisman contender – went down with a knee injury early in the second.

There were so many ways for this game to have ended poorly for the Wolverines in what was an unpredictable and chaotic game, and yet, they came out victorious. And I can’t really tell you why, but the fact that they walked away with this win given how these four quarters went? Well, it leaves me a little nervous about this Saturday.

TCU vs. Baylor


Baylor unexpectedly made TCU work for their win this week, which perhaps makes TCU’s win even more frustrating. I don’t particularly think TCU is the real deal, and perhaps the real deal wouldn’t have gotten themselves into such a sticky situation in the first place, but as a Buckeye fan, we can’t really be one to talk after yesterday. Perhaps what makes a team the real deal is the ability to walk away with the win in spite of many, many missteps.

Which is what happened yesterday, when TCU – down 28-26 to Baylor with mere seconds left in the game, positioned themselves to kick a field goal on 4th down for the win. Did I make it sound like a seamless late-in-the-game comeback? Oh, I’m sorry. This was after a botched 2-point conversion and a strange run-play call from Baylor on a 3rd down where they could have run the clock out. TCU got the ball back with only 1:34 left on the clock and managed 45 yards in 9 plays, leaving me to wonder whether maybe they are the real deal after all.

Did Baylor roll over and hand them this win, or did TCU fight it out to the last second? No matter which way you spin it, this was once again a game that reminds us why we love this dumb sport. It was exciting. It came down to the final seconds. A team that was expected to get blown out nearly walked away with an upset victory that would have sent ripple waves through the college football playoff rankings. And still, this “little team that could” keeps “coulding” to victory.

Lehigh vs. Lafayette


Here are two names you don’t see making headlines all that often in the college football world, unless you live in Pennsylvania and pay close attention to this annual matchup, apparently known simply as The Rivalry.

Though The Rivalry has been fairly evenly matched since it began in 1884, Lehigh has dominated in recent years, winning 10 of the last 14 matchups, including 5 on the road. But the real story yesterday wasn’t about wins and losses (for what it’s worth, Lafayette did win 14-11). But people aren’t talking about that. We’re talking about the fight on the field after the final play.

Because after the game ended, as Lafayette fans, cheerleaders and players started to celebrate, a tussle broke out between members of the Lafayette team and the Lehigh team, which then had to be broken up by coaches. I can’t express to you how many times in my life I’ve wanted to sock a Michigan player, but that doesn’t mean you can go around acting on it!

Michigan State vs. the Snow


A very different kind of fight broke out in MSU’s stands on Saturday.

During the Spartans’ matchup at home against Indiana, their fans turned East Lansing’s snowy nightmarish weather into a way to have a little fun – with a good, old-fashioned snowball fight.

The lighthearted battle among spectators in the fan section was captured on video, and it perfectly encapsulates the unadulterated joy of being a college student cheering on your team no matter the weather.


Fans also crafted a snowman (snow-fan?) who parked it in the bleachers and probably wished he could melt away, along with the Spartans’ lead. Because it’s not Big Ten football without a little wildness, and Indiana delivered by edging out the favored MSU (who led 21-7 at halftime), 39-31 in a game that went into double overtime after a brilliant 3rd quarter performance by Indiana.

Tennessee vs. South Carolina


Three days ago, I was arguing Tennessee still had a good chance to make the playoffs. Those dreams were dashed Saturday when they were absolutely annihilated by the Gamecocks, 63-38.

The Gamecocks have been a very middle-of-the-road team all season ... average enough to be forgettable. Boy, did they change the narrative on Saturday night? It was a heartbreaker for Vols fans who saw a real path to glory after years of being the SEC laughing stock. Their win against Alabama was the apex of a season that felt a bit like a dream ... until Saturday reminded them that often, being a Vols fan is actually just a nightmare. Smoky, the goodest boy, did not deserve that.

To add insult to injury, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker went down with a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season, likely ending his Heisman hopes if the two losses hadn’t already done so.

On the other side, you have to hand it to the unranked Gamecocks for this victory. They looked fantastic, and it was their coach Shane Beamer’s first win over a top-five team. If shocking underdog wins are your thing, this was the game for you.

Pac-12 After Dark


USC and UCLA delivered a bar fight of a rivalry game. While USC looked like a burly, brawny guy who could knock you out with one right hook, UCLA was the scrappy guy who just keeps swinging until something connects.

And the result was a game that ultimately came down to UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s interception on the Bruins’ final drive, positioning USC to win this game by a mere three points.

Though the margin of victory was small, the implications were huge, as this game put the Trojans in a genuine position to sneak into the playoffs.

And it wasn’t just USC and UCLA delivering excitement late into the night. Oregon and Utah delivered a defensive showdown that also ended in a mere three-point victory. Now, if Oregon wins against Oregon State next week, they could be USC’s final roadblock to the playoffs. Assuming both teams win out (but as a chaos monger, I am obligated to remind you what they say about people who assume), they’ll meet in the Pac-12 Championship in two weeks in a game that could determine whether USC gets to return to postseason conversations for the first time since Pete Carroll was running the show.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Walker, Bristow, McGuff on lopsided win over McNeese State
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 Buckeyes took it to the McNeese State Cowgirls, here’s what they said after the game.

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.


It’s difficult to predict the winner of some basketball games. Ohio State women’s basketball’s Sunday game was not one of those tough predictions. The McNeese State Cowgirls, who lost their last five Power Five games, each giving up 100 points and losing by an average of 63 points, came to Columbus and from the jump were outmatched.

After the game, two players who played big minutes in the second half, and helped turn around Ohio State’s rebounding deficit, spoke with the media. As did head coach Kevin McGuff.

Transfer forward, Eboni Walker, talked about how she feels getting more minutes with the Buckeyes. Also, after playing at two different schools, each going through its own situations, Walker talks about her transfer to the Scarlet and Gray and how fortunate she is playing in Columbus.

Guard Hevynne Bristow discussed her team-leading eight rebounds, her highlight reel passes, and the team’s chemistry. On top of that, the emotion she felt winning the dub chain after Sunday’s game and what it means to her after a tough season in 2021/22 where she fought injuries all year.

Also, both Walker and Bristow go into more detail about the growth of forward Taylor Thierry, who once again increased her NCAA career high in scoring and showed more confidence.

Up last is coach McGuff. He discusses Emma Shumate’s third-quarter injury, taking away positives from a game that wasn’t a tough challenge, grading the half-court defense of the Buckeyes and more.

That and more on the latest edition of “Land-Grant Holy Land Uncut.”


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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Women’s Basketball Game Notes: No. 8 Ohio State vs. McNeese State
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

Looking back at some things that stood out in Sunday’s Buckeyes victory

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team won Sunday’s game against McNeese State in a staggering 99-43 score line. It was one of those non-conference games where one team benefits from extra practice and another team gets to play against a Power Five school, and give their team an experience and likely get the school compensation.

Even though the game wasn’t putting anyone on the edge of their seat, competitively, and it won’t be remembered much as the conference season approaches, there are items to take away.

Included are key performances by two forwards, ample substitute minutes and feeling sympathy for the McNeese State Cowgirls.

Taylor Thierry’s Continues Trending Upwards


Every game this year brings a new career high for sophomore forward Taylor Thierry. Sunday was no different, with Thierry scoring 15 points, five more than her previous high of 10. Thierry scored those points inside and from deep, hitting the lone three she attempted on the day.

The forward also grabbed five rebounds (three on offense) and two steals and assists. Even if performances, statistically, carry a little less weight against McNeese than against a ranked team, or Big Ten side, it still shows the increasing confidence that Land-Grant Holy Land wrote about leading into the game.

Cotie McMahon Energy


Freshman forward Cotie McMahon had an impressive game that didn’t show up on the stat sheet. McMahon was 1-for-4 from the field but where she came up big was in the backcourt.

Although McMahon was picked up three steals, if pressuring players into turnovers was a statistic she’d lead the Buckeyes by a mile. McMahon was in the face of McNeese State players and causing issues in passing, as evidenced by the highlight below where guard Jacy Sheldon technically gets the steal but it was McMahon who made the poor pass possible.

Three-Pointers Help and Hurt


The Buckeyes were diverse in their three-point shooting, Sunday. Six players hit at least one with guard trio Taylor Mikesell, Madison Greene, and Rikki Harris each hitting multiple from deep. Ohio State won all offensive stat battles except one: three-point percentage.

McNeese State, led by the game’s top scorer Kaili Chamberlin’s 4-for-6 from deep, hit 8-for-18 from beyond the arc. Maybe it’s a lack of motivation being up so big or maybe it's an area to watch as the season progresses, but the Buckeyes didn’t do well closing down shooters deep, with many shots going in without a hand in the shooter’s face.

The Cowgirls' 44.4% was better than their overall 36.2% from the floor.

Monitoring Minutes


No Ohio State starters played 20 minutes, allowing minute mules like Sheldon and Mikesell time off the court. Instead, head coach Kevin McGuff increased minutes for two players who missed most or all of last season in forward Eboni Walker and guard Madison Greene.

Greene led the Buckeyes playing 26 minutes, and Walker was not too far behind playing just under 22. Both made an impact, with Greene scoring eight points on top of six assists and four steals, including one that made Mikesell turn back and laugh before going on one of many fast breaks on the day.

Walker, whose integration into the Buckeyes roster is key for the team who needs depth in the paint, had seven points, six rebounds, and three steals. Points-wise, Walker had ample chances but her shot was a bit off, likely from lack of time on the court with competitive minutes. Walker did play strong in the paint and showed an ability to battle for rebounds and find teammates under the basket.

Hevynnely Performance


Another player getting deserved minutes on Sunday was guard Hevynne Bristow. The junior, who spent most of last year on the bench due to injury, had eight rebounds and seven points. Also, her two assists were better suited for a highlight reel than in writing.

Bristow won the team’s “dub chain” after the game. After winning the honor, Bristow spoke with the media and shared how it felt.

“I admit it, I cried a little,” said Bristow. “Last year, I was hurt all season, so it just meant a lot that my work paid off and my teammates trusted me and my coach trusted me.”

Thursday Repeats Itself


Against the Ohio Bobcats, Thursday, freshman guard Kaia Henderson grabbed a steal and ran the court for a layup, getting fouled in the process. Sunday, the same thing happened to fellow freshman guard Mya Perry.

The 2022 Ohio girls high school champion out of Reynoldsburg, Ohio basically recreated Henderson’s first NCAA points for her first. After receiving the Buckeyes' defensive pressure and forcing a bad pass, Perry fought for possession and ran down the court for a layup. Although Perry missed the free throw, it was a momentous occasion for the promising freshman guard.

Feeling for McNeese State


Sympathy for the Cowgirls isn’t because of the final score. Both teams likely knew the outcome of this game when it was scheduled, and Ohio State played the team in front of them. No harm, no foul.

Feelings of sadness towards McNeese State is how they traveled to the game. After losing to the Buckeyes on Sunday, Bradley University on Saturday, in Peoria, Illinois, and a 100-38 defeat at the hands of the Fighting Illini on Wednesday, Nov. 16, the Cowgirls didn’t load into their bus to go home.

Instead, the team loaded into three mini-vans and an SUV for the 1088-mile trip back to Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Could they be driving to an airport? Maybe the rental car company gave four vehicles with Louisiana license plates? That’s a heck of a coincidence.

McNeese State doesn’t have the budget of an Ohio State, not many schools do, but cramming a basketball team into minivans isn’t a way to treat a student-athlete. If playing games against Power Five schools every year is the means to more money for the program, then at least give the athletes a better arrangement where they could possibly stretch their legs and do school work comfortably.

Continue reading...

Column: Emeka Egbuka, nice to see you again; other positives from Maryland
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

It was nice to see Egbuka finally get a decent amount of targets. Although it was an ugly game, I still have a few positive takeaways.

Wow, that was an ugly game. But a win is a win, right? That means the Buckeyes must have done at least one thing better than Maryland! In my eyes, they did a few things more successfully. I believe there are a good amount of positive takeaways from the game, which makes me feel more confident for The Game.

First and foremost, Emeka Egbuka looked like his normal self for the first time in about a month. He had the most yards — with 80 — since he had against Michigan State on Oct. 18, when he had 143. He had six receptions, which was his most since Penn State. In the prior two games, he only had two receptions in each.

This is exactly what I wanted to see from the receivers leading up to The Game. Marvin Harrison Jr. only had 68 receiving yards against the Terps, so it was nice to see Egbuka step up. I feel like he just hasn’t really been targeted that often the past few games, as the Buckeyes have either been relying on the run game or Marv. With Marv being heavily covered against Maryland, Egbuka became the leading receiver.

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

That’s the thing about this team: it’s always the next man up. There will always be another receiver that shines if needed. The same thing goes for the running backs. Now, in a perfect world, I obviously want all of them to be 100% healthy for Saturday. However, that is highly unlikely, and I’m honestly okay with it.

Dallan Hayden once again proved what a beast he is with his 146 yard performance. Miyan Williams should be good to go after having this past week off. TreVeyon Henderson has been struggling to find success and he is clearly not fully healthy, so if he can’t go on Saturday, I’m not too worried. The Buckeyes also have Xavier Johnson, who is has been a proven back, if they needed to go to a third string.

I have one more point about the offense that I’m happy with. C.J. Stroud didn’t have a great game, going 18-for-30 and 241 passing yards (obviously this is still a solid game, but Ohio State fans are spoiled and expect a 400 yard game each week from the Heisman frontrunner). However, the Bucks still found a way to put up 43 points.

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Obviously, three touchdowns on the ground from Hayden helped things tremendously. It has seemed like the run game has bailed Stroud out each time (there has been very few) he struggled to get the passing game going. For example, Northwestern was obviously the worst game all year offensively for the Buckeyes. Yet, Miyan Williams ran for 100+ yards and two touchdowns. Once again, against Rutgers when Stroud threw for only 154 yards, Williams ran for 189 yards and five TDs. This is a balanced team.

Lastly, the defense definitely looked rough in some areas. The corners were playing too far back, giving up seven or eight yards every other play it seemed like. There were a lot of missed tackles. 30 points were given up. However, the D came through when needed. This came in the form of two CRUCIAL turnovers. Good things happen when Ohio State forces turnovers.

The Lathan Ransom blocked punt and Johnson recovery combo has quickly become one of my favorite duos. I’m hoping we see it again this weekend. Big plays like that totally change the momentum, as this happened in third quarter, allowing the Buckeyes to score and put them ahead, 17-13.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Arguably the biggest play of the game came when Steele Chambers recovered a fumble caused by Zach Harrison and scored the TD that sealed the deal at the end of the game. The linebacker play has just been outstanding this entire year, as Tommy Eichenberg is Mr. Steady Eddie and Chambers always makes pivotal plays.

In summary, I am choosing to be optimistic about what I watched against Maryland and heading into rivalry week. Receivers and running backs looked good, the team picked up Stroud’s slack and the defense came up big when needed. Buckeye Nation, let’s ride!

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For every game except the only one that matters.

Week 13
Tuesday, Nov. 22

Ball State at Miami (Ohio) | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Bowling Green at Ohio | 7 p.m. | ESPNU

Thursday, Nov. 24

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Mississippi State at Ole Miss | 7 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, Nov. 25

Tulane at Cincinnati | 12 p.m.
Baylor at Texas | 12 p.m.
Utah State at Boise State | 12 p.m. | CBS
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan | 12 p.m.
Toledo at Western Michigan | 12 p.m. | ESPNU

Arizona State at Arizona | 3 p.m. | FS1
NC State at North Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Arkansas at Missouri | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
New Mexico at Colorado State | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Nebraska at Iowa | 4 p.m. | Big Ten Network
UCLA at Cal | 4:30 p.m. | FOX

Florida at Florida State | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Wyoming at Fresno State | 10 p.m. | FS1

Saturday, Nov. 26

THE GAME NOON ET ON FOX

Georgia Tech at Georgia | 12 p.m. | ESPN
South Carolina at Clemson | 12 p.m. | ABC
West Virginia at Oklahoma State | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
Army at UMass | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Mew Mexico State at Liberty | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Rutgers at Maryland | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Coastal Carolina at James Madison | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Old Dominion at South Alabama | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Georgia State at Marshall | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Western Kentucky at Florida Atlantic | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
Elon at Furman (FCS first round) | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
East Carolina at Temple | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Kent State at Buffalo | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Akron at Northern Illinois | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN3

Rice at North Texas | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Grambling vs. Southern (New Orleans) | 2 p.m. | NBC
St. Francis (PA) at Delaware (FCS first round) | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Fordham at New Hampshire (FCS first round) | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Davidson at Richmond (FCS first round) | 2 p.m. | ESPN+

Louisville at Kentucky | 3 p.m. | SEC Network
Auburn at Alabama | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
Oregon at Oregon State | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Minnesota at Wisconsin | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Memphis at SMU | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Troy at Arkansas State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Wake Forest at Duke | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Illinois at Northwestern | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Purdue at Indiana | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Hawai'i at San Jose State | 3:30 p.m. | Spectrum Sports PPV
UAB at Louisiana Tech | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
UTEP at UTSA | 3:30 p.m. | Stadium
Iowa State at TCU | 4 p.m. | FOX
Michigan State at Penn State | 4 p.m. | FS1
Utah at Colorado | 4 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
North Dakota at Weber State (FCS first round) | 4 p.m. | ESPN+

Southern Miss at UL Monroe | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Louisiana at Texas State | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Gardner-Webb at Eastern Kentucky (FCS first round) | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Nevada at UNLV | 6 p.m. | Mountain West Network
Appalachian State at Georgia Southern | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at FIU | 6 p.m. | ESPN3

LSU at Texas A&M | 7 p.m. | ESPN
UCF at South Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
Idaho at Southeastern Louisiana (FCS first round) | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tennessee at Vanderbilt | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Notre Dame at USC | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Oklahoma at Texas Tech | 7:30 p.m. | FS1
Syracuse at Boston College | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Tulsa at Houston | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Kansas at Kansas State | 8 p.m. | FOX
Pitt at Miami (Fla.) | 8 p.m. | ACC Network

Air Force at San Diego State | 9 p.m. | CBSSN
Southeast Missouri State at Montana (FCS first round) | 10 p.m. | ESPN2
Washington at Washington State | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
BYU at Stanford | 11 p.m. | FS1

Virginia at Virginia Tech -- Canceled

For every game except the only one that matters.


Week 13
Tuesday, Nov. 22

Ball State at Miami (Ohio) | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Bowling Green at Ohio | 7 p.m. | ESPNU

Thursday, Nov. 24

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Mississippi State at Ole Miss | 7 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, Nov. 25

Tulane at Cincinnati | 12 p.m.
Baylor at Texas | 12 p.m.
Utah State at Boise State | 12 p.m. | CBS
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan | 12 p.m.
Toledo at Western Michigan | 12 p.m. | ESPNU

Arizona State at Arizona | 3 p.m. | FS1
NC State at North Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Arkansas at Missouri | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
New Mexico at Colorado State | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Nebraska at Iowa | 4 p.m. | Big Ten Network
UCLA at Cal | 4:30 p.m. | FOX

Florida at Florida State | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Wyoming at Fresno State | 10 p.m. | FS1

Saturday, Nov. 26

THE GAME NOON ET ON FOX

Georgia Tech at Georgia | 12 p.m. | ESPN
South Carolina at Clemson | 12 p.m. | ABC
West Virginia at Oklahoma State | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
Army at UMass | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Mew Mexico State at Liberty | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Rutgers at Maryland | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Coastal Carolina at James Madison | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Old Dominion at South Alabama | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Georgia State at Marshall | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Western Kentucky at Florida Atlantic | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
East Carolina at Temple | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Kent State at Buffalo | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Akron at Northern Illinois | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Rice at North Texas | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Grambling vs. Southern (New Orleans) | 2 p.m. | NBC

Louisville at Kentucky | 3 p.m. | SEC Network
Troy at Arkansas State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Wake Forest at Duke | 3:30 p.m.
Hawai'i at San Jose State | 3:30 p.m.
UAB at Louisiana Tech | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
UTEP at UTSA | 3:30 p.m.
Iowa State at TCU | 4 p.m.
Southern Miss at UL Monroe | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Louisiana at Texas State | 5 p.m. | ESPN+

Nevada at UNLV | 6 p.m.
Appalachian State at Georgia Southern | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at FIU | 6 p.m. | ESPN3
LSU at Texas A&M | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Tennessee at Vanderbilt | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Notre Dame at USC | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Syracuse at Boston College | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Pitt at Miami (Fla.) | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Air Force at San Diego State | 9 p.m. | CBSSN

Auburn at Alabama
Utah at Colorado
Michigan State at Penn State
Oregon at Oregon State
Kansas at Kansas State
Washington at Washington State
UCF at South Florida
BYU at Stanford
Oklahoma at Texas Tech
Illinois at Northwestern
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Purdue at Indiana
Virginia at Virginia Tech
Memphis at SMU
Tulsa at Houston

Maryland Recap (2022)

#2 Ohio State had a bad day yesterday, needing a last-second defensive score to secure a shaky 43-30 victory against an unranked Maryland team that was trying to recover from blow out losses in its two previous games (23-10 to Wisconsin; 30-0 to Penn State). Now for some perspective....

• #1 Georgia looked offensively challenged in a 16-6 win over unranked Kentucky (6-5 overall, 3-5 in conference, same as Maryland).
• #3 scUM needed a last-second field goal to beat unranked Illinois, 19-17, and also lost Heisman hopeful Blake Corum to an injury.
• #4 TCU needed a last-second field goal to beat unranked Baylor, 29-28.
• #5 Tennessee got blown out by unranked South Carolina, 63-38, and also lost Heisman hopeful Hendon Hooker to an injury.
• #13 North Carolina lost to unranked Georgia Tech, 21-17; Heisman pretender Drake Maye was awful and choked on the potential game-winning drive.
• #14 Ole Miss lost to unranked Arkansas, 42-27.
• #20 UCF (LOL at that ranking) lost to unranked Navy, 17-14.
• #22 Oklahoma State (another LOL) lost to unranked Oklahoma, 28-13.
• #24 NC State lost to unranked Louisville, 25-10.
• Miami is still not back after getting blown out by Clemson, 40-10, and falling below .500 on the season (5-6 overall, 3-4 in conference).
• And finally, Virginia cancelled its game because three of their players were murdered by a former teammate.

So a 13-point victory on the road against a motivated opponent in a trap game before Rivalry Week wasn't such a bad result after all.

1. Not such a bad result, but still pretty damned ugly to watch at times. And much of that ugliness emanated from quarterback C.J. Stroud, who did nothing to promote his Heisman chances except to avoid getting injured. Stroud was 18/30 (.600) for 241 yards, a TD, and no INTs, but was clearly outplayed by his counterpart, Taulia Tagovailoa (26/36, 293 yards, 2 TDs, no INTs). It is becoming apparent that Stroud gets rattled easily, both by pressure from opposing defenses and from November weather (and also maybe from Heisman hype and playoff talk).

2. In addition, Stroud is simply not a dynamic player. Watch Caleb Williams or Spencer Rattler (or remember Troy Smith) if you want to see for yourself what I'm talking about.

3. Running back TreVeyon Henderson had a great start to the game, scoring on a 31-yard swing pass on the opening drive. Henderson apparently re-injured his foot during that play (or maybe during the ensuing touchdown celebration) and after a few ineffective series was replaced by Dallan Hayden, who had 27 carries for 146 yards (5.4 average) and 3 touchdowns.

4. The Silver Bullets are not back. The Buckeye defense surrendered 28 points (the special teams gave up the other 2) and 402 total yards to a Terrapin squad that had managed just 10 points and 323 total yards in their two previous games COMBINED; the Terps averaged 5.9 yards per play, which was more than double their average from their two prior games (2.6 combined; Penn State held them to 2.2 per play); they had 22 first downs after a combined 20 in their two previous games; they had long gains of 25, 25, 26, 27, 34, 36, and 49 yards against the Buckeyes after managing only two plays of 20+ yards in their previous two games (they had a 21-yard play in each game); and finally, they were 7/15 (.467) on 3rd and 4th down after going 10/38 (.263) against Wisconsin and Penn State. Maryland used fakes and misdirection on nearly every play and as a result the Buckeye defense was generally a step too slow or out of position.

5. Although the defense generally played poorly, a few individuals had excellent performances. Defensive end Zach Harrison had back-to-back sacks on Maryland's "final" drive (for some reason the Terps did run one play with 5 seconds left on the clock, down 13 points, and with their starting QB out injured), the second of which resulted in a fumble that was scooped and scored by Steele Chambers. Tommy Eichenberg quietly had 13 tackles (10 solo, one TFL). After having issues earlier in the season, Cameron Brown displayed textbook coverage on a deep route and almost came up with an interception (he was credited with a PBU).

6. For the second week in a row, Lathan Ransom (also 7 tackles, TFL, PBU) blocked a punt that was recovered by Xavier Johnson (also a key 46-yard kick return) and turned into a touchdown by the offense two plays later. Place kicker Noah Ruggles connected on all three field goal attempts, including two long ones (45 and 47 yards), but had an extra point blocked and returned by Maryland for a defensive two-point conversion.

7. Yesterday's game was one of the most highly penalized in recent memory, with Ohio State incurring 11 infractions for 97 yards, and Maryland racking up 10 for 97 yards.

8. The teams nearly split the time of possession, with Ohio State holding a narrow 30:15 to 29:45 advantage.

9. Time to turn the page because it's Xichigan Week.

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