Bold Predictions: The highest-scoring affair for the Buckeyes yet this season
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 Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Plus, more bold predictions for today’s matchup against Northwestern.

Before each Ohio State game this year, LGHL is going to bring you some “bold predictions”. This will include somewhere a few hot takes for the game, whether it be passing yards, points scored, sacks, or some other things that we could see happening during the game.

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

Ohio State will top 80 points


The Buckeyes will certainly have an opportunity to blow out a conference opponent this afternoon. Northwestern is allowing almost 29 points per game (12th in the Big Ten and 83rd in the FBS) while Ohio State is scoring 49 points per game (1st in-conference, 2nd in the FBS).

While the average is a far cry from 80, the Buckeyes did drop 77 against Toledo earlier this season. The Wildcats also gave up a relative offensive explosion against Iowa last week (33 points). The question remaining is when the Buckeyes’ starters will stick around and keep dropping scores through the fourth quarter.

JT gets another touchdown


The hero of the Buckeyes’ win against Penn State, sophomore defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau has to be thirsty for another major defensive play, and possibly one which ends with him once again in the endzone. Tuimoloau scored the Buckeyes’ final touchdown against the Nittany Lions last week after he intercepted Sean Clifford to seal the win for Ohio State.

It was a breakout game for the sophomore, and one we’re all keen to see repeated.

Special teams score?


The time might be now. Northwestern’s special teams are averaging under 37 net punting yards per attempt. Admittedly, Ohio State is not doing great when it comes to the return game, averaging seven yards per attempt. However, the Buckeyes will likely be getting a lot more attempts this afternoon, which should increase the odds of success that one gets returned. Maybe. Then again, we’ve been calling for this one for literal years.

Notre Dame beats Clemson


Admittedly, my bold predictions for upsets have not gone well this season (see here and here). However, the third time might be the charm. Notre Dame is coming off a huge win over Syracuse. The Fighting Irish are also winners of five of their last six. Clemson, meanwhile, has looked vulnerable in the last couple of weeks. Plus, the game is in South Bend. The recipe might be just right for an upset.

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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Northwestern Wildcat
Gene Ross 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

The Buckeyes hit a lighter part of the schedule leading up to the season finale against Michigan.

Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!

The Ohio State Buckeyes struggled through three quarters last weekend, but ultimately took care of business in a double-digit win over Penn State, which in turn has earned them the No. 2 spot in this season’s first College Football Playoff rankings. With the Nittany Lions in the rearview mirror, Ohio State will now take on Northwestern — a team they are favored over by nearly 40 points. The Buckeyes’ next few contests leading into The Game should be a lot less stressful than the one in Happy Valley.

Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.

If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and film studies, they are there, too.

Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!

Football Podcasts

• I-70 Football: A weekend full of horror
• Silver Bullets: Penn State Rewind and Northwestern Preview
• LGHL Uncut: Day, Knowles, Hartline discuss playcalling, injuries
• Hangout in the Holy Land: Northwestern preview
• Buck Off: A conversation about Northwestern, OSU’s run game, and presser bullets

Previews

• Ohio State vs. Northwestern: 2022 game preview and prediction
• Three Things To Watch from the Northwestern Wildcats
• Defensive Player to Watch: Linebacker Bryce Gallagher
• Offensive Player to Watch: Running back Evan Hull

Sports Betting

• Ohio State opens as 36.5-point favorites over Northwestern
• Week 10 National Games
• Week 10 Conference Games

Film Studies

• Penn State Film Review
• Northwestern Film Preview

Basketball

• Full Big Ten preview, award predictions for the 2022-23 season
• Five things we learned from Ohio State’s 101-57 victory over Chaminade
• Game Notes: No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Notre Dame College
• Big Ten men’s basketball team preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers
• Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Kaia Henderson
• Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Hevynne Bristow
• Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Karla Vreš
• Who will be Ohio State men’s basketball’s most valuable player?
• Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell named on Naismith Watch List

Recruiting

• BOOOOM! 2023 four-star DL Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State
• Four-star Georgia DL set to make his decision Monday
• Ohio State makes the cut for four-star tight end from Georgia
• 2025 Ohio quarterback to visit the Buckeyes later this month
• A top edge rush target in the 2023 class sheds light on decision timeline
• Another top targets sets visit plans, in-state prospect high on the Buckeyes

Ask LGHL

• Is C.J. Stroud still the Heisman Trophy frontrunner?
• Tell us what you think is going to happen against Northwestern on Saturday

Other Podcasts

• Bucketheads: Big Ten men’s basketball preview
• Play Like a Girl: Don’t make us choose between Uga and Smokey
• LGHL Uncut: Holtmann, Holden, Gayle, Thornton discuss win vs. Chaminade

Other Columns

• Big Ten stat leaders through Week 9
• Reviewing the Big Ten at the two-thirds mark
• What did we learn from the Penn State game?
• Ohio State’s run game is back to being incredibly predictable
• New month, new goals for the Buckeyes
• A look at Buckeyes who have played tight end under coach Ryan Day
• What Ohio State player had injury issues that hit you the hardest?
• The Big Ten is not good enough for two College Football Playoff teams

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


Adam Cairns via Imagn Content Services, LLC

This one could get ugly in a lot of different ways.

The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0) enter the final month of the regular season with a game against the hapless Northwestern Wildcats (1-7, 0-5). The next three games — against Northwestern, Indiana, and Maryland — should provide the Scarlet and Gray an opportunity to get healthy and work out any kinks before facing their rival and the postseason.


The Buckeyes head to Evanton, Ill. on a day that is expected to be a bit of a mess — both in terms of weather and Northwestern’s chances to win. At publication time, there will be projected wind gusts of 20-25 mph during the game and there is roughly a 25% chance of rain throughout most of the contest.

The weather, coupled with the fact that the Wildcats gave up 33 points and 393 yards — including 173 on the ground— to the offensively-challenged Iowa Hawkeyes last weekend and it could be a very big day for the OSU ground game.

The rushing unit is expected to get a bit of a boost as Miyan Williams is expected to return to the rotation following last week’s Penn State game which saw him get tangled up with the first down chain and injure his hand. While C.J. Stroud will likely still get in his share of pass attempts, expect Williams, Treveyon Henderson, Dallan Hayden, and recently re-converted running back Chip Trayanum to have plenty of chances to tote the rock today.

On offense, Northwestern enters the game with the 89th ranked offense, picking up an average of 362.6 yards per game; OSU is sixth nationally with 509.3. In recent weeks, NU has gone with redshirt freshman quarterback Brendan Sullivan who is completely 73.2% of his pass attempts, but only for 5.9 yards per attempt.

Coming into the game today, the Buckeyes are 33-1 against Northwestern in the last 50 years and it would take a completely unforeseeable upset to prevent them from leaving the Chicagoland area as anything other than 34-1.

When is the game and how can I watch it?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 5 at 12 noon ET
Location: Evanston, Ill.
TV: ESPN
Online: Sling TV
Radio: 97.1 FM | 1460 AM

DraftKings Sportsbook line: Ohio State -38 | o/u 55.5

Official LGHL Prediction: Ohio State 52, Penn State 10

Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 54, Penn State 6

Join the conversation


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

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: Don’t make us choose between Uga and Smokey
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

We just want all the dogs to have fun. Plus, recapping Ohio State’s win over Penn State

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Tia and Meredith 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:


Welcome back to the Play Like a Girl podcast! This week, Tia and Meredith are in their element, because the big game of the week is a matchup of two of the cutest mascots in the FBS, Uga and Smokey and frankly they just don’t know who to pick.

Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images


Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

They also review how Team Cat did vs. Team Dog this week and talk about what we learned about Ohio State’s resilience in a nail-biter against Penn State last week.

Plus, the pair talk about the emerging College Football Playoff picture and marvel at the fact two teams can tie in the AP Poll.

Check out the full pod for more.


Contact Tia Johnston
Twitter: @tiajohnston_

Contact Meredith Hein
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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Northwestern Offensive Player to Watch: Running back Evan Hull
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


USA TODAY Sports

Hull is a one-man band and the Wildcats’ biggest threat to score. With little help around him, all Buckeye eyes should be on the dynamic running back in Evanston.

Ohio State travels to Evanston, Illinois this weekend to play the first of (what should be) two layups scheduled in November. No offense to Northwestern, but the spread is 30+ for a reason. And this is not 2020, when Pat Fitzgerald had one of college football’s best defenses and made a surprise run to the Big Ten Championship Game.

Instead, this year’s Wildcats own a 1-7 record, with losses to Southern Illinois and Miami (OH) during non-conference play. The NU program has struggled immensely since 2018, with 2020 seeming more and more like an aberration with each passing week. I expect their struggles to continue this week, for a variety of reasons. Chief among them is the Northwestern offense.

For lack of a better, more eloquent term, it stinks. And I understand that this is not some new phenomenon. The Wildcats have never been a scoring juggernaut under Fitzgerald, which makes sense given his successful defensive background. Since 2014, they have regularly finished outside the top-100 in points per game... But it wasn’t always like this. Nor should it be viewed as acceptable. Not for a program which has benefitted from having hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into facility upgrades.

Affluent alumni base or not, I would assume that return on investment matters at some point — whether that be financial gain or simply enjoying the product. Not to mention the fact that Fitgzerald is currently the 14th-highest paid coach in CFB. You want three wins per year? I’ll give it a go for far less than $5.5 million, just give me a call.

Now that I have gone on my Fitzgerald tirade – I think he is a good coach by the way, but in the same vein as Kirk Ferentz (comfortable, low ceiling, already peaked) – it is time to start shifting our attention toward the players. Specifically those on the offense, which I so rudely called out. But there is talent on that side of the ball. More than they’ve had in recent years, if you ask me. It just comes down to whether or not offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian can figure out how to use said talent. Unfortunately, I would venture a guess than many (like myself) have serious doubts.

Because Northwestern is two and a half years into the Baja Experience, and points are still nowhere to be found. The Wildcats averaged 16.6 PPG in 2021 to finish 125th nationally. This season, they have improved to 17.9, “good” for 120th. All this after Bajakian’s predecessor was let go despite putting up 24+ PPG in three of his last four seasons.

Which leads me to ask: Where is the upgrade!? You recently had a five-star quarterback in Hunter Johnson, as well as Rashawn Slater and (now) Peter Skoronski, arguably the two best offensive lineman to ever come through your program. There is no reason to be this bad. Coaching is one thing. Gameplan and execution are another. It has all been bad for NU recently.

But one thing you will not hear from me is Evan Hull slander. The fourth-year running back is a bright bulb in an otherwise dark room, and often times carries the Wildcat offense on his back. He is a physical runner and skilled pass catcher, making him a threat on each and every down. One of the signs of a truly special player, is when they are able to make plays with the entire opposition focused on stopping them. Hull can do just that, earning him the title of this week’s Offensive Player to Watch.


The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder hails from Maple Grove, Minnesota, where he was a stud wrestler and running back in high school. Ranked as the No. 6 overall recruit in MN, he chose Northwestern over a number of other schools, and saw the field as a true freshman for the ‘Cats. It took until late in the 2019 season (October), but Hull was eventually sprinkled into the gameplan as a depth piece at RB, before breaking out in a major way against Massachusetts.

After totaling eight carries for just 15 yards during his first two appearances, the freshman was thrown feet-first into the fire against UMass, and passed that test with flying colors. Hull racked up 240 (!) yards and four TD, on 24 carries, for an average of 9.2 YPC. He then settled back into a rotational role for NU’s last game of the season, but by that time, the tone had been set. This guy was likely going to be a workhorse in the not-so-distant future.

But Hull was not given the keys to the proverbial car in 2020. Instead, there was a five-way timeshare in the Wilcats’ backfield – six, if you include QB Peyton Ramsey – and the second-year back from Minnesota finished fourth among Northwestern RB with 25 carries. Despite his limited opportunities, Hull finished just 124 yards behind the team’s leading rusher, who finished the season with 81 carries. That was because Hull averaged 8.4 YPC, at least doubling the mark(s) of those ahead of him in the pecking order. You know what they say in Evanston: When you have an explosive RB, it is best to bury him on the depth chart.

Hull was finally handed the reins last season, and wouldn’t you know it, performed exceptionally for the Wildcats. He rushed for 1,009 yards (5.1 YPC) and reeled in 33 receptions (for 264 additional yards), finishing as the team’s leading rusher and third-leading receiver. In total, Hull accounted for 1,273 scrimmage yards and nine TD, at least tripling the total of every other skill player. He was a one-man offense, even with 11 defenders on the opposite side having him in their crosshairs. That is Darnell Autry or Justin Jackson-type stuff, referring to past Northwestern greats. And Hull has continued his strong play thus far in 2022.

USA TODAY Sports

Through eight games this season, the All-Big Ten candidate has accumulated 1,040 total yards — 579 rushing and 461 receiving. Hull’s yards per carry are down, but he has made up for the drop in efficiency by transforming into NU’s version of Christian McCaffery or Alvin Kamara. Meaning, he is not only the team’s bell cow RB, but also (arguably) its biggest receiving threat. In fact, he leads the Wildcats with 45 receptions and is only nine yards off the team lead for receiving yards. Hull also has three 100-yard rushing games and a 14-catch, 213-receiving yard performance in Week 2.

Despite Evan Hull’s borderline greatness, his team is likely staring down the barrel of a 1-8 record come Saturday. Their defense is not what it has been in years past, and the offense struggles to score points. And again, this is nothing new for Northwestern. Until they are able to achieve balance on that side of the ball, many of their games will resemble a copy-and-paste version of the previous one. But that should not minimize Hull’s achievements. He has the odds (more like the box) stacked against him on a weekly basis, yet all he does is produce. Keep your eyes on him this weekend, as he looks to run past the Buckeyes and up the NU career leaderboards.

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Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell named on Naismith Watch List
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The dynamic guard duo now enter the season with even higher expectations

The Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball team starts their 2022-23 season on Tuesday in front of home fans against the Tennessee Volunteers. On the court for Ohio State will be a pair of guards who had electric seasons last year, leading the Buckeyes to a co-share of the Big Ten conference championship. Now they’re both on the Naismith Player of the Year watchlist.

Their additions shouldn’t come as a surprise. Last year, both Scarlet & Gray splash sisters were named to award watch lists. Sheldon was on the Wade Trophy’s watch list given to best player in the country, awarded by coaches. Mikesell was a finalist for the Ann Meyers-Drysdale award for best shooting guard in the nation, but lost to UConn’s Christyn Williams.

Also, both were named First Team All-B1G in the title season, with Sheldon being only one of two unanimous selections across coaches and media, alongside Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. Sheldon also added a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.

Last season, the Naismith Award went to Aliyah Boston of the National Championship-winning South Carolina Gamecocks. Boston was a finalist alongside Clark before Boston won it all. This season, both Boston and Clark are listed on the watch list for obvious reasons, but there are some Big Ten names on the 50-player list, making up 10 of the 50.

Indiana guard Grace Berger and forward Mackenzie Holmes, Michigan guard Leigha Brown, Iowa’s Clark and forward Monika Czinano, Nebraska guard Jaz Shelley and forward Alexis Markowski and Maryland guard Diamond Miller round out the list for the conference.

Tuesday’s game against the Tennessee Volunteers will feature five Naismith watch list players across both teams. The Vols have guard Jordan Horston, who played high school basketball in Columbus, forward Rickea Jackson and center Tamari Key.

Since the award’s inception on the women’s side in 1983, a Buckeye’s never won the trophy. Only once has a Big Ten women’s basketball player won. Iowa’s Megan Gustafson earned the honor for the Hawkeyes in 2019. Rutgers’ Sue Wicks won in 1988, but that was before the school joined the conference in 2014.

Head coach Kevin McGuff hasn’t coached a Naismith Award winner in his time as a college coach. The closest he came was Washington’s Kelsey Plum, who won the honor in 2017. Plum was with the University of Washington from 2013 to 2017, the same year McGuff left the Huskies to join the Buckeyes.

Ohio State has history with the award on the men’s side. Sheldon and Mikesell, should either of them win, will be the second in school history to lift the trophy after guard Evan Turner did for the Ohio State men’s team in 2010.

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Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Karla Vreš
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The Croatian transfer student adds depth to the Buckeyes forward core.

After adding only one player in the transfer portal for the 2021-22 season, the Big Ten regular season championship-winning Ohio State Buckeyes added three this offseason. A player in that group is a Croatian graduate student with NCAA experience with the Patriot League’s American University.

Karla Vreš is a 6-foot-3 forward who’s worked hard on and off the court, with international success. Can that success transfer to the Scarlet & Gray? Vreš is next on the Land-Grant Holy Land player preview series.


Name: Karla Vres
Position: Forward
Class: Graduate Senior
High School: Jensen Gymnasium Sodra (Stockholm, Sweden)
2021-22 Stats: 3.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.3 apg, .364 FG%, .308 3FG%, 1.000 FT%

Last Year


In three seasons with the AU Eagles, Vreš had mixed results. Last season, following a career sophomore year where the forward averaged 8.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in seven starts and 10 appearances, Vreš took a spot on the bench. That didn’t mean she didn’t make an impact.

While Vreš’ minutes per game were reduced to 11.4 per game, the three-time Patriot League Honor Roll honoree made 21 appearances (two starts) with a career high 240 minutes. On Feb. 19, in one of Vreš’ two starts, she hit a three at the end of regulation to send the game against the Army West Point Academy into overtime.

Although the Eagles lost that game, American University entered the Patriot League tournament as a No. 2 seed and beat Bucknell University in the championship game. Vreš didn’t see time on the court that game, but did play in the lopsided 39-74 defeat to the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA tournament.

What to Expect


Vreš is what you’d expect from a European-based big. She can move in the paint and make the shots expected of a forward, but also threaten outside of the arc. Last season, Vreš hit a career high 16 threes out of 52 chances.

Prediction


Monday’s exhibition blowout for the Buckeyes did include Vreš. The forward came into the game and played the final 5:37 of the fourth quarter. She didn’t take a shot, but added two rebounds and a single assist.

Vreš joins a team that preaches speed and intensity. There’s no doubt that she can learn the system. At 15 Vreš moved from Croatia to Sweden without knowing the language and ended her schooling as valedictorian. Maybe it was because the game was so out of reach, but Vreš’ speed didn’t match starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, her positional competition in the paint. On top of that, fellow transfer Eboni Walker received the lion’s share of minutes at the five position off the bench and impressed.

Expect Vreš to not match the minutes she played last year with American, but she’ll push the forward group in practice. Also, like Mikulášiková, Vreš can hit a long shot. That alone could get the Croatian time on the court.

Highlights


Against Boston University, Vreš (15) had 12 points in 14 minutes. Watch Vreš hit from deep, a turnaround in the paint and a transition lay-up with the AU Eagles.


Miss any player previews? Here’s the list so far:

• Taylor Mikesell
• Eboni Walker
• Madison Greene
• Emma Shumate
• Cotie McMahon
• Rebeka Mikulášiková
• Rikki Harris
• Hevynne Bristow
• Kaia Henderson

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MC&J: Ohio State is a huge favorite over Northwestern in Week 10 Big Ten action
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 Taetsch/Getty Images

The Buckeyes will look to continue their domination of the Wildcats when the teams meet in Evanston on Saturday.

Last week ATS: 7-5 (3-2 B1G, 4-3 National)

Season ATS: 64-72-3 (31-36-1 B1G, 33-35-2 National)

Looking for some advice outside the Big Ten? I have picks for Tennessee-Georgia, Alabama-LSU, and five other national games on Saturday.

B1G games:


(All lines courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook.)

Minnesota (-16) v. Nebraska - 12:00 p.m. - ESPN2

Following a three-game losing streak, Minnesota looked like the Golden Gophers team we saw at the beginning of the season. It didn’t hurt they were taking on lowly Rutgers. Mohamed Ibrahim carried the football 36 times for 159 yards and three touchdowns. The Golden Gophers are at their best when Ibrahim and the running game is working, allowing them to control the clock and wear out the defense.

Nebraska lost their second game in a row last week, falling to Illinois 26-9. Quarterback Casey Thompson was dinged up, and his status for this week’s game is up in the air. Because of the status of Thompson not being known, as well as Minnesota finding a bit of their mojo last week, I like the Golden Gophers here. Even though 16 points seems like a lot, the Cornhuskers can’t stop the run, which is an issue you don’t want to have against Ibrahim. Minnesota wears down the Cornhuskers, sending them to their third straight loss.

Minnesota 38, Nebraska 17


Iowa v. Purdue (-3.5) - 12:00 p.m. - FS1

Even though Purdue dropped their last game to Wisconsin, the Boilermakers still have a great shot at winning the Big Ten West. Next week Purdue takes on Illinois, which makes earning a win against the Hawkeyes even more critical. The Boilermakers didn’t play last week, allowing them to recharge their batteries and make sure they are ready for what they’ll see from the Hawkeyes.

It’s a miracle that Iowa is 4-4 this year, and it all can be attributed to their defense. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, we saw against the Buckeyes that they can be beaten through the air. Even though Purdue doesn’t have the depth of Ohio State at receiver, they do have former Hawkeye Charlie Jones, who has to be eager to take on his old team.

Purdue has been vulnerable at times with their passing defense this year. The Boilermakers shouldn’t have to worry too much this week since the Hawkeyes have a lot of issues moving the ball not only through the air, but also on the ground. As long as Aidan O’Connell doesn’t make too many turnovers against the Iowa defense, the Boilermakers should be in good shape.

Purdue 27, Iowa 14


Maryland v. Wisconsin (-5) - 12:00 p.m. - Big Ten Network

Both these teams will be rested headed into action since they didn’t play last week. The Badgers are coming off a win over Purdue, while the Terrapins beat Northwestern in their last game. After missing the game against the Wildcats, it sounds like Taulia Tagovailoa will return this week at quarterback for Maryland.

The Badgers have been up-and-down since Jim Leonhard took the reins as interim head coach. Wisconsin beat Northwestern and Purdue, with a double overtime loss to Michigan State sandwiched in between. Graham Mertz threw for two touchdown in the win over the Boilermakers, while Braelon Allen ran for 113 yards. Allen is 130 yards shy of reaching 1,000 for the season.

Even though Tagovailoa is returning for this game, I don’t like the Terrapins to go into Madison and score an upset. This Wisconsin team might not quite be the same as we have seen over the years, but they still have a workhorse at running back in Allen. I just think we see a Wisconsin team this week that is closer to what we have come to expect than the Wisconsin team we have seen for a good portion of this season. Plus, I still can’t trust Maryland, who you never know what you’ll get from.

Wisconsin 31, Maryland 21


Michigan State v. No. 16 Illinois (-17) - 3:30 p.m. - Big Ten Network

After such a positive season last year, Michigan State has been pretty embarrassing this year. At least the Spartans can tell themselves that it can’t get much worse after their disgusting display following last week’s game against Michigan. I feel like what they are going through right now might bring them closer together, since it will make the coaching staff ask a lot of tough questions about the team.

As bad as the season has been for Michigan State, this year has been that good for Illinois and Bret Bielema. The Fighting Illini are in the driver’s seat for the Big Ten West, and they have showdowns with Purdue and Michigan the next couple weeks. Chase Brown continues to be the offense for Illinois, carrying the football 32 times for 149 yards last week against Nebraska. Don’t sleep on quarterback Tommy DeVito though, as he can make plays when his number is called.

Illinois isn’t on upset alert, I’m just not liking the Fighting Illini laying this many points. Michigan State hung with Michigan last week, and even with the suspensions I think they can at least stay within shouting distance of Illinois. This feels like a 10-14 point win for the Fighting Illini.

Illinois 24, Michigan State 13


Penn State (-14) v. Indiana - 3:30 p.m. - ABC

Penn State is going to be very angry coming into this game. Not only because they lost to Ohio State last week after leading early in the fourth quarter, but also because they lost to the Hoosiers in Bloomington to open up the shortened 2020 season. The Nittany Lions showed they can hang with some of the best teams in the country, which Indiana certainly isn’t one of. Parker Washington had a breakout game against Ohio State, and should be primed for another strong game against an Indiana defense that allows nearly 260 yards through the air.

The Hoosiers have lost their last five games after a 3-0 start to the season. Even though they didn’t play last week, things have gotten even worse for Indiana since the last time they took the field, as leading receiver Cam Camper was ruled out for the rest of the season because of a knee injury. I’m just not sure how the Hoosiers keep pace against a Penn State team that wants to get the bad taste of last week out of their mouth.

Penn State 41, Indiana 17


No. 5 Michigan (-25.5) v. Rutgers - 7:30 p.m. - Big Ten Network

Honestly, I can’t see Rutgers reaching double digits in this game. It’s not going to be a 78-0 beatdown that we saw the Wolverines hang on the Scarlet Knights a number of years ago, but this game shouldn’t be competitive at all. Michigan will likely try and put as many points up as they can, since they were ranked behind Clemson in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

Even though Rutgers does play hard under Greg Schiano and doesn’t give up, things are going to get ugly in this game for the Scarlet Knights. Maybe Rutgers gives Michigan a little bit of resistance early on, but this game shouldn’t be closer than four touchdowns by the end of the game.

Michigan 45, Rutgers 7


No. 2 Ohio State (-38) v. Northwestern - 12:00 p.m. - ABC

It looked for a few minutes last week that the Buckeyes were going to cover against Penn State. All that matters in the end though is Ohio State won, a cover would have been icing on the cake. The victory over the Nittany Lions can be attributed to J.T. Tuimoloau, who had one of the most memorable individual performances by a defensive player in college football history. Tuimoloau was involved in four Penn State turnovers, which led to 21 Ohio State points.

For as quiet of a game as C.J. Stroud had, he still finished with over 350 yards passing and a touchdown while only missing on seven of his 33 passes. Hopefully the Ohio State offensive staff dump the bubble screen in the trash since it wasn’t working against the Nittany Lions. Really, Stroud should have just kept passing the football to Marvin Harrison Jr., who caught 10 passes for 185 yards, with all 10 of his catches resulting in first downs.

Much like Michigan’s game against Rutgers this week, there is no reason this game should be close. Northwestern is dreadful, having lost seven straight games after their season-opening win over Nebraska in Ireland. Brendan Sullivan has taken over for Ryan Hilinski at quarterback, but it shouldn’t matter in this game since neither quarterback is all that good. The only concern Ohio State should have is with running backs Evan Hull and Cam Porter, who have future NFL offensive lineman Peter Skoronski blocking for them.

We have seen Ohio State jump out on opponents this year and not let off the gas. The Buckeyes have handled their business against lesser opponents, only really struggling with teams that have a little bit of a pulse. Northwestern is definitely not one of those teams. The Buckeyes make it 10 straight wins over the Wildcats with another easy win in Evanston, much like they got in 2019.

Ohio State 52, Northwestern 10

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

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Welcome back, college hoops! Full Big Ten preview, award predictions for the 2022-23 season
Connor Lemons 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

Connor’s fourth annual Big Ten preview is here just in time for the beginning of the 2022-2023 season.

Seven months ago, I sat in the back row of seats in the media room at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh and watched E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham do their best to hold it together and discuss Ohio State’s second-round loss to the Villanova Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament.

Moments earlier in the locker room, they embraced their concussed teammate Kyle Young, who they both knew would never play on the same court with them again. A few months later, Young would retire from basketball. Now they had to speak up to explain what went wrong against the Wildcats, while simultaneously dodging questions about their own futures. Weeks later, they had both entered the NBA Draft.


After the Buckeyes spoke, I listened to hall of fame coach Jay Wright speak on how well-prepared Ohio State was for that game. Wright piled praise on his counterpart and close friend Chris Holtmann, while also giving copious amounts of credit to his veteran core, which included longtime Wildcats Jermaine Samuels and Colin Gillespie. Also unbeknownst to me was the fact that this would be Jay Wright’s final NCAA Tournament. Shortly after taking Villanova to the Final Four for the fourth time in 21 seasons, Wright announced his retirement.

I left Pittsburgh on March 20 understanding that the Buckeyes bowed out to a better, more well-balanced, better coached, and higher-seeded team. Although they failed to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the ninth-straight season, beating Villanova was not a hurdle they were likely to clear. Despite the loss, I hit the highway thinking Ohio State met expectations in the tournament.

Fast forward seven months, and that entire roster is more or less wiped away. Gone are Liddell and Branham, both off to the NBA. Jamari Wheeler, Cedric Russell, Kyle Young, Joey Brunk all got too old. Justin Ahrens and Meechie Johnson hit the transfer portal and moved on to greener pastures.

Zed Key, Justice Sueing, Gene Brown, and Kalen Etzler return, surrounded by four highly-touted freshmen and a three transfers who will try to be the glue that holds it all together. The Buckeyes were picked to finish anywhere from fourth to sixth in the Big Ten this season depending where you look, which is exactly how they ended last season — tied for fourth but sliding to sixth based on tiebreakers.


Despite being the home of nearly a dozen NBA draftees, the B1G sputtered out once again in the tournament, getting two teams to the Sweet Sixteen and none to the Final Four. With that huge surplus of talent gone, will the Big Ten lose its reputation as being one of the premier conferences in college basketball this season? I don’t have too high of hopes for the Big Ten this year, but the bottom four teams in the conference should be so bad that it could prop up the records of everyone else.

Just like I’ve done each of the last three seasons, here are my projected standings for the Big Ten, complete with a little blurb about each program. If standings bore you and you just want to check out awards predictions, those are at the bottom below the team profiles.

Cheers!

(1) Indiana

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The Indiana Hoosiers return over 80% of their minutes from a team that went 21-14 overall last season and 9-11 in Big Ten play. The earned a 12-seed in the tournament and won their play-in game vs Wyoming before getting shoved around by WCC stalwart St. Mary’s, 82-53. Some how, some way, they’ve fooled nearly everyone into picking them as the champions of the Big Ten. I am one of those fools.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Xavier Johnson, Race Thompson, and Miller Kopp are all back. Diaper dandy Jalen Hood-Schifino will slide into the lineup as well, providing the Hoosiers with an all-around scorer and a potential perimeter threat that they so desperately need.

After going 9-11 in conference play and pretty much returning the same core, why do people seem to think they’ll make such a big jump? One reason is the return of TJD, who will make a strong case to be a first-team All American. Another is the fact that Hood-Schifinio has entered the fold. Another reason could be the fact that Xavier Johnson — formerly a Pitt Panther — was red-hot down the stretch for the Hoosiers last season. If he, Kopp, and Schifino can improve on Indiana’s perimeter shooting from last season (33.9%, 10th in the Big Ten) they’ll be just fine.

(2) Illinois

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Unlike Indiana, Illinois lost pretty much their entire roster from last season to now. 10 players who donned orange last season have moved on, whether that was due to being too old or leaving via transfer. But Brad Underwood hit the transfer portal hard, picking up Terrence Shannon Jr. from Texas Tech, and both Matthew Mayer and Dain Dainja from Baylor. Shannon was an impact player for the Red Raiders on the offensive end, while also locking it down as one of the premier defenders in the nation on the other end of the court. Mayer is a skilled, multi-dimensional wing who stands 6-foot-9 and can score in a variety of ways.

After playing sparingly as freshmen, sophomore guards Luke Goode and RJ Melendez will be looked at to fill critical roles in the Illini’s rotation, as well as 6-foot-10 junior Coleman Hawkins, who could be poised for a breakout after averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds per game as a sophomore in just under 20 minutes per game.

The wild card is Skyy Clark, a former five-star recruit who may be asked to run point for the Illini right from the get-go. If Clark quickly shows that he’s one of the premier guards in the conference and lives up to his recruiting hype, he could take Illinois over the top.

(3) Michigan

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Like Indiana, Michigan desperately needed perimeter shooting last season and couldn’t get it from anyone consistently. They shot 34% from beyond the arc, which was 9th in the B1G. However, despite teetering into the NCAA Tournament with a 19-15 record, they made the dance and didn’t even have to play in a play-in game as an 11-seed. They made the Sweet Sixteen for the fifth-straight tournament, and they’ll have a good chance to do it again this year.

Hunter Dickinson, the villain of the Big Ten, is back for his third season in Ann Arbor. Like Jackson-Davis at IU, Dickinson will make a case for B1G POY and first team All-American. However, he can only carry the Wolverines so far. Juwan Howard will need Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn (15.7 PPG, 38.6% 3PT) to facilitate the offense and continue to knock down perimeter shots like he did in the Ivy League.

Michigan will need at least one of their four four-star freshmen to step up and become a double-digit scorer if they want to tangle at the very top of the Big Ten. There’s been a lot of good feedback on Howard’s son Jett, who is expected to start this season for the Wolverines.

(4) Iowa

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Iowa was a five-seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament but were upset by Richmond in the first round. Fran McCaffery is still looking for that elusive Sweet Sixteen, and if he finally makes it it’ll be without Keegan Murray. However, his twin brother Kris — who averaged roughly 10 points and 4 rebounds per game last season — is expected to take a big jump this season with an expanded role.

Murray doesn’t have as high a ceiling as his brother Keegan did, but he very well could be in the mix for B1G POY and all-conference honors. The Hawkeyes operate the same fast-paced, efficient offense every single season, and I don’t see it falling too far back even without Murray and Jordan Bohannon, one of the greatest three-point shooters in college basketball history.

Tony Perkins (7.4 PPG, 1.6 AST) was a fine backup last season, but he’ll be tasked with running the offense this year and shouldering a larger offensive load. Perkins is one of the peskier on-ball defenders in the country, and his presence on the floor will help Iowa be much more than the all-offense, poor-defense team they’ve so often been the last few seasons. Additionally, both McCaffrey sons are both back. Patrick is the team’s leading scorer returning from last year, and will be a fine compliment next to Murray at nearly 6-foot-10.

(5) Ohio State

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nobody seems quite sure what to make of the Buckeyes yet. They were voted to finish sixth in the Big Ten media poll and fourth in the Field of 68’s basketball Almanac. Chris Holtmann’s team went 20-12 last season and 12-8 in the Big Ten, but lost their top-two scorers (Liddell and Branham) to the NBA Draft.

Justice Sueing is expected back after missing all but two games last season with a nagging groin injury he suffered at the tail end of the 2020-2021 season. He was a 14-15 PPG scorer at Cal from 2017-2019, and the Buckeyes will need him to revert to that aggressive state if they want to fight for a Big Ten title. Tanner Holden, a 6-foot-6 forward who transferred from Wright State, will play 20-30 minutes per game for the Buckeyes after averaging more than 20 PPG as a junior at WSU.

Freshmen Felix Okpara and Roddy Gayle will see minutes off the bench in the Buckeyes’ rotation, while Bruce Thornton and Brice Sensabaugh will likely start as true freshmen. Junior center Zed Key averaged 7.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game a season ago, but Chris Holtmann will need the big Long Islander to stay out of foul trouble and play more than the 19.8 minutes per game he played last season.

(6) Michigan State

Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tom Izzo’s Spartans have reached 24 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, but this iteration of Michigan State men’s basketball does not look like one that has the juice to make a serious run in the dance when Izzo inevitably makes his 25th-straight tournament.

Michigan State went hard after West Virginia transfer Jaylen Bridges this off-season to replace some of the height that left with Marcus Bingham graduating, but when Bridges went elsewhere Izzo did not pivot and pursue other options. Instead, he’ll rely on the likes of Joey Hauser and Mady Sissoko down low, neither of which has blossomed even into double digit scorers with Izzo.

MSU has gone a combined 20-20 in the B1G over the past two seasons, and I think they wind up a little better than .500 this season. But I just don’t see Michigan State making a drastic jump from last year when they’re essentially running it back with — mostly — the same personnel.

(7) Wisconsin

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I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t love what Wisconsin returns this season and can’t give a very rational reason for why they won’t be towards the bottom of the Big Ten. Chucky Hepburn passed with flying colors last season as a freshman point guard, and should continue to improve. Steven Crowl was the definition of acceptable at the center position, and should improve a bit more with experience. Tyler Wahl would be a lot better if he could expand his range just a bit, but he’s one of the most slept on players in the Big Ten.

That probably won’t add up to winning a Big Ten title, but who the hell knows with these guys. Last season, most people (including myself) figured Wisconsin would finish in the 10th-12th range. Instead, they won the Big Ten. Wisconsin is inevitable.

(8) Purdue

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On paper, Purdue had the best team in the conference last year and really fumbled the bag down the stretch to somehow not win a share of the conference crown. It’s going to get even harder this year with Jaden Ivey, Trevion Williams, and Sasha Stefanovic all gone — together they scored about 40 points per game.

Zach Edey — the most efficient player in America — returns, but simply throwing one giant man down low and hoping for the best is not going to yield the results some people think it may. Matt Painter will need SDSU/UNLV transfer David Jenkins Jr. to continue to score in the Big Ten at the same pace he did in his previous spots. He’ll need freshmen guards Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith to contribute right away. And he’ll also need guys like Mason Gillis and Brandon Newman to evolve from part-time contributors to all-around guys on both ends.

I don’t like much about this team aside from Edey, unfortunately. I think their potential is capped if some of the guys surrounding him don’t make big strides.

(9) Rutgers


The Scarlet Knights went dancing last season again, but they’ve got some work to do if they want to make their third-consecutive NCAA Tournament. Both Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker are gone, leaving Steve Pikiell with the trio of Paul Mulcahy, Cliff Omoruyi, and Caleb McConnell to pick up the pieces and carry on the momentum this program has been building over the past few seasons.

Mulcahy can score it (9 PPG last season) but is more of a distributor than a scorer. McConnell had a few solid games, but his real talent lies on the defensive end. Omoruyi (11.9 PPG, 7.8 REB) made huge strides this season, and looks like he’s becoming the next great center in the B1G. Even with some question marks, isn’t it impressive that we just give Steve Pikiell the benefit of the doubt now?

Rutgers sure has come a long way.

(10) Penn State


If you’re looking for a sneaky team to catch you off guard this season, look no further than the Nittany Lions. During the first year of Micah Shrewsberry’s tenure, Penn State went 7-13 overall in Big Ten play and also won two games in the Big Ten Tournament. Jalen Pickett really found his groove down the stretch for the ‘Nits, and he’s back to run the show at points. He’ll also be one of their more reliable scorers.

In addition to Pickett, both Seth Lundy (11.9, PPG, 4.9 REB) and Myles Dread (6.2 PPG, 2.7 REB) return to give Penn State a solid base. Shrewsberry also added two high-ceiling transfers in Andrew Funk (Bucknell) and Camren Wynter (Drexel). If one of the two transfers can carry their double-digit scoring with them to the Big Ten, Penn State could make their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

(11) Northwestern


Chris Collins might be on his last leg at Northwestern, but then again we’ve said that each of the past three seasons and it never seems to matter. Gotta go love job security!

Anywho, Northwestern brings back their starting backcourt duo from last season in Chase Audige and Boo Buie, both of whom are capable of winning games all on their own. Ty Berry (7.4 PPG, 2.3 REB) had a very good game in Columbus last season against the Buckeyes, scoring a season-high 23 points. He’ll come off the bench, but will more or less see starter’s minutes. Robbie Beran isn’t spectacular, but he brings size and consistency to Northwestern’s frontcourt that they no long have due to the transfer of Pete Nance, who left for Duke.

Northwestern will win a few games in the Big Ten, but their lack of size and experience in the post is looking pretty brutal. Nance’s unexpected transfer changed the entire outlook of this team.

(12) Maryland


Year one of the Kevin Willard era is probably going to be a slog for ‘Terps fans. Their dynamic (but sometimes frustrating) backcourt duo of Eric Ayala and Fatts Russell is gone, leaving Donta Scott and Hakim Hart as the most important holdovers from Mark Turgeon’s final Maryland team. Willard also brought in four transfers from the portal, although only one of them (Don Carey) played major minutes at a power-five program.

Donta Scott is a very good player, and his shooting numbers (29.1% from 3PT last season after shooting 43.8% the year prior) are bound to come back up. But for Maryland to make the NCAA Tournament, he would need to make a junior to senior jump that I don’t think we’ve ever seen before.

(13) Nebraska


Nebraska is a tough school to recruit to, which is why Tim Miles taking the Cornhuskers to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 was so impressive. Fred Hoiberg has certainly learned that by now, and unfortunately for him his first elite recruit — Bryce McGowens — was so good, he left after one season. The Cornhuskers will without a doubt be one of the bottom teams in the Big Ten this season because of the sheer talent gap between them and teams 1-10.

And if Hoiberg can’t pull off a miracle in Lincoln — which, let’s be honest, 7 Big Ten wins would qualify as a miracle — this may be his final season on the bench there.

(14) Minnesota


I’ll keep it short and sweet — Jamison Battle is one of the best players in the Big Ten, but even he won’t do enough to keep the Gophers out of the basement this season. It’s year two for Ben Johnson, so even an NIT appearance would probably be considered a successful season if Minnesota can get there.

Other Predictions


Aside from standings, here are forecasts for other accolades and awards that will be awarded at the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season:

All-Big Ten Selections: Jalen Pickett (Penn State), Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois), Kris Murray (Iowa), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan)

Big Ten Player of the Year: Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois)

Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana)

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year: Tony Perkins (Iowa)

Big Ten Coach of the Year: Fran McCaffrey (Iowa)

Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year: Tanner Holden (Ohio State)

Big Ten Tournament Championship Game Final: Illinois over Michigan State

NCAA Tournament selections [seeding]: Indiana [2], Illinois [3], Michigan [4], Iowa [4], Ohio State [6], Michigan State [7], Wisconsin [9], Purdue [9], Rutgers [10], Penn State [11]

Coaches potentially on the “Hot Seat”: Chris Collins (Northwestern), Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska)

Team most likely to over-perform: Penn State

Team most likely to under-perform: Purdue

One Bold Prediction


To close it out, I’d like to present my hottest take for the upcoming basketball season. Feel free to comment/reply tweet with your hottest take.

Penn State makes their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 12 years.

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You’re Nuts: Who will be Ohio State men’s basketball’s most valuable player?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Is it someone obvious, or could a new face come out of nowhere to carry the Buckeyes to glory?

Folks. The time is here. It was inevitable, and now it has come. College basketball is officially happening — it is alive and well. As always, the Bucketheads — Connor Lemons and Justin Golba — are back every week with the “Bucketheads” podcast and a weekly “You’re Nuts” article, where they debate different topics around college basketball.


Last week, we debated whether or not we thought the Buckeyes would finish in the top four of the conference this season. Optimistic Justin said yes, while Connor said they would finish just outside the top four and finish fifth in the conference.

The people agreed with Connor, and ‘no’ won more votes than yes.



After 74 weeks (which I am pretty sure is like five years), here are the updated standings.

After 74 weeks:

Connor- 32
Justin- 30
Other- 8

(There have been four ties)


In honor of the Buckeyes starting their season on Monday against Robert Morris, here is our question for this week. Who will be the team’s most valuable player?

Today’s question: Who will be the team MVP this season?

Connor: Justice Sueing

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

If Ohio State is going to realize their potential and compete at the top of the Big Ten and make it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Justice Sueing has to play like the best possible version of himself. If he doesn’t play at least 25 games and average somewhere in the neighborhood of 13-14 points per game, this team won’t come close to winning the Big Ten, and they probably aren’t making their first Sweet Sixteen in a decade.

That’s how important Sueing is to this team. Chris Holtmann was “recruiting” Sueing hard from the middle of the season onward to return for another year, because he knew how unsteady this team could be without a steadying force like Sueing bringing it all together.

It’s been so long, people probably forget that Sueing was a straight-up bucket when he played at Cal, averaging 14.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals (!) per game from 2017-2019. When he finally was able to play for Ohio State during the 2020-2021 season, he only averaged 10.7 points per game, but it was on an efficient 49.1% shooting and on only 7.2 shot attempts per game.

Back then, Ohio State also had Duane Washington and E.J. Liddell demanding the ball, which meant Sueing didn’t need to take nearly as many shots as he did when he was the best player on a bad Cal team. When you look at the numbers, Sueing has always been an efficient scorer, he just hasn’t needed to provide the volume since he got to Ohio State.

This season, Sueing will need to give Ohio State the same minutes and the same shots that he did back when he was at Cal, when he averaged 14.3 PPG on 10.5 shots per game as a sophomore in the PAC-12. The Buckeyes have plenty of players who can give them 8-10 PPG, but Sueing may be the only one who is capable of consistently scoring between 10-15 points each and every night. Ohio State has had “a guy” every year since Holtmann arrived in Columbus: Keita Bates-Diop, Kaleb Wesson, Duane Washington, E.J. Liddell....

Justice Sueing has to be the guy this year.

On top of what he brings offensively, Sueing is 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds. He’s not an elite defender, but he was one of the better thieves (evident by his 1.6 steals per game) in the PAC-12 while he was at Cal. He’s also good for 5-8 rebounds per game, and can switch on defense to guard pretty much anyone except quick, shifty guards.

It’s cliche because Holtmann has said it so many times since Sueing arrived, but he really does so much for Ohio State when he’s on the floor.

Justin: Isaac “Ice” Likekele

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

I thought my optimism last week would be beneficial. Sadly I was wrong. Nevertheless, we move on.

I am going to take a slightly different route with this one. I agree with Connor that Sueing will be Ohio State’s best player. I have been on the “Sueing can be an all-conference player” since he announced he was coming back and was healthy. However, this question is about the MVP which means Most Valuable Player. I think the Buckeyes MVP will be Oklahoma State transfer and fifth year senior Isaac Likekele.

Likekele is coming in as a Swiss army knife for the Buckeyes and is a guy who can score, pass, rebound and guard the one through the five. Likekele is no stranger to playing an important role, playing in 114 games at Oklahoma State and starting in 110 games.

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann talked about Ice and his importance to the squad at Big Ten media days.

“When we recruited him at Oklahoma State his coaches said, ‘Coach, he’s gonna be able to guard 1-5 unless you have a towering center in your league,’ which obviously we have a couple,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. “Outside of those towering presences, he’s going to be able to guard 1 through 5 so we’ve tried to evaluate that, and we’ve put him in positions.”

Likekele also is the ultimate “do anything” guy, as he will guard any position and play any role that he has too to help the team win.

“Honestly, we’ll see as time tells,” Likekele said at Big Ten media day. “I just go out there and do what’s asked of me, and that’s attack from multiple angles, from the perimeter, from the post. They just ask me to be aggressive and be who I am, which is do everything, all-around game.”

Last season, Likekele averaged 7.1 points, 5.5 rebound and 3.4 assists per game. Through his four seasons as a Cowboy, Ice averaged 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He is also a leader, which will be needed on a team with three transfers and five freshman. He is just a guy that goes out and does whatever he needs to do to help his team win and that is what an MVP does.

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Three Things To Watch from the Northwestern Wildcats
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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Buckeyes look to continue their dominance over the Wildcats

Former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel used to preach to his players that “September is for pretenders, November is for contenders.” With the calendar now firmly on the November page, and the Buckeyes currently second in the College Football Playoff rankings, the game at Northwestern is an opportunity for Ohio State to demonstrate that statement to their fans and doubters across the college football landscape.

The oddsmakers have firmly spoken that Ohio State should easily vanquish Northwestern, as the Buckeyes are favored by 38 points. The weather forecast for Saturday’s game is for a rainy and windy environment, but Ohio State should be able to overcome those difficulties. Below are Three Things To Watch from Northwestern as the game kicks off on ABC at 12:00 p.m. ET.

“We’ll have our hands full.” ~ Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald, on the upcoming Ohio State/Northwestern game

1. The Ohio State running game vs. Northwestern’s defense

For the last two games, Ohio State has struggled to run effectively. As written up above, the weather of November in B1G country has a tendency to be more of a factor than during September and October, and it would seem this game represents a chance for Ohio State to figure out what has and has not been working in the running game against a Northwestern defense that has been giving up an average of around 186 yards per game.

A player that I am anxious to see is freshman running back Dallan Hayden. With Miyan Williams possibly being withheld or having reduced playing time due to injury concerns, Hayden has a chance to demonstrate to the coaching staff that he is ready to carry the load, alongside TreVeyon Henderson.

2. The Ohio State defensive line vs. Northwestern’s running game

Northwestern running back Evan Hull is among the few bright spots offensively for the Wildcats. With Northwestern having so much inconsistency at the quarterback spot, Hull has rushed for 579 yards and 3 touchdowns, and is also the Wildcats’ reception leader with 45 catches for 461 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Ohio State’s defensive line was especially disruptive at Penn State last week, and will need to focus more on limiting the running lanes for Hull and his teammate Cam Porter. One of the interior defensive linemen who flashed in the Penn State win is Tyleik Williams, who was credited with 5 total tackles, 1 sack, and 1 tackle for loss. Williams is the kind of “space eater” who could make things even more difficult for the Northwestern running game.

3. Will we see more of the backups?

This has been a lament by Ohio State fans such as myself all season, but at this stage of the season, it is so important to get the backups into the game. Like every other team, Ohio State has players nursing varying degrees of bumps and bruises from the season, and it is important to rest those key starters for the crucial November stretch run. Hayden and Williams are among the players I mentioned that I could see getting substantial playing time in this game to my podcast partner Michael Citro AKA “The Grumpy Old Buckeye” on our latest Silver Bullets Podcast, and it is possible that substitutes could be taking over very early in the second half.

At 1-7, Northwestern is looking at a long offseason of probable coaching turnover. The Wildcats have not been the same since their shot at glory against Ohio State in the 2020 B1G Championship Game, and Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald may start to feel the heat from angry Wildcats supporters. Iowa dominated Northwestern 33-13 last week, and Ohio State had no problems with shutting down the Hawkeyes offensively. Northwestern just does not have the players to keep pace against a deeper and more talented Ohio State team. I have it Ohio State 56, Northwestern 7.

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Ohio State vs. Northwestern: 2022 game preview and prediction
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 Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes will be looking for their 10th straight win over Northwestern when they head to Evanston on Saturday to take on the Wildcats.

Following a trip to State College last week, Ohio State will hit the road again this week, traveling to Evanston to take on the Northwestern Wildcats. While last week the Buckeyes took on a Penn State team with just one loss, now they’ll be going up against a team with just one win on the season.

A game for the ages


Last week the Buckeyes faced their toughest test so far this season, trailing Penn State in the fourth quarter before reeling off 28 points during a seven minute span to secure their sixth straight win over the Nittany Lions. The victory was Ohio State’s second win over a ranked team this year, with the other coming in the season opener against a Notre Dame that was ranked fifth in the country at the time.

The win over Penn State can be attributed to the performance of defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau. The sophomore had one of the best defensive performances not only by an Ohio State player in a game, but by any defensive player in a college football game. Tuimoloau finished with two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, as well as two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Tuimoloau became the first FBS player in the 21st century to accumulate those stats in a game.

When it was all said and done, Tuimoloau’s efforts resulted in 21 Ohio State points. The defensive end was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the week, Walker Camp FBS Player of the Week, and the Maxwell Club’s Chuck Bednarik Player of the Week. In the victory, Tuimoloau showed exactly why he was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school.

The month ahead


Now as the calendar turns to November, Ohio State knows a showdown with Michigan is looming at the end of the month. Before the clash in Columbus with their rivals, the Buckeyes have three games against teams that frequent the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

First up is the Northwestern Wildcats, who have still not won a game on American soil this year. The only win for the Wildcats came over in Dublin in the season opener against Nebraska. Following the victory over the Cornhuskers, Northwestern has dropped games to the likes of Southern Illinois, Miami (OH), and Duke.

History against Northwestern


The last time Ohio State took on Northwestern was in the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. With Justin Fields dealing with a sprained thumb, Trey Sermon set a school record with 331 yards rushing in the game, leading Ohio State to a 22-10 win and a spot in the College Football Playoff. The last trip by the Buckeyes to Evanston came in 2019, with Fields throwing for four touchdowns in a 52-3 win. Ohio State is 64-14-1 against the Wildcats all-time, with a 29-6-1 record in games played in Evanston.

The bar is high


Just how high are the expectations for C.J. Stroud? The sophomore quarterback went 26-33 for 354 yards and a touchdown against Penn State, and there are some talking like the performance lost him a shot at the Heisman Trophy. Stroud now has thrown for 2,377 yards and 29 scores this year through eight games.

It’s understandable to see why some people thought the Penn State game hurt Stroud’s chances, especially with lowly foes Northwestern, Indiana, and Maryland up before the showdown with Michigan. While Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker is likely the favorite for the prestigious award, Stroud should by no means be omitted from the conversation.

More big performances


One Buckeye offensive player that strengthened his case for an end of season award is Marvin Harrison Jr. The sophomore hauled in 10 passes for 185 yards against the Nittany Lions, with all 10 receptions resulting in first downs. Harrison now leads Ohio State with 48 receptions and 10 touchdown catches, and is five yards behind Emeka Egbuka’s team-leading 788 yards receiving. Egbuka had his least productive performance of the season against Penn State, catching six balls for 53 yards.

Along with Harrison, tight end Cade Stover had a huge game against the Nittany Lions. The six passes Stover caught were a career-high, while the 78 yards he amassed was his second-highest total of the season. The output was a great sign after Stover had caught just six passes for 43 yards and no touchdowns over the last three games.

Running scared


Stroud and his receivers needed to be on top of their game last week since Ohio State wasn’t able to get much going on the ground. Following an early touchdown, Miyan Williams was forced to leave the game because of an injury on his second carry of the game. TreVeyon Henderson carried the football 16 times against the Nittany Lions, finishing with 78 yards and two scores. Those numbers were inflated by Henderson’s 41-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Henderson and Williams both have rushed for over 500 yards this year, scoring a combined 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Tommy and Tuimoloau


The star of the game for the Buckeyes was defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, who had one of the best defensive performances ever seen in a college football game. Tuimoloau was able to grab three turnovers in the game. Ohio State has now won 25 straight games where they have forced at least three turnovers in a game. The Buckeyes now have at least one interception in six straight games, which is their longest streak since 2019 when they picked off at least one pass in seven straight games.

Overshadowed by Tuimoloau’s performance was the 15 tackles Tommy Eichenberg recorded. The 15 stops were the second-most stops Eichenberg has had in a game as a Buckeyes. The linebacker’s career high came against Utah when he recorded a Rose Bowl record 17 tackles. Eichenberg is now 28 tackles away from being the first Ohio State linebacker since Raekwon McMillan to reach 100 tackles in a season.

Northwestern at a glance


Northwestern enters this game having lost seven straight games after a season-opening win over Nebraska in Ireland. The most recent of those losses came last week when they fell 33-13 to Iowa. Northwestern was put in a big hole after 30 minutes, heading into the halftime break down 20-0. The Wildcats weren’t able to get anything on the ground, rushing for just 18 yards in the loss.

Northwestern feels like an Iowa with defense. The Wildcats are in the middle of Pat Fitzgerald’s 17th season as head coach. While Northwestern made the Big Ten Championship Game in 2018 and 2020, they haven’t been able to build off that success. Following the success in the 2020 season, the Wildcats were 3-9 last year, and are now 1-7 heading into Saturday’s game.

Questionable quarterbacking


After Ryan Hilinski started the season at quarterback, now Brendan Sullivan is taking the snaps for Northwestern. Relieving Hilinski in the 42-7 loss to Wisconsin, Sullivan has started the last two games for the Wildcats. Last week, Sullivan was 23-30 for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Hilinski and Sullivan have combined to throw for just under 2,000 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Hull yeah


Where Northwestern was expected to be strongest this year is with their ability to run the football. Evan Hull is leading the Wildcats with 579 yards and three touchdowns this year. The Penn State transfer rushed for 1,009 yards and seven scores last year after Cam Porter was injured in preseason camp. Porter is back this year and has rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Porter ran for 61 yards and a touchdown in the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game loss to Ohio State.

Along with being Northwestern’s leading rusher, Hull is also leading the team with 45 catches. The 461 yards receiving Hull has is nine short of Malik Washington’s team-leading 470 yards. Washington has 43 catches on the season. After Washington and Hull, the only other Northwestern receiver with more than 20 catches is Donny Navarro III, who has 29 receptions.

Peter, Peter, defensive lineman eater


One matchup that will be fun to watch throughout the game is Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski against the Ohio State defensive ends. Skoronski is seen as a possible first round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and leads and experienced line that has four lineman with more than 20 career starts. Skoronski has 28 career starts, while Vince Picozzi leads the group with 43 starts, and Ethan Wiederkehr has started 33 games in his career.

Tackle titans


It should be no surprise that Northwestern has some talented linebackers since their head coach is one of the greatest linebackers in Big Ten history. Bryce Gallagher leads the team, and is second in the Big Ten, with 79 tackles this year. With his 12 tackles, interception, and forced fumble against Penn State earlier in the year, Gallagher became the first Northwestern player to record 10 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble in a game since 2011.

Along with Gallagher, Xander Mueller has made some plays this year. The linebacker has 65 tackles, a couple sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. The junior has gotten better as the year has gone on, making at least 10 tackles in two of the last four games. Mueller’s best performance of the year came against Penn State when he was credited with a career-high 14 tackles. A couple weeks later, Mueller made 10 stops against Maryland.

Up against it


The Northwestern secondary will certainly be tested against the Ohio State passing attack. Jeremiah Lewis leads the defensive backs with 52 tackles and is tied with fellow defensive back Cameron Mitchell with four passes defensed this season. Mitchell does have an interception this year. which is one of just five interceptions that the Wildcats have grabbed this year. It’s hard to see Northwestern being able to pick off any passes on Saturday, especially with how few interceptions C.J. Stroud throws.

Mild pressure


Unlike the linebackers and defensive backs, who have some experienced players, the defensive line of the Wildcats is pretty green. There is one exception in Adetominwa Adebawore, who has 33 career starts. Adebawore leads the team with four sacks on the season. As a team. Northwestern has 14 total sacks. Ryan Johnson and Xander Mueller both have two sacks this year, and are the only other Wildcats with at least two sacks this season.

Summary


There really is no reason why Ohio State shouldn’t win this game by more than 30 points. Northwestern is the worst team in the Big Ten and has struggled to score all season long. The Buckeyes have more talent on both sides of the football, and while there are some fans who think otherwise because they expect perfection from Ryan Day, Ohio State is a much better coached team.

This should look a lot like the wins over Arkansas State, Toledo, and Michigan State where the Buckeyes were able to toy with their opponents because of the huge gap in talent and coaching. Ohio State could use Saturday’s game as an opportunity to try and get their running game a little bit of confidence before the showdown with the Wolverines later in the month. The status of Miyan Williams is unknown, but if he isn’t able to go, it will allow TreVeyon Henderson to get some extra work. While Henderson had a big run in the fourth quarter last week, he struggled mightily up to that point against Penn State.

Really, the biggest resistance Ohio State will see on Saturday will because of themselves and mother nature. Sometimes after a big Buckeye victory, the come out of the gates a little sluggish the next week. Last week’s win against Penn State certainly fits that bill. Because of a possible hangover from the win, Ohio State could see their first couple drives not exactly click before they find their rhythm. After that it likely will be smooth sailing.

Also, there is rain and wind expected in the Chicago area for Saturday’s game. Northwestern is notorious for leaving the grass at Ryan Field high to try and slow down some of their quicker opponents. Along with the high grass, we could see a bit more slipping and sliding if the rain shows up as expected. Maybe those factors slow Ohio State down a little early on before the Buckeyes adjust to the elements and assert their dominance.

It’s obvious to see how much the Ohio State defense is improved from the last few years. After keeping opponents from putting many points on the scoreboard over the first few games, now we are seeing the defense create a bunch of turnovers. If the defense can keep taking the football away from their opponents, it is hard to see any team keeping pace with a team that is so good on both sides of the football. This game looks more like the 2019 contest in Evanston than the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game.

LGHL prediction: Ohio State 52, Northwestern 10

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Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Kaia Henderson
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kaia Henderson (11), sits on the bench with Karla Vres, Emma Shumate and Mya Perry in Ohio State’s exhibition win against Notre Dame College, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. | Ohio State athletics

Looking at a standout freshman from Upstate New York

On Monday, the Ohio State Buckeyes continued preparation for their 2022-23 season. It gave fans and media alike the first chance to see the Scarlet & Gray compete. Part of the team didn’t see many minutes, including two freshmen guards. An out-of-state shooter was part of that duo, and they’re next in a series previewing everyone on the roster.

Kaia Henderson joins the Buckeyes from Upstate New York, and brings an impressive resume to Ohio. What’s Henderson’s outlook, and how can she get time on the court?


Name: Kaia Henderson
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
High School: New Hartford High School (Utica, New York)

Last Season


Like freshman teammate forward Cotie McMahon, Henderson opted to leave high school early. Instead of finishing a high school career, Henderson enrolled in Ohio State and joined the team in Jan. 2022.

Before Henderson left New Hartford High School, she was fourth in career scoring in New York’s Section III athletics association with 2,284 points. With only five games left, Henderson was 84 points behind second place on that list, WNBA Champion and former MVP from the Seattle Storm, Breanna Stewart, and 161 off the overall record.

It was a record bound to be broken, with Henderson scoring 55 points just 20 days earlier. However, after suffering a hand injury on Dec. 23, 2021, Henderson left school and headed southwest to Columbus to begin her NCAA career.

What to Expect


As evidenced from scoring numbers above, Henderson is an offensive powerhouse. Standing at 5-foot-6, Henderson isn’t afraid to attack the basket or shoot from deep. Watching highlights of Henderson shows a highly motivated player, who her own high school coach said outworks anybody, and possesses strong mental and physical toughness.

Monday’s exhibition didn’t give a long look at Henderson. Of all 14 rostered players who made it onto the court, Henderson played the least, logging only 2:49. Her desire to play was evident, alongside support from her teammates. In the fourth quarter, as an assistant coach was calling for someone to prepare to enter the game, Henderson half jumped up, appearing to think it was her being called in. Unfortunately for Henderson it wasn't, but when she got in she made the best of her time.

Henderson had a three and two point attempt, hitting the latter. When taking the three point shot, fellow guard Emma Shumate stood up to celebrate a potential long ball from the freshman, but the ball bounced off the rim for a miss. Henderson added a rebound to her two points in a game that was firmly over, ending 118-33.

Prediction


The exhibition doesn’t show much of the freshman, but playing behind a guard group that includes Jacy Sheldon, Taylor Mikesell and Rikki Harris is already going to be an uphill climb. If that work ethic from New Hartford is evident in practices, and Henderson makes the best of the limited opportunities, she could show what she has for the post-Mikesell and Sheldon future.

At the end of the season, if the minutes aren’t there and Henderson can't break through, her motivation makes her a good candidate for a potential transfer portal move. In the same interview from Henderson’s coach, the portal is mentioned specifically as an option that made committing to a team so quickly easier to do.

Read into that what you will.

Highlights


Henderson (11), showing off the skills that made her close to breaking New York Section III’s scoring record. They come from Henderson’s full final high school season.


Miss any player previews? Here’s the list so far:

• Taylor Mikesell
• Eboni Walker
• Madison Greene
• Emma Shumate
• Cotie McMahon
• Rebeka Mikulášiková
• Rikki Harris
• Taylor Thierry
• Hevynne Bristow

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Buck Off Podcast: An honest conversation about Northwestern, Ohio State’s run game, and presser bullets
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 Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Northwestern is not a good football team, but the guys give it their all to get you excited for Saturday.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams. We take an honest look at the Northwestern program from an outsider’s perspective to get prepared for Ohio State’s matchup against the Wildcats.

To get the show started, we open with a discussion about why Northwestern is as bad as they are. Despite recently playing the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Wildcats have been on a downward trajectory, including not winning in the United States for over a year. We get into how Pat Fitzgerald needs to be in a “do-or-die” mindset with the Big Ten’s transition forward and ask the question – is Fitzgerald even trying?

After that, the Buckeyes have started to give away their tendencies in the run game again with their alignment. Ryan Day was asked about it this week in his media availability, so we talk about his answer, getting into Day’s philosophies and how he needs to continue to work on being creative before he gets stagnant again.

Moving on from that, our discussion leads into the press conferences from the week in totality. We talk about Day gushing about Cade Stover, Jim Knowles getting down to business, and Sam Wiglusz representing Ohio State’s receiver room in the southeastern part of the state.

As the show moves forward, the final discussion is about the takeaways you can have from the game and what we can learn about Ohio State despite the opponent being overmatched.

To close out the show, we give our reasons Ohio State will win and score predictions.


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Another top targets sets visit plans this weekend, in-state prospect is high on the Buckeyes
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

It’s crunch time from now until Signing Day to sure up the rest of the 2023 class.

Like most of the talk going on around the 2023 recruiting class for Ohio State, this update also concerns the defensive line position group. The last real pressing need for the Buckeyes in the current cycle, coach Larry Johnson has been working tirelessly to finish the 2023 haul with a bang. The three names worth mentioning have been uttered numerous times already and while the decisions for these top players are getting closer, the job is still not done for any of them and that’s the main aspect as to why Matayo Uiagalelei, Keon Keeley, and Damon Wilson are in the news seemingly every chance available

Speaking solely on Uiagalelei here, the five-star defensive end has visit plans this weekend, and it’s not exactly a program that’s been linked closely to his recruitment, as Ohio State, Oregon and USC continue to be the main schools associated with the St. John Bosco product. At any rate though, Matayo will be in South Bend this weekend checking out Notre Dame. Of importance, Clemson is the opponent for the Irish, and seeing his quarterback brother is likely the main rooting interest for this weekend’s trek.

Not close to a decision, Uiagalelei has been rumored to take his recruitment the distance and potentially sign to the school of his choice much later than the December signing period allows. Focusing mainly on his prep season, much of the buzz surrounding Matayo will likely come at the close of his season and when recruiting can once again take priority.

The No. 33 player nationally, Uiagalelei is the sixth best edge rusher in the class and the fourth best player from California for the 2023 class per the 247Sports Composite, he is very much still considering the Buckeyes, and by some accounts Ohio State is ahead in this one. Patience will have to be a key here for all parties wishing to see him become a member of the class, but with Johnson doing the heavy lifting in this recruitment, you have like the chances of landing Matayo or at least another top elite edge rusher for this class finish.

Quick Hits

• The chances of Ohio State taking two running backs in the 2024 class seems like a pretty safe assumption. After only taking one in the 2022 and 2023 class, the Buckeyes can afford to restock the shelves a bit, but also have the luxury of being pretty picky too as they appeal to several top players at the position across the country. That said, there’s in-state Ohio players that are on the staff’s radar already. With a common theme of taking a top national product and an in-state guy to compliment, that sort of equation for the 2024 cycle doesn’t seem too far off base.

Per Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com, one in-state native that is highly interested in Ohio State and not shy about it, Sam Williams-Dixon (Millersburg, Ohio/West Holmes) has expressed his feelings about the Buckeyes, and is an option the staff is paying attention to as he’s already been on campus this fall for game day visits.

The No. 512 player nationally, Williams-Dixon is the 35th ranked running back in the class and the 20th best player from Ohio per the 247Sports Composite. Without an offer from Ohio State yet, Sam does hold offers from the likes of Tennessee, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, and Penn State among others. If the two parties continue the interest, it’s not out of the question to see the Buckeyes get a little more serious about Williams-Dixon and the potential to keep him at home for his college career.

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Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics ... and DSA

While most people save money so that they can retire some day, there are some professions that people seem to want to do for as long as they can get people to pay them to do it. Joe Biden and a disturbingly high percentage of Congress say hello. Football is another such profession. Those who can get people to pay them to play, tend to play as long as people keep paying them. Tom Brady says hello.

Coaching football is also a profession that people tend to do for as long as they can get people to pay them to do it. Nick Saban tips his cap while preparing to head to Louisiana State; Joe Paterno tips his halo from the heights of heaven (which is much warmer than he expected). You might say that coaching takes this phenomenon to a higher level than any other, as people do it until they can get someone to pay them not to (Ed Orgeron gives a nod from the deck of his yacht), or better yet until several people have paid them not to (Charlie Weis mumbles a greeting with a mouthful of cheeseburger).

This has had a direct impact on the way many fans consume the sport, because sports media draws much of their "talent" from the ranks of former coaches. Because of the nature of the sport, most good coaches are still coaching. This means that sports media gets the leavings of the coaching industry.

Even so, some of these former coaches are by far the best analysts in the business (Urban Meyer says hello). For one reason or another, most of the rest of the analysts are former jocks, who played as long as they could and are now doing the talking-head thing because they can't get jobs as rocket scientists (Desmond Howard says derp).

The one thing that the leavings of the coaching industry and the former jocks have in common is that comparing teams the way that fans do is not really something that was part of their former job. Most of them don't really care about numerical comparisons because it had little impact on the way that they did their jobs in football, and very few (if any) have any idea what numbers can tell you and what they cannot. Most of them will use numbers from time to time, but only to support a point they're trying to make. Whether the numbers they use have any relevant context can be very hit and miss because few of them really understand numbers.

The practical upshot of this is that conversations at sports bars sound nothing like what you hear on the radio and on television, and not because of the presence of alcohol (Don Meredith and Howard Cosell nod and mumble unintelligibly). Many fans understand what numbers can tell us. More importantly, and counter to what you'll hear from the media, we understand what numbers cannot say far better than the overwhelming majority of washed up coaches and players and better than ANY former journalism major.

While we freely admit that numbers have their limitations under the best circumstances, the numbers that we are fed by the media aren't limited because of some inherent inability of mathematics to analyze a game played by 20-year-olds, but rather by the complete absence of context. None of the numbers provided by the media have any context built into them. Worse, many of the numbers they provide have had the context stripped from them, usually by ignorance but all too frequently, with specific intent. If context is inconvenient to the financial partners of the network that you've tuned to, you can bet you won't be hearing any context.

If you're wondering what we mean by "context", the best examples are the questions you yell at your television when former jocks tell you that J.J. McCarthy is the "most accurate quarterback in America" and that James Madison has the "best rushing defense in America". We know they're basing those claims on numbers, but they are numbers that have been stripped of context because the person spewing them found the context to be inconvenient. Does completion percentage automatically mean "most accurate"? Of course not. Nor does fewest rushing yards allowed per game equal "best" defense. There are numbers that can give us a more complete picture of such things, but we will freely admit that they don't fully answer questions like "who is most accurate?" or "who is best?". They are numbers that give us more information with more context based on a larger data set. These things matter whether rocket surgeons like Desmond Howard are capable of understanding them or not.

Our favorite way of adding context and data points is to take your raw stats (like points scored), which is all the media will usually tell you, and compare that to what everyone else does against the teams that you've played. We call this Differential Statistical Analysis (DSA), and it is actually quite simple as we will illustrate below. You don't see it very often (though some YouTube channels, run by fans, not former jocks, use forms of differential analysis) because, in spite of its simplicity, this level of analysis requires a large number of tedious calculations. The 21st Century says: "Hello. We have spreadsheets for that now."

You might want to skip the following 3 paragraphs if you're familiar with DSA. Unless you're an Ohio State fan. Buckeye fans might like this example.

Differential Scoring - Offense

As Ohio State fans, our favorite example of DSA is Differential Scoring Offense (DSO). Take the Iowa game for example: Ohio State scored 54 points. That's one datum. We can add context by comparing it to what Iowa's other FBS opponents did against them. (Yes, ALL games against FCS competition have been eliminated from this analysis. They just muddy the water, not that prospective Mensa member, Desmond Howard, would know that.) Iowa has given up 9.857 points per games against FBS opponents not named Ohio State. Ohio State's 54 points is 5.478 times that number. So Ohio State's DSO for that game is 5.478.

The problem with that ratio and that number (DSO: 5.478) is that most fans are not familiar with them. Is 5.478 good? Well... first let's just use simple logic. If you score exactly the same as what your opponent gives up to everyone else, on average, then your DSO is equal to one, right? Therefore any DSO greater than one is, by definition, better than average and DSO less than one is worse than average. So how good is 5.478?

To answer that question, let's add some more context. Our spreadsheets have calculated the DSO numbers for each team of every FBS game played this season. Ohio State's 5.478 is the highest DSO achieved by any one team against any other team this season. And this despite the fact that Buckeyes were said (rightly so) to have had an off day against Iowa (if only for a half). Seriously... The highest DSO by ANY FBS team all season long when the Buckeyes mostly finger-painted their way through the first half on offense. On a day when Iowa played cover-0 more than they have in years against a team with the best receivers in the game and Stroud threw one post pattern all day (which of course went for a touchdown). A game that could easily have been much more lopsided was still the best Differential performance by any offense all year.

If that's not enough context for you then we could always compare the best DSO performance by every FBS team. Doing that produces the following top-five DSO performances:

Team	Top DSO	Opponent
Ohio State	5.478	Iowa
Penn State	5.250	Minnesota
Tennessee	5.136	Alabama
Central Florida	3.952	Temple
Alabama	3.611	Tennessee

Just looking at the top five there are some interesting takeaways. The top three are the only games of the year where a team achieved DSO greater than 4. All of them were also above 5. Odder still is that Penn State is one of those three teams. Also of note is that the Crimson Tide's trip to Knoxville produced two of the top five offensive performances of the year by this metric (That prepositional phrase should be used a LOT more often when discussing stats. It's called context.).

But did that Tennessee-Alabama game really produce two of the top five performances? Upon further review, it appears that Ohio State's 77-point nuking of the Toledo Rockets produced a DSO of 3.733. This means that Ohio State is the only team in FBS with two of the top five DSO performances of the year.

So far we have been looking at DSO for single games. It works the same way at the season level, because you simply take what you've scored against your opponents and divide it by what all other FBS teams have scored on those teams on a per-game basis. Additionally you can calculate a number that indicates how well a team maintains their DSO when playing better competition. We call the number rigidity. Positive rigidity means you do better against better competition where DSO is concerned, negative numbers are indicative of a team that pads its stats against weaker opponents.

The following shows DSO and Offensive Rigidity (Off. Rgd.), ordered by DSO ranking. We also include Scoring Offense (SO), but it's different from what you'll see elsewhere as FCS games have been eliminated.

Team	DSO	Off. Rgd.	SO
Ohio State	2.546	22.444	48.875
Tennessee	2.249	61.685	47.143
Alabama	1.889	-12.616	43.125
UNC	1.870	-44.788	39.714
Michigan	1.861	-12.367	41.000
Wake Forest	1.797	26.723	38.143
Oregon	1.767	-23.964	38.429
Southern Cal	1.761	-14.161	41.000
Georgia	1.741	2.331	43.000
Penn State	1.658	51.769	33.125
Clemson	1.643	51.044	37.429
Wisconsin	1.642	-84.015	30.857
UCLA	1.610	58.110	38.857

Things to note:

• There is a big gap between the top 2 and everyone else.

• While the gap between 2 and 3 is the first thing that jumps out at you, the gap between Ohio State and Tennessee is bigger than the gap between Alabama and UCLA (bottom of the table).

• Tennessee's rigidity is notable, but because it was built primarily on the game against Alabama it is too early to draw conclusions about it. Rigidity is a fairly new part of these calculations and we are still learning about it. We will learn a great deal more about it from Tennessee's upcoming game as will be discussed later.

• Penn State's presence in the top-10 is surprising to me, as is their rigidity.

• Wisconsin's ranking is a little surprising, but their very poor rigidity gives it context. They have built that ranking by scoring 66 on New Mexico State and 42 on Northwestern and not much besides, hence the fourth-worst rigidity in all of FBS (only Akron, FIU, and Vanderbilt are worse).

• Yes, that's Alabama at number 3. Did you forget about them? Seems like a lot of people are dismissing them. They're still a really good team.

Differential Scoring - Defense

We can do the same for defense that we've done for offense. The only difference is that lower numbers are better.

Team	DSD	Def. Rgd.	SD
Illinois	0.466	-30.944	10.143
Georgia	0.493	59.740	12.000
Michigan	0.545	-29.461	11.500
Alabama	0.608	-63.719	16.625
Iowa State	0.610	-23.436	17.571
Troy	0.698	-73.008	17.714
Ohio State	0.710	-20.473	16.875
Kansas State	0.712	-15.282	19.714
Iowa	0.723	-56.590	17.571
Minnesota	0.728	-83.810	15.000
Texas	0.758	25.056	21.125
NC State	0.794	34.175	19.429
Washington State	0.798	-48.179	21.286
Alabama-Birmingham	0.799	73.006	21.143
Central Florida	0.807	26.226	18.714
Penn State	0.809	-66.358	22.000
Kentucky	0.821	-32.476	22.714
Tulane	0.824	49.798	19.857
Louisiana State	0.825	-48.729	21.714
Tennessee	0.827	-68.504	20.571
Notre Dame	0.829	56.117	22.125

Notable:

• Did you forget about Alabama? A lot of people have. They're the only team that is in the top-four in both DSO and DSD.

• More teams were included for defense because some of the top-21 are significant/surprising.

• Tennessee in the top-20? Yeah... that's one of the surprises.

• So is Notre Dame at 21. Raw stats would have you believe they're 40th in Scoring Defense.

• Ohio State's appearance at #7 is impressive, but...

Any time you add context to numbers you have to think critically about the limitations of your numbers. One thing not captured here is how much time each team's defensive back-ups spend on the field in blow outs. And because Ohio State's DSD and its defensive rigidity were both negatively affected by garbage time the question becomes: "How much was Ohio State affected compared to everyone else?"

The problem with that question is that there isn't a convenient source of information that we could neatly import into a spreadsheet to supply an answer for us. There might be a way of reducing it to numbers, but ain't nobody got time for that.

We can however compare how much Ohio State has blown their opponents out to how much other teams have done so. Rather than quibble about what defines a blow-out (most discussions about numbers devolve into arguments about how different terms are defined), here is a table that compares the top teams based on how much they've outscored their opponents (total points scored (per game) minus total points given up (per game)).

Team	Pt Diff per gm
Ohio State	32.00
Georgia	31.00
Michigan	29.50
Tennessee	26.57
Alabama	26.50
Southern Cal	17.00
Clemson	16.43
Texas	15.25
Illinois	15.14
Central Florida	14.14
Texas Christian	13.43
Minnesota	12.57

Notable:

• To the point we were making, the Buckeyes are winning by a bigger margin than anyone, so it seems likely that they are spending as much time playing backups on defense as anyone, or as near as makes no matter.

• This is especially true when you consider the absolute cliff of a drop off after the top-five above.

• Outscoring people by 32 points a game is ridiculous. That's not likely to go down this week. More on that later.

Differential Scoring Composite

As simple as it is, point difference per game was an interesting comparison. A similar way to rank teams by a single number is to compare the differential numbers instead of the raw scoring numbers. If we just divide DSO by DSD, we get a sort of Differential Scoring Composite (DSC - why not?) that we can use to rank teams. This one number takes all of the data and context of DSO and DSD and combines it into one concise means of comparing teams that is far more meaningful than the vast majority that is thrown at you by people who can't find anyone to pay them to coach or play football (or do rocket science or brain surgery or some combination of the two). Here are the Top-25 Plus One in DSC.

Team	DS Comp
Ohio State	3.584
Georgia	3.534
Michigan	3.417
Alabama	3.107
Tennessee	2.718
Illinois	2.608
Penn State	2.050
Kansas State	1.951
Texas	1.939
Central Florida	1.840
Clemson	1.734
Louisiana State	1.712
Southern Cal	1.710
Minnesota	1.702
Utah	1.676
Mississippi State	1.647
Syracuse	1.592
Wisconsin	1.525
Maryland	1.511
Notre Dame	1.509
Oregon	1.501
Tulane	1.489
Louisville	1.488
UCLA	1.474
Texas Christian	1.465
Iowa	1.455

Some questions remain:

• Did you forget about Alabama?

• How is Alabama ahead of Tennessee? Simple. If you know this sport, you know the better team doesn't always win in any particular game. I am NOT saying that Alabama is better than Tennessee; the numbers are not saying that either (they can't). What the numbers are giving us is a point of comparison and a reason to think that it's possible that the better team (overall) did not win that game. People have been far too quick to count the Tide out.

• Like it or not, That Team Up North is playing very good football. Somehow they've rallied around the guy that tried to leave them for the NFL (and failed). They've even, as a group, taken on some of the more unique aspects of his personality, but I digress.

• DSC does not like Clemson nearly as much as a certain committee does.

• Many people, in their desire to heap derision on said committee, have taken up the cause of Texas Christian. I wasn't that convinced before I ran the numbers; I am less convinced now. DSC has enough context built into it that I can state flatly that anyone ranked 25th in DSC should not be in a 4-Team playoff. (Neither should anyone who is ranked 11th).

• I may not have agreed with some about Texas Christian, but I did agree with them about Louisiana State. I thought #10 was way too high for the Tigers, but my own DSC says they're #12, even though their offensive and defensive rigidity averages out to -47.22, which is lower than anyone else in the top-12. Still, that ranking is a surprise to me.

• Penn State may not be elite, but their having the 7th-best DSC in FBS makes them an unequivocal quality win, especially at their house.

• Texas in the top-10 is astonishing.

• Ohio State has played four of the top 26 in DSC. They have played one of the top 25 in the polls including the committee's ranking.

Game Predictions

All that is left to do is to use our differential numbers and combine them with raw stats and the rigidity numbers to come up with predictions for some of this Saturday's games. As rigidity is a fairly new component to this analysis, it's use in the algorithm is still in flux, but the gist is that a positive offensive rigidity will make your score go up, as will a negative defensive rigidity by your opponent. Having said that, and skipping over a great deal of tedious detail (but with a reminder that I never bet real money myself and neither should you), here are some DSA predictions for some of Saturday's games.

Tennessee at Georgia

Team	SO	SD	DSO	DSD	O Rig	D Rig	DSC
Georgia	43.0	12.0	1.741	0.493	2.331	59.74	3.534
Tennessee	47.1	20.6	2.249	0.827	61.685	-68.504	2.718

I mentioned before that this game might teach us a lot about how to use rigidity in these calculations. Before I continue: Please note that rigidity does not mean toughness; it has nothing to do with that. It just means how well differential numbers are maintained against better competition.

Georgia's defense holds up very well against better competition with a rigidity over 59. And Tennessee's offense is certainly better competition, with the second-ranked DSO in FBS and a spectacular rigidity of 61.685. Something has got to give there.

The other side of the equation might hold the key to what will happen in this game. Georgia's offense has average rigidity while Tennessee's defense does not hold up against better competition at all with rigidity below -68. This suggests we should modify Georgia's point total upward.

Doing so gives us the following DSA prediction:
Alabama at Louisiana State

Team	SO	SD	DSO	DSD	O Rig	D Rig	DSC
Alabama	43.1	16.6	1.889	0.608	-12.616	-63.719	3.107
Louisiana State	30.9	21.7	1.413	0.825	-45.712	-48.729	1.712

Both defenses are less rigid than the opposing offense, but numbers this low all around won't affect the outcome much, at least not the way the algorithm works right now. As stated previously, the use of rigidity is being tracked and will be optimized over time.

Prediction:
Texas at Kansas State

Team	SO	SD	DSO	DSD	O Rig	D Rig	DSC
Kansas State	30.6	19.714	1.390	0.712	-45.702	-15.282	1.951
Texas	36.4	21.1	1.469	0.758	18.982	25.056	1.939

Some of you may be wondering why we're including this game. Others of you may have looked at the rankings and the Vegas odds and been wondering which of them is right, because they can't both be. Kansas State is #13 in the playoff rankings and Texas is #24. Yet Vegas has Texas as the favorite (by just 1.5 points). DSC likes both teams better than the committee does, ranking KSU 8th and Texas 9th. That answers the question of why we're including this game – it should be a good one. Texas's tendency to play better in big games (see the rigidity above) might be the deciding factor in this one.

Prediction:
Wake Forest at NC State

Just kidding. I don't care.

Ohio State at Northwestern

Team	SO	SD	DSO	DSD	O Rig	D Rig	DSC
Ohio State	48.9	16.9	2.546	0.710	22.444	-20.473	3.584
Northwestern	17.0	28.4	0.795	1.204	-40.676	25.012	0.660

The raw DSA for this one predicts the highest offensive output that we've ever seen for a DSA prediction. There are some exigencies that might bias the prediction toward an even higher number under normal circumstances. Ohio State just played two good defenses and are now facing a sub-par defense. The DSA spreadsheets allowed us to examine all of the times that that's happened in FBS this year. It has happened eight times, with five of those eight having occurred in the Big Ten, and with two of those having had Northwestern as the sub-par opponent after the two good defenses (Ohio State and Illinois were the two good defenses in both cases, oddly enough). In all of those cases, the offense had a better than average day against the sub-par defense; not by raw stats, by differential stats. But recall that we said "under normal circumstances". These are not normal circumstances. The most important number in Evanston on Saturday (when it comes to the spread and especially the over/under) is 30: That's the forecasted wind speed in MPH.

Prediction:

Ask LGHL: Is C.J. Stroud still the Heisman Trophy frontrunner?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

Question: Is C.J. Stroud still the Heisman Trophy frontrunner?


In a word, nope. This train has been coming since Hendon Hooker and the Tennessee Volunteers beat Alabama in mid-October, and there is nothing that the college football powers that be love more than an underdog-from-a-traditional-power-makes-good-out-of-nowhere story.

Now don’t get me wrong, Hooker has been great this year, and I’m not even arguing that he doesn’t deserve the Heisman more than Stroud does, but his ascendency was predetermined as soon as the Vols pulled off the upset last month. All he had to do was keep beating the middling teams on his schedule, and he would assuredly become the favorite by the time they made the trip to Athens on the first weekend of November.

Well, that weekend is now. If Hooker puts up monster numbers — even in a loss — I feel like the trophy will essentially be his. However, if he is just ok and the Dawgs lose, that should open the door for Stroud to step back in, especially if he balls out against TTUN at the end of the month.

Currently, the oddsmakers over at DraftKings Sportsbook officially have Stroud in second place by a relatively smaller margin. Hooker comes in at -110, making him the odds-on favorite, while Stroud is at +190.



That means that to make $100 on a Hooker bet, you would have to wager $110. But, a $100 bet on Stroud would net you an extra $190. That is a pretty shocking disparity, at least to me, considering how firmly Stroud had hung onto the lead for the first two months of the season.

However, when you consider the fact that USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Mitten Men running back Blake Corum are tied for third at +1500, it puts Stroud’s odds (and his ability to erase the deficit) into perspective.

For what it’s worth, Marvin Harrison Jr. is tied for 14th best odds at +15000.

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

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Big Ten men’s basketball preview: Nebraska Cornhuskers
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Fred Hoiberg era has been bleak to say the least.

Team: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Coach: Fred Hoiberg (fourth season)
2021-22 record: 10-22 (4-16)
Season finish: No postseason

Players returning: C.J. Wilcher, Quaran McPherson, Lat Mayen, Derrick Walker, Keisei Tominaga, Wilheim Breidenbach, Oleg Kojenets

Players departed: Bryce McGowens, Trey McGowens, Alonzo Verge, Eduardo Andre (Fresno State), Keon Edwards (Milwaukee), Trevor Lakes (Southern Indiana)

Key additions: Ramel Lloyd Jr., Denim Dawson, Blaise Keita, Jamarques Lawrence, Sam Greisel (North Dakota State), Juwan Gary (Alabama), Emmanuel Bandoumel (SMU)

Outlook


Over the past three seasons, wins have been hard to come by in Lincoln. Since Fred Hoiberg came back to college from the Chicago Bulls and took over at Nebraska, the Huskers have not finished higher than 13th in the 14-team conference, and have yet to record a winning record. After losing their top scorers in Bryce McGowens and Alonzo Verge, the road looks rocky again for Nebraska.

McGowens and Verge combined to average over 30 points per game for the Huskers last season, and Nebraska will look to transfers like Sam Griesel (North Dakota State), Juwan Gray (Alabama) and Emmanuel Bandoumel (SMU) to help returners Derrick Walker and CJ Wilcher take over that scoring prowess.

Walker and Wilcher return after averaging 9.5 and 8.1 points per game, respectively. They were third and fourth on the team, and will have to take pretty big leaps this season to make Nebraska competitive. Sierra Canyon’s Ramel Lloyd Jr. also comes to Lincoln as a top 100 recruit that will look to make an impact right away.

The three transfers they have coming in are all talented, but can they be good enough and be good enough fast enough to help the Huskers win some games early is the question that needs to be answered.

X Factor


Sam Greisel. Greisel is a Nebraska guy who returns home to help bring Nebraska back into the light. Greisel went to high school just down the road at Lincoln East, and now he is returning to Lincoln to finish out his collegiate career after four years at North Dakota State.

Greisel averaged 14.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last season at North Dakota State, and 9.9 points and 5.6 rebounds for his career. He also shot 48 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the arc last season.

According to his new head coach Fred Hoiberg, Greisel wants to do one thing: Win.

“I’ll just go back to when Sam came on his official visit and sat in my office and I was in there with his mom and dad ... and all he talked about was winning,” Hoiberg said at media day. “It was very refreshing. A lot of times when you’re sitting in those meetings the questions are, ‘How many shots am I going to get? How many minutes am I going to play? What role do you anticipate for me?’ All Sam cared about is he wanted to get this program to where it’s never been because he was a passionate Nebraska fan growing up.”

Griesel has grown comfortable in Lincoln quickly off the court, which is important for his growth on the court.

“I’m just getting comfortable playing with the new guys, and they’ve made it really easy to do,” Griesel said at media day. “It’s a really fun group to play with, and the more reps that we get with each other, the better we’re going to get.”

Griesel had offseason surgery and is 100 percent ready to go.

“I stand up, start limping, and I remind myself, ‘No, it doesn’t hurt,’” Griesel said at media day. “‘I don’t have to do this anymore.’ That’s a relief and a really good feeling.”

Prediction


Nebraska has not been good, and they still are not good. Bringing in guys like Greisel, Gray and Bandoumel was important to at least give them a chance, but these are all guys that will need to make major jumps in their game, along with Walker and Wilcher, to help the Huskers win games.

Ultimately, I think it will be a long season in Lincoln. The Big Ten is talented and deep, and this Huskers team does have some talent, but they are relying on a lot of unproven guys and guys that have not played at this level yet.

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Film Preview: A quick look at Northwestern, what we can learn from Ohio State in the matchup
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 Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This game against Northwestern will be televised, so we will take a look at the Wildcats ahead of their matchup against Ohio State.

After Ohio State’s toughest matchup of the season so far, the Buckeyes are set to travel to Northwestern for another road game. The last time these two teams faced off, Northwestern made the game interesting, limiting Justin Fields as a passer which in turn led to one of the greatest run performances in Ohio State by history Trey Sermon.

The mighty have fallen. The Wildcats have been on a downward trajectory since their recent Big Ten Championship appearance. Their offense has regressed despite bringing in a multitude of Power-5 transfers at the quarterback position and having a few draft picks on the offensive line. There is no definitive identity; They try to run the ball, but they have given up leads early and have been forced to throw.

Defensively, all the aspects that made Northwestern so competitive in the past are no longer apparent. The discipline in their Cover-4 shell does not limit explosive plays, and the lack of commitment in run fits have made for a defense that doesn’t

Now, rather than recycling all the jokes made about Iowa’s offense, this article is going to still be serious. As serious as it can be because Northwestern is not a good football team. They do not do anything well, and Ohio State should roll.

Northwestern’s Offense


Getting started with the offense of Northwestern is like getting ready with stale bread at a restaurant — you’d rather just not have the bread. The Wildcats score 17.0 points per game, good for 120th in the country, and average 4.7 yards per play, which ranks 105th. Over the last few weeks the offense has shown a little life since transitioning to backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan. The lone bright spot is running back Evan Hull, who can only do so much.

Run Game

Looking at the run game here, Northwestern is in 20-personnel, meaning they have two running backs and zero tight ends. They run an inside zone concept to the offset back (No. 26) on the left, and the other running back lead blocks through the hole. Penn State does a great job of penetrating at the snap, but the play is made by their safety filling. Ohio State’s safeties will need to be prepared to help in the run game. If they can stay disciplined they should be able to win the early downs.


Northwestern does try to find creative ways to run the ball, but that does not mean the creativity is rewarded. The Wildcats lineup in 12-personnel with their quarterback under center. They motion the quarterback out, this means the play is a direct snap to the running back. The play is ruined by the bad snap, but the trickeration here does the opposite of deceiving Penn State. By motioning the quarterback out, the defense knows the play is going to be a run. This allows the defense to pin their ears back.

Staying disciplined and not overthinking are the two ways a defense can slow down Northwestern’s offense. They will try to create conflict with trickery like this play, but as long as Ohio State reads their keys, they should be able to hold up.


Passing game

The passing game has not been consistent over the past few years for Northwestern. Unable to find a quarterback who can provide consistency and the lack of dynamic playmakers really tells the story. For a team with a first round offensive tackle, they have been unable to protect the quarterback consistently. This has led to a passing game that ranks 100th in yards per completion with 6.5 yards per completed pass.

On this first play, Northwestern is looking to stretch the field and push the ball vertically. Penn State runs a loop on the defensive line and the right guard doesn’t slide to take the looper. This creates pressure for the quarterback and he overthrows the post route. This leads to an easy interception with the safety sitting over top. With how Ohio State’s defensive line is playing, pressure can win this game early.


Northwestern does find success at times, especially getting the running backs involved. They do this by running screens or wheel routes. Evan Hull is a talented pass catcher which creates some mismatches.

In the play below, Maryland is in man coverage. When Northwestern motions the receiver across to the bunch formation, Maryland shifts their defensive backs with the trips side safety walking down. Northwestern runs multiple in-breaking routes, which leads to the linebacker responsible for the running back getting caught in traffic. Hull fakes pass-pro, then runs a wheel route late leading to him being alone in space and scoring a touchdown.


One of the biggest issues for Northwestern is their pass-protection. This leads to a lot of sacks and throws under pressure for the quarterbacks. Maryland shows pressure and drops three players out from the pressure look. They end up only bringing four rushers, but the Northwestern line does not slide the direction of the additional rusher. The running back runs a route, and rather than checking to keep the running back in, they allow for a free rusher.

This leads to a sack from just a bad protection call. Ohio State could show pressure a lot to take advantage of this on Saturday.

Northwestern’s Defense


Northwestern has never been an offensive juggernaut, but their defense made up for it by playing complimentary football. Northwestern’s head coach Pat Fitzgerald has led a defense that does not give up big plays in coverage, tackles well, and limits red zone touchdowns. The issue is they have not done any of those three traits well this season.

Run Fill

Northwestern has played hesitant in filling in the run game. Their linebackers have also been undisciplined in their pursuit. Penn State runs an outside zone with a lead blocker through the lane. The Northwestern linebacker (No. 33) to the play side reacts late, then he over-pursues, which allows the offensive line to wash him out of the play. Penn State got to the second level blocking, and this gave the running back a huge hole to run through. The other linebacker reacts late, but is able to make a play that saves this run from turning into a huge gain.


Northwestern had to defend against Maryland’s 11-personnel with a Pistol set. This is interesting because of all the talk this week about Ohio State’s run-game tendency out of the pistol. The Buckeyes ran 100 percent of the time out of the pistol against the Nittany Lions, and Northwestern did a good job of limiting Maryland.

Maryland runs inside zone with a motion action to a bubble screen. Northwestern keyed on a tendency. The motion gives away which side the run is going, and this allows Northwestern to blitz the backside safety. By being able to attack from the backside, Northwestern is able to disrupt this run-action. Ohio State has given away tendencies recently and Northwestern will be prepared.


Coverage

Northwestern in coverage is simple, and in previous years the Wildcats were able to maximize these coverages through discipline. The variety for Northwestern includes almost every coverage, but they play predominantly Cover-4 with a two-high safety shell.

The next play shows how taking underneath throws and being patient can keep drives against Northwestern on schedule. Penn State is in a 3rd-and-6 situation and Northwestern is in Cover-4. This coverage’s goal is to keep the receivers in front of the defensive backs and allow the defensive backs to make plays on the ball. The issue is by keeping cushion, offenses can take the yards the defense is giving them, which is what Penn State does here. They throw a hitch route at the sticks and the Northwestern DB gives the receiver too much space, leading to a first down.


Near the goal line, Northwestern runs a man-coverage across the field. They play a catch technique at the goal line or in front of it. Northwestern did a good job against Maryland at limiting the pass in the red zone, and Maryland was unable to find success through the air. In this play, the defensive backs do a great job of playing at different levels, avoiding any picks at the second level. This gives them the ability to stay on their receivers and not give a window for Maryland’s quarterback to throw the ball.

Northwestern does not have the talent it had a few seasons ago, but they still do play with discipline, sticking to their coverage rules. Ohio State’s explosive ability will be challenged, and if Ohio State can’t stay patient, Northwestern can find success slowing them down.


Pressure

The last thing Northwestern does at a higher percentage is show and bring pressure through blitzing. Against Maryland in 3rd-and-7, Northwestern shows they are bringing six defenders. They drop two linebackers back into coverage and bring a late blitz from the nickel safety position. Northwestern is well-prepared for the crossing vertical routes by Maryland, and the late blitzing defensive back gets home for a sack. By bringing pressure, Northwestern aids their coverage by showing pressure, and the blitz game finds most of the defensive success for the Wildcats.


Northwestern has not won a football game in the United States in over a year. Their record against the Big Ten has gotten in worse over three consecutive seasons. Ohio State will still have to take this game seriously on the road. This is an opportunity for the Buckeyes to regain confidence in the run game and get back to limiting big plays defensively.

As we looked at today, Northwestern does not have a lot of explosiveness or athleticism on either side of the ball. The discipline Northwestern coaches has not been enough to make up for the talent disadvantages the Wildcats have had the last two seasons on defense. On offense, the lack of dynamic play-making from the quarterback position and receiver positions has been an issues. Teams have been able to load up the box and limit the one thing Northwestern is good at.

Ohio State needs to go to Ryan Field and take care of business in the trenches. This is not the Northwestern the Buckeyes last saw, but they will play hard, which will provide Ohio State a challenge. The challenge from Northwestern probably won’t last long, but if they end up making this game interesting, the Buckeyes will need to be ready.

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MC&J: The Tennessee-Georgia showdown takes center stage on this week’s national slate
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 John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Two teams ranked in the CFP top-three will square off in Athens on Saturday afternoon.

Last week ATS: 7-5 (3-2 B1G, 4-3 National)

Season ATS: 64-72-3 (31-36-1 B1G, 33-35-2 National)

It was great to pull a couple games back last week. There were a few that left a sour taste in my mouth, though. Michigan won by 22 when they were a 23-point favorite, and Texas A&M lost by three when they were a 2.5-point underdog. Ohio State was also covering before a Penn State touchdown left the Buckeyes a couple points shy. A 7-5 week is nice, don’t get me wrong. I just really wanted that 9-3 or 10-2 week that was within reach.

National games:


(All lines courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook.)

Texas Tech v. No. 7 TCU (-9.5) - 12:00 p.m. - FOX

TCU has done everything asked of them this year, and they are still ranked No. 7 in the first CFP rankings of the year. The Horned Frogs have blown the doors off Oklahoma, rebounded from deficits against Oklahoma State and Kansas State, and last week went on the road and won in a tough environment at West Virginia. Max Duggan has 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions this year, while running back Kendre Miller has rushed for 851 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Texas Tech is a really tough team to get a read on. The Red Raiders beat Texas in overtime, lost to Kansas State and Oklahoma State, destroyed West Virginia, and then got blasted against Baylor. Which Texas Tech shows up on Saturday? Behren Morton got the start at quarterback against the Bears, throwing three interceptions and completing just 11 of 34 pass attempts in the blowout. Red Raider quarterbacks have been pretty careless with the football this year, throwing 15 interceptions through eight games.

I’m not as worried about TCU in this game as I am the next two weeks, when they travel to Texas and Baylor. Maybe the Red Raiders rebound this week after the ugly loss to Baylor, I’m just not seeing it happening. Morton and backup quarterback Donovan Smith make too many mistakes for me to have any faith in Texas Tech pulling the upset or cover here. TCU is the type of team that feasts off turnovers. Duggan and company win their third straight game by at least 10 points.

TCU 48, Texas Tech 31


No. 19 Tulane (-7.5) v. Tulsa - 12:00 p.m. - ESPNU

After wins at Kansas State and Houston earlier in the year, Tulane has their sights set on the a New Year’s Six spot as the Group of Five team. Had it not been for a 27-24 loss to Southern Miss at the end of September, right now the Green Wave would be undefeated. Tulane doesn’t do anything that is going to blow you away, they just play solid defense and can move the football through the air and on the ground.

It feels like Tulsa tries really hard, they just aren’t very good. The three wins by the Golden Hurricanes this year have come against Northern Illinois, Jacksonville State, and Temple. Not exactly any victories that are going to blow you away. Honestly, the biggest win by Tulsa this year was a 35-27 loss to Ole Miss. While Davis Brin and the offense can move the football, their defense provides little resistance for opponents.

Following Saturday’s game, Tulane has a tough finish to the season with home games against UCF and SMU before closing out the regular season at Cincinnati. Willie Fritz knows how important it is to win at Tulsa to head into those three games with just the one loss. The Green Wave are a more talented and disciplined team, which will become obvious once the game starts on Saturday.

Tulane 34, Tulsa 20


No. 1 Tennessee v. No. 3 Georgia (-8) - 3:30 p.m. - CBS

Right now Tennessee is the flashy sports car, while Georgia is that reliable car that isn’t as fast and a few years old, but it gets you where you need to go. Following a win over Alabama a few weeks ago and a blowout of Kentucky last week, the Volunteers sit atop the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season. It’s safe to say that whatever team wins this game will be ranked first next week.

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is having an incredible season, having thrown for 2,338 yards and 21 touchdowns through eight games. The scary thing is Hooker might be even better than we saw against Alabama since top wide receiver Cedric Tillman is back from injury. While Tillman was out, Jalin Hyatt picked up the slack and is currently leading the country with 14 touchdown receptions.

Despite having their best season of football in years, I’m just not sure Tennessee is able to get two marquee wins in the same season. Georgia might not have an offense that can match what the Volunteers do, but the Bulldogs certainly have a defense that can slow Hooker and company down. Even though Georgia took a hit when Nolan Smith was lost for the season to injury, I like their defense to frustrate Hooker and hold Tennessee in check between the hedges.

Georgia 38, Tennessee 24


No. 6 Alabama (-13.5) v. No. 10 LSU - 7:00 p.m - ESPN

How incredible is Alabama? This marks the first time since 2010 that they have entered the LSU game not ranked in the top-five. Following a loss to Tennessee three weeks ago, the Crimson Tide dominated Mississippi State 30-6 in Tuscaloosa before having a week off last week. Even though Alabama was able to win easily, there wasn’t much that stood out about the game with the Bulldogs. Bryce Young was 21 of 35 for 249 yards and two scores, but the running game wasn’t able to get going. Alabama rushed for just 29 yards on 27 carries in the win.

Much like Alabama, LSU was also off last week. The Tigers did have an impressive win two weeks ago, running away from Ole Miss in the fourth quarter. Arizona State transfer quarterback Jayden Daniels is getting better as he is becoming more comfortable in the LSU offense. Over the last two games, Daniels has 11 total touchdowns, throwing for five scores, while adding six touchdowns on the ground.

I get that Alabama is Alabama, I just can’t figure out why they are favored by nearly two touchdowns. Honestly, I think LSU can win this football game straight up. I’m not putting a whole lot of stock into the Alabama win over Mississippi State since the Crimson Tide put the Bulldogs in a corner every year. I’m going to follow my gut and take LSU to win. Even if the Tigers don’t win, they shouldn’t lose by more than two touchdowns.

LSU 31, Alabama 27


No. 24 Texas (-2.5) v. No. 13 Kansas State - 7:00 p.m. - FS1

Anybody that says they thought Kansas State was going to beat up on Oklahoma State like that is a liar. Too bad we didn’t get a clip of Mike Gundy screaming “I’M A MAN! I GOT BEAT BY 48 BY K-STATE!”. Will Howard was outstanding at quarterback with Adrian Martinez not available for the game because of injury. Howard threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns, while Deuce Vaughn added 158 yards and a score on the ground.

Unlike Kansas State, Texas is coming into this game coming off a 41-34 loss to Oklahoma State. The Longhorns did at least have a week to lick their wounds since they were on a bye last week. Quinn Ewers had some good moments in the loss to the Cowboys, but he also missed on 30 of his passes and was picked off three times. Bijan Robinson has been solid at running back, topping 100 yards rushing in each of the last six games. There hasn’t been a game that Robinson has taken over yet, though.

The week off has to have done wonders for the Longhorns, giving them time to refocus ahead of this week’s game, as well as next week’s showdown with TCU. The status of Martinez is still up in the air for this game, so we may see Will Howard again at quarterback. I think the win over Oklahoma State was a bit of a mirage for the Wildcats, especially since the Cowboys were coming off a stretch where they played TCU and Texas before last week’s game. Texas will be a lot fresher for this game than Oklahoma State was last week.

Texas 41, Kansas State 31


No. 4 Clemson (-3.5) v. Notre Dame -7:30 p.m. - NBC

Notre Dame looks like they are starting to find their rhythm. The season got off to a nightmare start for new head coach Marcus Freeman. Not only did the Fighting Irish lose their first two games of the season, they also lost starting quarterback Tyler Buchner for the year to injury. Drew Pyne has steadied the ship in South Bend because he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. Even though his numbers aren’t flashy, he puts the Fighting Irish in positions to win.

Clemson comes into this game fourth in the CFP rankings, but there’s not many people who think they are the fourth-best team in the country. In their last game two weeks ago, D.J. Uiagalelei was benched with the Tigers trailing Syracuse. While Cade Klubnik didn’t do much on the field, the move sparked Clemson enough to avoid the upset from the Orange. If it wasn’t for Will Shipley and his 172 yards rushing and two scores, Clemson wouldn’t be undefeated right now.

Is Clemson really better than Notre Dame? Both teams have really good defenses that make up for questions at quarterback. I almost trust Drew Pyne more than Uiagalelei since Pyne has the luxury of throwing to standout tight end Michael Mayer. Notre Dame beat Uiagalelei, who was filling in for Trevor Lawrence, back in 2020, and while the score this year won’t be as high, I think the Fighting Irish hand Clemson their first loss of the season.

Notre Dame 28, Clemson 24


No. 12 UCLA (-10.5) v. Arizona State - 9:30 p.m. - FS1

I try my best to talk myself out of taking ranked teams on the road against unranked underdogs. Having said that, I still can’t find a reason not to take UCLA here. Arizona State has been a mess this year, entering this game at 3-5. Last week the Sun Devils beat Colorado 42-34, but I don’t put much stock in that win since the Buffaloes are one of the worst teams in the country.

At least UCLA didn’t dwell on the loss to Oregon for too long. After the 45-30 loss in Eugene, the Bruins came out last week and handled their business against Stanford 38-13. Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet needs just 36 yards to reach 1,000 yards rushing on the season after racking up nearly 200 yards on the ground against the Cardinal.

UCLA is the better team. The Bruins have more weapons on offense, a hungrier defense, and they don’t have a coaching staff that has been shuffled like Arizona State, who fired Herm Edwards earlier this year. Even though UCLA lost a few weeks ago, they still have a ton left to play for, as they are in the mix for a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game next month. It’s hard to not see the Bruins winning this game by at least two touchdowns.

UCLA 42, Arizona State 21

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

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Visiting Locker Room: Previewing Michigan State women’s basketball with The Only Colors
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Robert Killips | Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

To learn more about Sparty, LGHL worked with someone who knows the team well.

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team faced the Michigan State Spartans three times last year, including in postseason play. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes side bested them all three times on the court.

Even so, Michigan State could be a team that surprises people this season. Could they make a run like Ohio State did last year, when they earned a share of the Big Ten conference title?

To find out the answer to that question and more, Land-Grant Holy Land worked with The Only Colors, the Michigan State site on SBNation. Kevin Knight covers the Spartans and shared more about a potential surprise year, who steps up with big names graduating and more.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Even with Michigan State’s difficult 2021-22 season, it didn’t detract transfers or freshmen from joining the team. There are some impressive names in the group joining Sparty this year. Who of the group can make an immediate impact?


LGHL: Michigan State lost guard Nia Clouden and forward Tamara Farquhar to their finished NCAA careers. Can guard Matilda Ekh and forward Taiyier Parks turn into the next iteration of those two key role-players for the Spartans?


LGHL: Last season, the Buckeyes played a pretty light non-conference schedule and were able to gel and come on strong in the second half of the season, and win a conference title. Looking through Sparty’s schedule, they don’t have an overly difficult road. Do you think Michigan State could find the same sort of success after giving this younger team time to build chemistry?


LGHL: Finally, what are your way-too-early predictions for where Michigan State ends in the final conference standings and how far do they make it in the NCAA Tournament, if they make it?


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Twitter: @e_wins2025



Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Tight End
School: Calhoun (GA) Calhoun
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 230 lbs

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What’s a tight end, anyway? A look at Buckeyes who have played the position under coach Ryan Day
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State tight ends are used in multiple ways.

Running teams in the Big Ten love their tight ends. Michigan, Iowa, Penn State – they put tight ends on the field, sometimes two or even three at a time. They’ll seal the corner on outside running plays. They’ll pull down the line and lead the attack into the middle. They’ll line up in the slot. They’ll line up at fullback. They’re all over the place, and they block, block, block.

Or they catch passes. For these running teams, the TEs are also favorite receivers. Sam Laporta is by far Iowa’s leading receiver, and Luke Schoonmaker is second only to Ronnie Bell for Michigan. Quick slants, delayed routes over the middle, hook patterns for a first down. Occupying linebackers, these tight ends are meant to complement the running game.

Ohio State usually has a tight end on the field, but his role is unlike those of most players at the position. Let’s see how.

The 2022 tight ends


First of all, let’s be clear. None of this year’s three top Buckeye tight ends – Cade Stover, Mitch Rossi, and Gee Scott Jr. – started as a tight end. Stover was a four-star outside linebacker in the Bucks’ 2019 class. In fact, he was the national No. 7 OLB in that class and ranked at 114 at any position. Scott Jr. was the No. 10 wide receiver in the class the following year. His national ranking (at any position) was No. 66. Not bad. And Mitch? He walked on in the summer of 2017 as a running back. This season is Rossi’s sixth as a Buckeye.

Rossi, at 6-foot, 245 lbs., is built like a fullback – and often plays there. The former WR Scott is built like – well, like a wide receiver. A big wide receiver, at 6-foot-3, 220. Stover has both the height (6-foot-4) and the weight (255) of a tight end. He at least looks like a tight end.

Recruiting tight ends


So, if the top three TEs aren’t really tight ends at all, doesn’t Day ever recruit any? Yes and no. The Buckeyes signed three-star Cormontae Hamilton in the class of 2019, three-star Joe Royer in the 2020 class, and three-star Sam Hart in 2021. With recruiting classes mainly filled with five- and four- star athletes, it appears that either the best tight ends don’t commit to OSU because the Bucks don’t use them traditionally, or that recruiting TEs hasn’t been a priority for Day and company.

I must point out that this year’s freshman class (2022) has four-star tight end Bennett Christian, a traditional tight end who ranked No. 20 at the position and No. 408 overall. Next year’s class has a top recruit at tight end – four-star Jelani Thurman, who ranks fourth at the position and 108 overall. Nevertheless, the two top players in Ohio State’s 2023 class are, of course, wide receivers.

Jeremy Ruckert joined the Buckeyes for the 2018 season, and he was almost the prototype for the position – 6-foot-5, 252 – and was the No. 2 ranked player at the position that year. And that was the year before Day took the helm.

The history of Day’s tight ends


Although Day inherited him, Ruckert was the starter for Day’s first three seasons as head coach. For the first two of those (2019 and 2020), Ruckert shared time with Luke Farrell, another traditional tight end. Day especially liked to use Ruckert and Farrell near the goal line. They would do a curl just over the line, a shallow slant, or run horizontally along the end line, using their height to snare deliberately high passes.

A high proportion of their catches were, accordingly, touchdowns. In 2019 they caught 21 passes for six TDs. Six TDs in 2020 from their 18 combined receptions. We started to see a change last year, as more balls were thrown to tight ends and the routes were more varied. Farrell was gone for 2021, but Ruckert, Stover, Scott, and Rossi combined for 40 catches but only four touchdowns.

The pattern that emerged last season has only sharpened this year. The three tight ends have already exceeded last year’s TD total (five so far this season) and the tight ends, with 30 in eight games, are on a pace to get more receptions. Granted, the wide receiver position has lost players to injury, perhaps making the TEs more attractive as targets.

How are the tight ends being used this year?


Cade Stover’s performance against Penn State last week, especially his 24-yard touchdown reception, is what called my attention to the difference. As a receiver, he ran patterns that we normally associate with wideouts. Overall, he had six catches on six targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Both Marvin Harrison Jr. (37) and Emeka Egbuka (53) had longer receptions, but Stover’s 13 yards per reception average is like a number we’d expect from wide receivers.

As a blocker, Stover stood out, for better and for worse. In the decisive fourth quarter, Stover blocked one man out of the hole, then moved on to take out another to launch TreVeyon Henderson’s 41-yard TD run. On the other hand, Stover missed (two, three times) his blocks on defensive backs when OSU tried wideout screens. It appeared that Day was trying to set up a play where Stover would fake the block and go down the field as the defender bit on the screen. Maybe this week.

Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Rossi played a lot less at tight end but sometimes lined up in the backfield, either in the slot or as an actual fullback. For the day, Rossi rushed once for eight yards and caught one pass for 16 yards. He was effective because, with all of the spectacular talent on the field for the Buckeyes, Rossi’s involvement is unexpected.

Bottom line


The tight end play this year is interesting because it is, to my untutored eye, unusual. Ryan Day has obviously tailored the position to suit his passing offense and, more importantly, to suit the personnel that he has available to him at the position. As this group moves on and more traditional tight ends join the action, I will be curious to see how the players are used.

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Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Hevynne Bristow
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Hevynne Bristow against Bucknell University on Nov. 10, 2021 | Ohio State University Athletics

Looking at the senior guard entering the 2022-23 season.

It’s less than two weeks before the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team starts their Big Ten title defense season. So far this preseason, Land-Grant Holy Land’s previewed players throughout the team roster.

Next up is Hevynne Bristow. The guard enters the third season in scarlet, sticking around the program after multiple teammates in a similar situation left Ohio State in the offseason. Where does the Academic All-B1G fit into the team for the upcoming campaign?


Name: Hevynne Bristow
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
High School: Brooklyn Community of Arts and Media
2021-22 Stats: 3.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.8 apg, .367 FG%, .333 3FG%, .750 FT%

Last Season


When starting point guard Madison Greene suffered a season-ending knee injury before the season even started, head coach Kevin McGuff had a decision to make. McGuff had different ways he could go but went with experience in choosing upperclassman Bristow to start the year against Bucknell University.

In 15 minutes, Bristow scored six points and added five rebounds in a lopsided 71-48 win to start the year. That was the last game Bristow started in the season, with McGuff going with sophomore, and fellow member of New York’s five boroughs, Kateri Poole.

That didn’t mean Bristow didn’t see the court. In 10 additional appearances, the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 8.2 minutes per game. After the conference schedule began, McGuff lowered Bristow’s minutes, ending the season with 3.2 points.

After the season ended, Poole and two other Buckeyes entered the transfer portal. Even though Bristow didn’t get close to matching the minutes she played in her first collegiate spot at Providence, she stayed with Ohio State for her first of potentially three remaining years of NCAA eligibility (if she opts to use the extra year awarded to athletes who played during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic).

What to Expect


Bristow can compete defensively, using the 6-foot-1 guard size to her advantage for rebounding and blocking. While the sample size at Ohio State hasn’t been large, Bristow played 29 games, with three starts, for Providence when she entered the college ranks.

With Providence, Bristow had 64 rebounds in only 261 minutes played, with eight blocks on top of that. Offensively though, Bristow isn’t the type of guard that Buckeye fans are likely to see on the court, aka a shooter.

Through three seasons, Bristow has three attempts from beyond the arc, all coming last season. Maybe it’s a sign of an area that the OSU Scholar-Athlete is working to improve to gain minutes.

Prediction


The Buckeyes are stacked at the guard position. Greene returns, plus two First Team All-B1G players in Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell. Also, Rikki Harris and freshman duo Mya Perry and Kaia Henderson, along with transfer Emma Shumate.

Bristow is likely to continue where she left off last year, as an important locker-room piece. See anything about the Scarlet & Gray across social media, and anything fun the team is doing there’s Bristow in the middle of it. The senior represents the spirit of this team who really seem to get along and like being around each other.

Highlights


Bristow (3) makes a smooth no-look pass to Sheldon in transition in Monday’s 118-33 exhibition victory over Notre Dame College.


Miss any player previews? Here’s the list so far:

• Taylor Mikesell
• Eboni Walker
• Madison Greene
• Emma Shumate
• Cotie McMahon
• Rebeka Mikulášiková
• Rikki Harris
• Taylor Thierry

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Bucketheads Podcast: Big Ten men’s basketball preview
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 Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, surprise team, letdown team, and more! Plus we discuss what went right (and wrong) against Chaminade.

‘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


The guys start this week’s show by discussing what Ohio State did well and what they did not do well during this week’s exhibition game against the Chaminade Silverswords. Chris Holtmann was not overly pleased about his team’s effort — especially on the glass — despite his team winning by 44 points. Will adding Justice Sueing and Gene Brown to the mix improve their rebounding numbers by all that much? They also discuss which players could get squeezed out of the main rotation when Sueing and Brown return.

Then, Justin and Connor give their best guesses on how the Big Ten conference will break down this season. Which surprise team does Connor have in his top four? Which team does Justin have missing the NCAA Tournament for just the second time since Y2K? They also guess post-season accolades such as Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Freshman of the Year.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

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