Making The List: Eddie George
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Football Season is finally upon us. This coming weekend (Saturday the 3rd) our Buckeyes begin the 2016 Season with an opening game against the Bowling Green Falcons. The excitement is in the air. For us Scarlet and Gray junkies – this is a tremendous time of the year.

With this precious reminder it is only appropriate that this week’s Making The List goes to a Football player. I cannot think of anyone more worthy than the great Eddie George. In truth, I should have chosen him last year when we began this acknowledgement of Buckeye Greatness. But things happen for a reason. And, now as I review a few things, this week appears to be the perfect match to include Mr. George.

In 1992 Eddie came to The Ohio State University via way of Fork Union (VA) Military Academy where he was a national focus. In the Buckeyes first game of the season, versus Louisville, the end score would be 20-19 – OSU winning. Eddie in that game would get only a quick look, one attempt for three yards. The following week, September 12, the Buckeyes met up with the Falcons of Bowling Green. The final would be a closer than imagined 17-6 Buckeyes victory.

What made this game appropriate for Eddie being announced as our choice for Making The List is that his first TD ever as a Buckeye came in the 2nd Quarter against the Falcons from one-yard out. He would finish this game with seven attempts totaling 38 yards.

In 1992, his freshmen year, Eddie would quickly become a contributor. The week following his first TD in Columbus as a Buckeye against Bowling Green he would stand noticed on the 19th of September in the Carrier Dome against Syracuse. The Buckeyes would win 35-12. George would only have 9 attempts for a total of 23-yards. But he would score three TD’s. This began what would be a tremendous career in Columbus for Eddie George.

By the time George was a senior in the 1995 season, George rushed for a school record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns, an average of 148.23 yards per game, while also catching 44 passes for 399 yards and another score (George only caught 16 passes in his first three seasons). One of his best performances of the year was in a 45-26 win over Notre Dame, where he rushed for 207 yards, his third 200-yard game of the season. He also rushed for a school-record 314 yards and scored 3 touchdowns in OSU’s victory over Illinois.

George would end his career in Columbus as the third all-time rushing leader with 3,768 yards; at the time though he was second. Ezekiel has since passed him to be # two and, of course, Archie’s # one position is quite secure. George is also second on the all-time list for most TD’s in a season with 24. He is third in career TD’s with 44. And, lest we forget, he is third in career 100-yard games while playing for the Buckeyes, with 20.

In 1995 along with the Heisman Trophy, Eddie would receive the Walter Camp Award, the Chic Harley Award, the Doak Walker Award, and the Jim Brown award. He would be a Consensus All-American. His #27 would also eventually be retired.



George would go on to be a first-round draft selection (14th overall pick) of the Houston Oilers (eventually becoming the Tennessee Titans) in the 1996 NFL Draft. George won the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 1996, and was the Oilers/Titans’ starting tailback through 2003, never missing a start. He made the Pro Bowl four consecutive years (1997–2000), and assisted the Titans to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV, where they lost to the St. Louis Rams 23-16. George gained 391 combined rushing and receiving yards in the Titans’ three playoff games that year and went on to rush for 95 yards, catch two passes for 35 yards, and score two touchdowns in the Super Bowl.

George is only the second NFL running back to rush for 10,000 yards while never missing a start, joining Jim Brown. Only Walter Payton (170) started more consecutive regular-season games than George’s 130.
His NFL career totals include 10,441 rushing yards, 268 receptions, 2,227 receiving yards, and 78 touchdowns (68 rushing and ten receiving).

On May 19, 2011, it was announced that George would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Eddie George is a Buckeye legend. Plain and simple. All of us who recall his days in Columbus were completely thrilled week in and week out. Eddie George falls into the category that everyone remembers in a running back – big and strong. And not only big and strong, but productive beyond imagination. It is time that I bring Eddie George within the house of our growing community of Making The List. He was everything that defines a great Buckeye in a single word: Dominant

P.S. Did I mention Broadway is looming in Eddie’s future?




The post Making The List: Eddie George appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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It’s time to revisit Urban Meyer’s first win against The School Up North
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


In his first try, Meyer knew what the main requisite was to being a great coach for the Buckeyes. Simply, beat Michigan.

“History is written by the victors.”

That phrase has become a truism throughout the history of time. From Winston Churchill allegedly saying it, to Walter Benjamin loosely stating the same in his Theses on the Philosophy of History in 1940, to imprisoned politician, and future first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru declaring that “history is almost always written by the victors” in his book Discovery of India in 1946. The phrase was also made popular this century by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – a video game.

Of all the times the phrase has been thrown around, Nehru’s interpretation rings especially true to the 2012 Ohio State Buckeyes. Even though the Bucks could cap off an undefeated season, they couldn’t write their name in the history books as undefeated National Champions.

Serving a one-year postseason probation, the engraving machine for conference championships and bowl game trophies would get a rest from putting ‘Ohio State’ on any of the nameplates. However, there was still something at stake for the Buckeyes: beating Michigan.

The Gold Pants, a trinket given to the winner of the Ohio State-Michigan game, would be the championship trophy for the scarlet and gray.

While winning conference and national championships are great, beating Michigan (and often) is the absolute requisite needed to be deemed a great coach at Ohio State. Woody Hayes did it en route to a handful of national championships, and Jim Tressel’s string of wins in The Game was partially the reason why The School Up North tossed two pretty good head coaches.

Let’s go back down memory lane to Nov.24, 2012, the day where Urban Meyer secured his first win against Michigan – as well as OSU’s first undefeated season since 2002.

Geoff Hammersley
How’d We Get Here


The Buckeyes were fresh off a thrilling victory against the Wisconsin Badgers. Ohio State went into Madison, Wis. and denied Badger running back Montee Ball from getting the outright honors of being the NCAA career touchdown record holder. On top of that, the scarlet and gray silenced Camp Randall Stadium by winning in overtime.

Now sitting at 11-0 and No.4 in the polls, OSU awaited a Michigan team that entered at 8-3, while also being ranked at No.19.

Michigan surged up the polls by going on a three game win streak – taking down Minnesota, Northwestern and Iowa in the process – before rolling into Columbus, Ohio. Things looked good for the Wolverines in their last contest before the Buckeyes; quarterback Devin Gardner was part of six touchdowns, and played a huge roll in the 42-17 win in the Big House versus Iowa.

An undefeated season was on the line for the Buckeyes, but equally as important was the fact that they could take the bragging rights of winning The Game away from the Wolverines. In 2011 under the Luke Fickell regime, OSU fell in Ann Arbor, Mich., 40-34.

With Meyer at the helm, he looked to avenge Buckeye Nation in the one game that defies careers in Columbus. Historically, The School Up North has wrecked havoc on undefeated Buckeye squads five times since 1968. From Woody Hayes to John Cooper, the Wolverines found a way to burrow into the Buckeye loss column.

For Meyer, he wasn’t having any of it.

...It’s free real estate


As is tradition, this kickoff found itself on national television. But before the game, the 21 seniors in the class of 2012 were recognized before the kickoff. Zach Boren, Reid Fragel, John Simon and Jake Stoneburner were just some of the notable Buckeyes to suit up for the final time inside The Shoe.

Geoff Hammersley
Goodbye, and Good Luck: The 2012 seniors graced the program cover

Once Senior Day festivities wrapped up, like clockwork, the Wolverines made themselves known by winning the coin toss – they deferred and the Buckeyes got the ball first.

Fast starts were things that weren’t seen all that much in year one for Meyer at Ohio State. In the regular season opener against Miami (OH), the Buckeyes took about a quarter to get their act together. In Big Ten contests against Michigan State and Purdue, the Buckeyes offense had issue putting points on the board in the early going.

In the opening drive against Michigan, it was going to be established that the run game was going to lean heavily on the pass game. After Braxton Miller took the snaps, he went right to Carlos Hyde on the handoff. The first three plays were Hyde rushing – the first going toward the left tackle side; the second and third rushes making a break for the right side.

Through the first three plays on the ground, Hyde accumulated 15 yards. That’s not too bad. However, it paled in comparison to the next play by the Buckeye offense. With the run game being established, it was time for Miller to go to the air.

One throw, 52 yards worth of real estate collected. Devin Smith hauled in the catch down to the UM 8. This followed a five yard completion to Michael Thomas – who was just a freshman at the time – that would in turn be the setup for Hyde to punch the ball in from three yards out.

Six plays, 75 yards in just over 2:15 seconds. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead for once, but the Wolverines weren’t backing down.

Michigan’s first drive was clicking; Denard Robinson picked up huge chucks of yardage on the ground, while Devin Gardner was making sideline passes to Jeremy Gallon. As the Michigan men marched down deep into Ohio State territory, the Buckeye defense got a break. Adolphus Washington forced Gardner to fumble on a sack, leading to Boren scooping the ball up.



Senior day was off to a right start. Well, at least it seemed that way at the time.

Ohio State’s next drive fell flat, and became a three-and-out. While the Buckeyes were able to punt the ball to the UM 17, the Wolverines took no prisoners on the first drive back after fumbling. Faced with a 3rd-and-2, Gardner went down the sideline for Roy Roundtree.

Remember those old Gatorade commercials, where the characters are trying to one-up each other by saying “whatever you can do, I can do better?” Well, that’s basically what the Wolverines were saying at this point. While Miller connected for 52 yards with Smith, Gardner hit Roundtree with a 75 yard touchdown.

Tie game.

At this point in the game, the realization set in: this wasn’t going to be a runaway for either side; the winner was going to pull this game out by less than a touchdown.

Both teams opening two drives mirrored each other in terms of plays – first drives went six plays, second drives went three plays. The Buckeyes looked to break up this monotony on their third drive. Braxton Miller literally took control of the whole drive. Ten of the 11 plays on the drive featured Miller either passing or rushing. That last play? A field goal attempt by Drew Basil that sailed through the uprights.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
Repressed Memory: Yea, Braxton fumbled on this drive, but the Buckeyes recovered the ball

With one quarter in the books, the Buckeyes held on to a 10-7 lead. OSU had 10 carries on the ground that accounted for a net total of two whopping yards. Passing wise, Miller uncorked 129 yards while going 8-of-9. On the other hand, Michigan put 32 yards of rushing into the stat box, while throwing an additional 96 yards.

If the first quarter was a wild ride, then the second quarter was about to be the ride that you reconsider all of your life choices you’ve made as it stops at the apex, and then races to the bottom at almost a 90 degree drop.

The Escalation


The second quarter began with the Wolverines having possession of the ball. As they twiddled away a couple minutes through rushing, incomplete passes and an offense pass interference call, the Buckeyes were set to get the ball back.

Well, that was the theory. On the punt, Corey Brown muffed the catch, and the Wolverines got it back. Now sitting on the OSU 25, it took the recollected visitors five plays to get into the scarlet endzone.

Both teams traded drives without scoring again, but the fact remained: Wolverines on top 14-10. Ohio State wanted to get momentum back heading into halftime – after all, the 2002 national championship team was being honored, and the atmosphere was going to be electrifying.

OSU’s second real drive of the second quarter went back to tradition: running. Hyde took a few carries for around 30 yards. Miller then conducted the drive by going to the air, and scampering when needed. As the Buckeyes chipped away and got to the UM 14, it was time for them to take the lead back. Miller went back to air and hit Corey Brown toward the sideline. The scarlet and gray had reclaimed the lead, 17-14, with 1:30 left before in the half.

As Lee Corso of ESPN’s College Gameday would say, “not so fast, my friend.” On the ensuing UM drive, Robinson busted through a tackle, and raced down the field for a 75 yard touchdown.



Big plays proved to be the difference maker, as the Wolverines found another touchdown that went for at least 50 yards.

Ohio State got the ball back on their own 35 yard line with 32 seconds left. Like before, Miller was about to earn another ‘Man of the Drive’ honor. A rush of 17, followed by two quick passes got the Buckeyes down to the Wolverine 35 yard line. Basil got called in, and digged deep to bury a 52 yard field goal as time expired.

A frantic final two minutes of the half led to three scores, and the away team holding a one point advantage. Even though the Buckeyes didn’t have the lead, they did register one of the more iconic images of the Meyer days in Columbus.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Boren’s sack of Gardner is now part of Ohio State-Michigan lore. Just like when Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson housed touchdowns on the Buckeyes in the 1990s, this sack was another big moment in the history of The Game.

Why this moment?


Ohio State was able to get two field goals on the board in the second half – enough to hold off Michigan for a 26-21 win. Even though scoring came at a premium, the hits kept coming, and the strategies utilized kept the game close. Brady Hoke, like Bret Bielema, found a way to slow down the Buckeye machine in the second half. However, in both cases, Meyer was better at shutting down the opposition.

Beating Michigan is always a noteworthy achievement. The players get their gold pants, the band members get gold pant patches for their jackets, and the students (and fans) get to celebrate the win. This win in particular left a weird feeling, though.

The Buckeyes ran the table and went undefeated, but had nothing besides that. While fans rushed onto the field at the end of the game, there was a bittersweet moment realized: you witnessed this team go undefeated and beat Michigan, but that’s it.

We’ll never know if the 2012 Ohio State team would’ve defeated Notre Dame in the national championship game. Better yet, if Ohio State did play for the national championship, they would’ve shut out one-loss Alabama.

Geoff Hammersley
Boren got the sack on Gardiner, and an appearance in the gameday poster

But we do know this: after one year at the helm, Urban Meyer had assembled an undefeated team. What lurked on the horizon, even by Ohio State standards, was unconscionable. One of the winningest four-year stretches in college football was now a quarter of the way done.

The lesson learned from the 2012 Ohio State season was this: Meyer was back, and Ohio State was better than ever before.

Quiz Time


We’ve covered all the moments from Ohio State’s 2012 undefeated season, now take the quiz.

The state of the college football world


• The SEC Championship was solidified with the Alabama Crimson Tide facing the Georgia Bulldogs. Whoever pulled out the win in Atlanta (spoiler: it was the Crimson Tide) would punch their ticket to Miami Gardens, accumulated. to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the National Championship.

• Montee Ball broke the NCAA career touchdown record at Penn State. Even though Ball’s Wisconsin Badgers lost to the Nittany Lions, they already clinched a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game.

• Johnny Manziel and his Texas A&M Aggies cruised past Missouri, 59-29. The win capped off a 10-2 year, and undoubtedly cemented the fact that Manziel was winning the Heisman Trophy as a freshman.

Current Events happening around The Game


• Fresh off a re-election campaign, President Barack Obama faces a potential fiscal cliff that is compounded by Bush-era tax cuts and a stimulus measure ending on New Year’s Eve.

• ‘Gangham Style’, the wildly famous song by Korean singer Psy, becomes the most viewed video on YouTube, surpassing Justin Bieber. At the time of Psy dethroning Bieber, ‘Gangham Style’ was being viewed roughly between 7 million and 10 million times per day, according to the LA Times.

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Bowling Green-Ohio State, LSU-Wisconsin, and the rest of Week 1’s Big Ten college football bets, odds
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


While the Buckeyes will try to cover a four touchdown spread, the marquee matchup is LSU-Wisconsin at Lambeau Field

A couple Big Ten games kicked off on Thursday night which MC&J split, with Oregon State covering against Minnesota but Indiana ended up running away from Florida International in the second half.

Last year ATS: 108-105-4 (51-48-3 National, 57-57-1 B1G)

B1G games:


Hawaii v. No. 7 Michigan (-40.5) - 12:00 PM EST ESPN

I wouldn’t blame Hawaii if they don’t have any idea where they are at noon on Saturday. Last Friday night they were in Australia to take on California, and now they make the trek to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines. Nick Rolovich’s team didn’t show much to think they’ll be all that competitive against Michigan, but stranger things have happened in Michigan season openers. At least the 31 points Hawaii scored against Cal was their most against an FBS opponent since 2014, but they likely won’t come close to that against Jim Harbaugh’s squad

With 14 starters returning this year, expectations are high for the Wolverines. A starting quarterback hasn’t been named by Harbaugh for this contest, but it’s likely both Wilton Speight and John O’Korn will see time. Hawaii may be exhausted after all of the travel, but the spread still seems a touch high.

Michigan 45, Hawaii 17

Western Michigan v. Northwestern (-5) - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNU

After slumping to 5-7 records in 2013 and 2014, Northwestern got back on track last year as they tied a school record with 10 wins. The Wildcats got their season off to a strong start with a 16-6 win over Stanford in the season opener behind a defense that played lights out for most of the year. This year Northwestern starts the year against Western Michigan, and while the Broncos aren’t in the same class as Stanford, the Wildcats can’t afford to sleep on P.J. Fleck’s team.

The most notable return for Northwestern is running back Justin Jackson, who has rushed for 2,605 yards the past two seasons. Clayton Thorson was serviceable at quarterback as a redshirt freshman, but it was the defense who powered the Wildcats. Last year Northwestern only allowed five passing touchdowns, but they’ll be tested early by Western Michigan quarterback Zach Terrell and his favorite Corey Davis, who caught 90 passes for 1,446 yards last year.

Northwestern will need their defense to stand up in this one, because if Western Michigan can get their offense going they very well could pull the upset here. Luckily for Northwestern they have Pat Fitzgerald as their head coach so he’ll have the Wildcat defense ready. It might be tight most of the way, but Northwestern covers in the end.

Northwestern 28, Western Michigan 20

Rutgers v. No. 14 Washington (-26.5) - 2:00 PM EST - Pac-12 Network

Even with Chris Ash taking over as head coach, Rutgers is going to be so bad this year. Can Ash turn the Scarlet Knights around? I wouldn’t put it past him, but it’s going to take time. A trip to Seattle certainly doesn’t help things early on.

Washington found their stride at the end of the year, scoring at least 44 points in their last three games. After throwing 16 touchdowns last year, Jake Browning returns at quarterback for the Huskies, and so does Myles Gaskin, who ran for 1,302 yards last season.

With all the Washington touchdowns that are likely to happen, at least Janarion Grant will get to pad his career stats. Grant comes into the season with 2,411 kickoff return yards and two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

Washington 55, Rutgers 21

No. 5 LSU (-10.5) v. Wisconsin - 3:30 PM EST - ABC

A couple years ago these two teams squared off to open the season in Houston, and had it not been for Melvin Gordon disappearing in the second half, the Badgers might have taken down LSU. This year the scene will be Lambeau Field in Green Bay, but the contest might not be quite as close as the 28-24 game from 2014.

Not only does LSU have Leonard Fournette to hand the football off to, but during the offseason they hired Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to the same position. After seeing what Aranda did with the Badgers, it’s scary to imagine what he might be able to do with the talent LSU has on defense.

Fifth-year senior Bart Houston will be taking the snaps for the Badgers in the opener, but he’ll probably be under hefty pressure from the Tigers. I don’t think the Badgers are a bad team at all, but I think LSU is a couple notches above Wisconsin. It’s not a blowout, but LSU covers the number.

LSU 31, Wisconsin 17

Kent State v. Penn State (-22) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Bless your heart if you’re watching this game at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon, you’re most twisted than me. If there is any reason to watch this game it is to see if Saquon Barkley can do things like he did in his freshman year, where he ran for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns.

Kent State finished third in the MAC in defense last season, but their offense was non-existent. I don’t trust them to magically find their offense this year against what should be a stout Nittany Lion defense. New Penn State offensive coordinator will favor a no-huddle offense so I could see this one getting out of hand.

Penn State 44, Kent State 13

Miami (OH) v. No. 17 Iowa (-27.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPNU

Last year Iowa had a season for the ages, completing the regular season undefeated and narrowly missing a spot in the College Football Playoff after suffering a loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game. With a lot of talent coming back, as well as a manageable Big Ten schedule, I wouldn’t put it past Iowa to approach that level again this year.

Last year the RedHawks struggled to a 3-9 record, but at least head coach Chuck Martin has 10 starters returning on offense, so they’ll definitely be better this year than in Martin’s first two seasons, but that’s not saying much. Even with the returning starters, I’m not confident the RedHawks can crack Desmond King and Iowa’s tough defense. The high number does scare me a little bit but in this matchup I could see Iowa blowing out the RedHawks more than I see Miami keep it closer with the Hawkeyes.

Iowa 41, Miami (OH) 10

Fresno State v. Nebraska (-28.5) - 8:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

The honeymoon could very well be over for Tim DeRuyter at Fresno State. After amassing a 20-6 record in his first two years with the school, the Bulldogs have seen their record plummet to 9-17 the last two years. The 3-9 record for the Bulldogs last year was their worst since 1973.

What a strange first season at Nebraska it was for Mike Riley. The Cornhuskers beat Michigan State and topped UCLA in their bowl game, but still finished 6-7, which was only their third losing season since 1962. Six of the seven Nebraska were by eight points or less, which made Riley’s first year even that more difficult. Riley does have Tommy Armstrong Jr, Jordan Westerkamp, and Tyrell Newby returning so brighter days could soon be ahead for Riley and the Cornhuskers. Nebraska gets off to a strong start this season with a matchup with Oregon looming in a couple weeks.

Nebraska 52, Fresno State 20

Bowling Green v. No. 6 Ohio State (-28) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Finally the moment we all have been waiting for. How will Ohio State’s season opener play out? With only six starters returning from last year’s team that question isn’t as easily answered as in past years. At least the Buckeyes don’t have any questions to answer at quarterback with J.T. Barrett taking the snaps for the Buckeyes. What remains to be seen is if any of the wide receivers will be able to make a name for themselves early on and become Barrett’s favorite target.

Bowling Green has plenty to replace from last year’s offense that put up the third-most points in the FBS. Matt Johnson is gone after throwing 46 touchdowns last year, but James Knapke does have experience at quarterback, as he started 13 games for the Falcons when Johnson was injured in 2014. Bowling Green also loses their leading rusher and four of their top receivers from last year.

Can Ohio State cover this number? Certainly. I just don’t have much confidence in them doing so. They are definitely the better team than Bowling Green, but I could see a bit of a sluggish start due to the volume of new starters. With the way Bowling Green can move the football, even with the amount they lost on offense, I could see the Falcons putting together a couple late touchdowns to secure the cover if the Buckeyes have a big lead.

Ohio State 43, Bowling Green 24

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Buckeyes contact, offer four-star lineman from Florida - 247Sports
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Buckeyes contact, offer four-star lineman from Florida
247Sports
... ** Lone Star love … The Buckeyes have a Class of 2017 commitment from one of the top prospects in the state of Texas: running back J.K. Dobbins. They also are making a strong push for defensive back Jeffrey Okudah and linebackers Baron Browning ...
Heat Check: New Buckeye Targets Emerge After A Pair of the ...Eleven Warriors

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MAC Power Bowling Green Will Try to 'Shock' Buckeyes - ABC News
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MAC Power Bowling Green Will Try to 'Shock' Buckeyes
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Bowling Green will be a four-touchdown underdog coming into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but new Falcons coach Mike Jinks said he welcomes the chance to "shock the world." If Jinks' squad can knock off the mighty Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium, it would be a ...
Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread?cleveland.com
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
Gameday+ | Recruiting watch: Buckeyes' 2017 class set to be a chart-topperColumbus Dispatch
Scarlet and Game -Eleven Warriors -Dayton Daily News
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Same place, new faces for Ohio State
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Are you a freshman or sophomore at Ohio State? If so, you’re probably playing tomorrow!

After eight long months of waiting, it’s finally here. No more preseason polls, fall camp speculation, or Jim Harbaugh pandering to every professional sports team in the country. Just honest to goodness regular season college football. In those eight months, much has changed for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Gone is the backbone of a program that’s finished a combined 38-4 the last three seasons, and brought home a national championship, a Big Ten championship, and a victory in the Fiesta Bowl in the process. That success has also paved the way for a pipeline of talent from Columbus to the NFL.

12 Buckeye names were called in the first four rounds of this season’s draft, leaving Ohio State the with one of the youngest, and most inexperienced teams in the country this season.

While it’s a bummer that we won’t get to watch Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa, Michael Thomas and co. dunk on Michigan again, 2016 provides the Buckeyes an opportunity to hit the reset button on the roster, and develop a whole new crop of stars with national title aspirations. It also allows us as fans to once again enjoy an experience that at times became tedious last season.

Are the Buckeyes likely to win the Big Ten and go to the College Football Playoff again? Who the hell knows. But it should be a pretty damn fun ride, starting tomorrow against Bowling Green. Ohio State football is back, everyone. Let’s enjoy it.

With that in mind, here are five things to watch for in the Buckeyes’ opener against the Falcons:

Our time is now


With the departure of 16 starters from last year’s team — many from the heralded 2013 recruiting class — the fate of the 2016 Buckeyes resides in the hands of the 2014 and 2015 recruiting classes.

Of the 51 players listed as offensive or defensive starters on this week’s depth chart, 29 come from those two classes, with 15 listed as either outright starters, or having the ‘OR’ distinction next to their name.

While a few — Raekwon McMillan, Curtis Samuel, and Sam Hubbard — are already household names, it’s mostly a group of players with backup experience. While that may sound like a negative, it certainly wasn’t for lack of talent.

It’s hard to see the field in a bigger role when the guys in front of you are not only great players, but also 1st-or-2nd day draft picks. That amount of high-end talent makes it unsurprising that last season’s starting rotation was pretty tight.

But with the stars of 2015 gone, players like Jayln Holmes, Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, Dante Booker and Noah Brown now have the opportunity to receive the lionshare of playing time.Each has shown promise at one point or another, and nearly all have the recruiting pedigree to turn promise into production.

The 2013 class has a case as the best in school history, but now it’s time to see what the players of 2014 and 2015 can accomplish. It just so happens that even under a new head coach, Bowling Green presents a good first test for the new-look Buckeyes.

Manning the trenches


Bowling Green’s offense exploded in 2015, ranking 11th in S&P+ behind one of the most devastating rushing attacks in the country. The Falcons weren’t a one trick pony, however, and complemented their ground attack with a solid passing game and the ability to efficiently move the ball, as well as generate big plays. Their success came at a price, however, as head coach Dino Babers took the Syracuse job, and the Falcons lose their starting quarterback, running back, and three of their top four receiving options from last season.

Enter new head coach Mike Jinks, who probably isn’t going to change much about the offense. Despite the losses, he’ll still have much to work with, starting with a physical offensive line that will test the Buckeyes’ ability to stop the run.

They bring back six players with 140 career starts along a line that finished last season 4th in adjusted line yards, 15th in stuff rate, and 36th in opportunity rate. Only Texas Tech ranked higher in rushing S&P+, which Jinks played a major part of as the Red Raiders’ running backs coach. Even with the loss of Greene, Jinks is sure to put running back Fred Coppet — who made the most of his touches last season — in a position to succeed behind a stellar offensive line.

This makes for an intriguing matchup with the Buckeyes defensive line, especially at tackle. Tracy Sprinkle, Michael Hill and the rest of the young Ohio State interior are likely to be tested often, and there’s a legitimate chance that Bowling Green pushes them around and has a big day on the ground. But, if they’re able to hold their own, it could be a very good sign of things to come this season, and also provide an inexperienced secondary needed help.

Falcons will fly


Ohio State’s secondary was awesome last season. The Buckeyes ranked in the top ten nationally in both yards per attempt, and completion percentage. Their sticky coverage allowed the front seven the freedom to attack, and tee off on opposing quarterbacks. For a school with rich history in the secondary, last season’s group has a place among the best. The problem is that most of those players are now in the NFL.

Between Vonn Bell, Eli Apple, and Tyvis Powell, the Silver Bullets not only lose a combined six interceptions and 20 passes broken up, but experience at an area where it’s a necessity:

Experience in the secondary is worth more than experience in the front seven. And it appears that the skill of being able to either pick off or bat down passes is far more difficult to replace than other skills.

Outside of Gareon Conley, Marshon Lattimore’s three passes defensed are all the production left from 2015’s secondary. The good news is that Malik Hooker looks like the real deal at safety, and nearly all the other players vying for time have were blue-chip recruits. It may take some time, but it’s a solid bet that multiple playmakers emerge. Until that happens, the new group will cut its teeth against capable passing attacks to begin the season, starting with Bowling Green.

A new quarterback and wide receiving corps should give the defense a bit of a break, but wideout Ronnie Moore is a proven playmaker, with the necessary quickness to give the secondary fits, much like Daniel Braverman did last year.

Despite working with new pieces, Jinks also knows a thing or two about throwing the ball given his background in Texas high school football and his three seasons spent at Texas Tech. Ultimately, it won’t be surprising if Bowling Green decides to test the young Buckeye secondary early and often, to complement their interior running game.

Sticking to your words


On this week’s podcast (Which you can now find at our sweet new soundcloud and iTunes pages) Matt Brown and I delved into Urban Meyer’s Monday press conference, in which he dropped a couple of interesting nuggets.

In response to a question about balance on offense, Meyer mentioned the idea of it being “50/50” between passing and running, before expanding on the topic further:

We'll know more obviously Saturday but we have depth at receiver. We have a returning quarterback that understands what we're trying to do. And at the end of the day it's 250, 250 is the perfect. And we've had some close to that, but last year it was imbalanced and we have to be very balanced.

In Meyer’s four seasons, Ohio State has achieved that sort of balance in 11 games; Three times in 2013, and 8 times in 2014, including their dominant three game postseason run to the national championship. It’s a lot to ask of an offense, but it’s possible to achieve. But let’s disregard the arbitrary number of 250, and assume Meyer’s bigger point may be as much about the threat of balance as the actual distribution of yardage.

When Ohio State’s offense was at its best in 2014, it attacked defenses from all angles. Both Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott were efficient and explosive runners, giving the Buckeyes the best rushing offense in the country.

Out wide, Michael Thomas, and Jalin Marshall were efficient targets for Barrett (and Cardale Jones) to keep the chains moving. What tied it all together was Devin Smith’s proficiency as a deep ball threat.

When defenses overcompensated against the run, it usually meant corners in one-on-one for Buckeye receivers. Smith punished them in response, stretching the field and preventing opposing coordinators from creeping safeties into the box too often.

That was not the case in 2015. Whether they were unwilling, or just unable to take deep shots last season, it was clear that the offensive threat that made the Buckeyes so dangerous the year before wasn’t present.

It remains to be seen if one of the new receivers can bring to the table what Smith did (we’ll get to that next), but they at least need a chance to do so. We heard Meyer mention balance a lot last season — which includes running Barrett less, another theme of the press conference — but a lot of times, the gameplan reverted back to the old “Braxton left, Braxton right” strategy, this time with Barrett and Elliott. While it was effective, Ohio State still was still held back by lack of a consistent passing game.

History indicates running the ball likely won’t be an issue, despite the loss of Elliott, but if Ohio State wants to reach that lofty 250/250 status, it’s going to fall on the passing game to hold up it’s end. They not only need receivers to step up, but also consistency from Barrett, and the willingness of the coaching staff to make it a possibility. Tomorrow is the first chance for Meyer make good on his words.

Don’t let me get in my zone (six)


So, who exactly will be playing at wide receiver tomorrow? Per Meyer’s call-in show, expect the playing time for ‘zone six’ to look like this:

• Noah Brown (starter)
• Parris Campbell (starter)
• Terry McLaurin
• Austin Mack
• James Clark
• KJ Hill

We’ve already seen what Brown and Campbell can do as blockers, and both figure to also be Barrett’s top efficiency options this season. Brown in particular has earned high marks for his play this offseason:

Kerry Coombs (cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator): "Noah Brown is a phenomenal player...He's back, so I'm not worried about last year. I'm on to this year. He's playing. He's going to be a great player. He's hard to cover. He's a big, strong buck who can catch the ball. He is a tough dude."

Keep a close eye on the receiver rotation behind them and how they are used. Are Mack, Hill and Clark used as deep threats? Is McLaurin given the chance to use his quickness and turn short passes into long gains?

As the season goes on and other players step up, injuries occur, etc. the rotation is sure to change, but Saturday provides a good litmus test as to how ready these young receivers are. If one can step up as a big play threat — starting against Bowling Green — it could unlock the missing piece to eventually becoming the balanced offense that last season’s team didn’t have.

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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 9/2/2016
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!

#Supreme18



September 1st marked the beginning of the fall evaluation period for high school juniors, and it didn’t take long for college coaches to begin hitting up recruits social media. The Ohio State coaches were at the ready at their computers last night at 12:01. Bill Kurlic of Bucknuts has a breakdown of who contacted who last night ($).

Ohio State reached out to 5-star offensive tackle and Ohio star Jackson Carman last night.





The Buckeyes also reached out to Jaelen Gill, Palaie Gaoteote, Taron Vincent, Jeremy Ruckert, Leonard Taylor, Emory Jones, Anthony Cook, Dallas Gant, Mustapha Muhammad, Derrik Allen, Max Wright, Christian Tutt, Al Blades Jr. and Alex Reigelsperger.

The Buckeye coaches can not only direct message recruits on Twitter as often as they want during the contact period, but they can also make one phone call per week to the recruit as well. Expect 2018 recruiting to heat up as 2017 recruiting is starting to hit the home stretch. More and more 2018 prospects will start to receive offers and we will keep you updated on all of them here.

Buckeye WR Target Makes First Official to Nebraska:


If the Buckeyes decide to take another wide receiver in this class, I would expect Donovan Peoples-Jones to be one of the two they would possibly take, the other would be Jaylen Harris. Peoples-Jones has set up his first official visit and he will be in Lincoln this weekend while the Cornhuskers play host to the Bulldogs of Fresno State.



Peoples-Jones is a 5-star wide receiver out of Cass Tech in Michigan. Cass Tech has sent current Buckeyes Mike Weber and Joshua Alabi to the team, so there is certainly a connection between the programs. It has long been believed that he will make Michigan the school of choice when he makes his decision. Right now 80% of the crystal ball predictions are in for the Wolverines, while the Buckeyes hold down 8%.

Buckeye Commit on Hand this Weekend:


Maybe one of the lesser talked about recruits in the class of 2017 is Jerron Cage, the 4-star defensive tackle out of Winton Woods, Ohio. While he doesn’t get the fanfare that a Tate Martell, Trevon Grimes or Josh Myers gets, he is an important piece of the class of 2017. The Buckeyes have a definite need at defensive tackle and Cage along with Haskell Garrett look to fill that void for this recruiting class.

Cage spoke to Landof10 about his recruitment recently as many people have projected him to flip to Notre Dame because his older brother plays there currently.

“I’m pretty tired of hearing about (a potential flip),” Cage told Landof10. “I am committed. I have love for Notre Dame, but I am all Ohio State.”

He also stated that he would be on hand this weekend as the Buckeyes kick off their 2016 season against Bowling Green.

2019 Wide Receiver Offer:


Like we have said before, it is never to early to get started on the recruiting trail, and the Buckeyes are not waiting. Yesterday they offered 2019 wide receiver and current Tennessee commitment Kendrell Scurry out of Thompson’s Station, Tennessee.



Scurry committed to the Volunteers even though he only had that offer as well as one from Toledo at the time. He committed back in July and opted to shut down his recruitment before it even really began. He told SEC Country about the decision:

“Why wait when you know you found the right place?” the Thompson Station (Tenn.) Independence rising sophomore said. “I’m from Tennessee. I wanted to stay at home so my mom could come watch the games. I want to be the hometown hero.”

While there is a long way to go until the class of 2019 is able to sign a letter of intent, the Buckeyes will have to do some serious work if they want to pry Scurry away from the home town Volunteers.

The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 9/2/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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4 reasons Bowling Green football will beat the Ohio State Buckeyes: O-Line nightmares from 2014 - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


4 reasons Bowling Green football will beat the Ohio State Buckeyes: O-Line nightmares from 2014
cleveland.com
They're the members of Navy's starting defensive line that gave Ohio State's offensive line some real problems in the 2014 season opener. The point is that you don't need a line full of All-Americans to give an inexperienced offensive line fits. So ...
Mansfield relatives root for MJ, freshman OSU starterMansfield News Journal

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Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football vs. Bowling Green game picks: Can the Buckeyes cover a 4-TD spread?
cleveland.com
The part of the offense I'm most curious about for the Buckeyes is the red zone. J.T. Barrett the runner saved Ohio State there last season, as he became the red zone quarterback before he took the starting job back. But without Ezekiel Elliott, and ...
Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Bowling GreenDayton Daily News
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
The 3 most important Ohio State Buckeyes for 2016Land-Grant Holy Land
Scarlet and Game -MyDaytonDailyNews -Marion Star
all 411 news articles »

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Tennessee was almost eliminated from the College Football Playoff in September: Buckeye Breakfast - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Tennessee was almost eliminated from the College Football Playoff in September: Buckeye Breakfast
cleveland.com
But when the teams went into overtime, that changed. Ohio State's season opener against Bowling Green on Saturday doesn't carry any playoff weight either. Unless, you know, the Buckeyes lose. Ohio State doesn't want to be sweating things out like the No.


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BM5: OSU dodge bullet with Kareem Walker? 'Game day eve' chatter - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: OSU dodge bullet with Kareem Walker? 'Game day eve' chatter
247Sports
And of course game day is almost upon us. The Buckeyes will kick off the 2016 season tomorrow against visiting Bowling Green, and we give our thoughts about the game, OSU's wide receivers and much more. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're ...


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BG Falcons Fly Back To Ohio Stadium For First Time Since 2006
Chip Minnich via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Embed from Getty Images​

The 2016 season is finally here. All of the prognostication within the various football preview magazines will be laid to the side. College football returns in all its glory and splendor in Ohio Stadium at 12pm EST, televised by The Big Ten Network, with Bowling Green taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes.

September 3rd is shaping up to be one of the best in terms of overall quality games ~ Oklahoma takes on Houston. UCLA travels to Texas A&M. LSU will venture to the not-so frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to play Wisconsin. Alabama and USC highlight the prime time contest on Saturday night.

Personally, I believe Ohio State is taking on a perfect opponent in Bowling Green. Yes, playing a high-profile opponent is appealing, but Bowling Green is a decent team that will challenge this very talented but very inexperienced Ohio State squad. In my estimation, this is the kind of opponent that is just what the doctor ordered.

Bowling Green is no stranger to Ohio Stadium, having played in 1992, 1997, 2003, and 2006. While the 1997 and 2006 games were comfortable wins for the Buckeyes, the 1992, and especially the 2003 games, were not. Urban Meyer left Bowling Green for Utah prior to the 2003 season, but left behind a talented team that outplayed the Buckeyes in every respect except the final score. Urban Meyer will be preaching that message to every member of his coaching staff and team leading up to this contest. Bowling Green defeated Indiana in 2014, and won on the road at Maryland and at Purdue in 2015. Ohio State cannot, and should not, take Bowling Green lightly.

There are three distinct areas I will be focusing upon when toe meets leather in Ohio Stadium at 12pm…

1. Ohio State LT Jamarco Jones ~ Jones won the starting left tackle position coming out of spring practice. A highly-touted recruit, Jones has played sparingly in 2014 and 2015, and was groomed to replace Taylor Decker at this spot. How will Jones do at protecting quarterback J.T. Barrett’s blind side?
2. Ohio State WR Noah Brown ~ Brown returns to action for the first time since the 2014 season. While Brown was the talk of fall camp in 2015, Ohio State fans should be excited to see if Brown can live up to the expectations that have built up over the past year.
3. The rebuilt Ohio State secondary ~ Gareon Conley returns at one cornerback, but all of the other players listed on the depth chart for Bowling Green will be making their first start. With a Bowling Green offense that will be throwing the football early and often, led by experienced quarterback James Knapke, how well the Ohio State secondary covers and tackles will be of paramount interest.

Ohio State has listed eighteen freshmen on its initial depth chart. This is a young team, but as former Ohio State head coach John Cooper liked to say, “If a dog is going to bite you, it will bite you as a pup…”. While there may be some mistakes made, look for this team to fly around on the field and to wreak havoc. Bowling Green will keep it interesting for a while, but Ohio State’s superior speed and depth will be too much for the Falcons in the second half. I have it Ohio State 42, Bowling Green 17.

The post BG Falcons Fly Back To Ohio Stadium For First Time Since 2006 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State vs. Bowling Green 2016: Game preview, prediction, and 6 things to know
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


In 2001 Urban Meyer got his head coaching start at Bowling Green. Now his Buckeyes open up the season against the Falcons.

Coming off of their best four-year stretch in school history, Ohio State looks to continue their success under Urban Meyer when they kick off the 2016 season on Saturday at Ohio Stadium against Bowling Green. Expectations for the Buckeyes in 2015 were sky-high after Ohio State was named the first unanimous number one ranked team in the history of the Preseason AP Top 25 poll. Had it not been for a 17-14 loss to Michigan State in November, the Buckeyes might have been able to live up to the hype last season. Ohio State quickly rebounded from the loss by beating Michigan 42-13 in Ann Arbor and Notre Dame 44-28 in the Fiesta Bowl to close out the season.

While not quite as much is expected from Ohio State this year, expectations around the Buckeye State are still high. Ohio State comes into this season as the sixth ranked team in the country, and are still a pretty popular pick to end up making the College Football Playoff. The youth of the Buckeyes will be tested early in the year when they travel to Oklahoma in a couple weeks, but before that they’ll get home games against Bowling Green and Tulsa to get their feet under them.

In his first four years at Ohio State, Urban Meyer has amassed a ridiculous 50-4 record as head coach. Currently Meyer has the highest win percentage among active FBS coaches, registering a 154-27 win percentage, which translates to a 85% win percentage. Meyer started his head coaching career in northwest Ohio, heading up the Bowling Green program for two years before heading off to Utah. Prior to Meyer’s arrival at Bowling Green, the Falcons hadn’t had a winning season in six years. Meyer kicked started the program, putting together a 17-6 record over the two seasons he was with the school. Including the two years Meyer was at the helm, Bowling Green has registered at least eight wins in nine of the last 15 seasons.

As he squares off against the team he dipped his toe in the head coaching waters with, Meyer will be up against Bowling Green’s new head coach. After two seasons at Bowling Green in which he put together a 18-9 record, Dino Babers took over as the head coach at Syracuse. Babers’ replacement is Mike Jinks, who was a high school football coach in Texas just a few years ago. Jinks was the running backs coach for Texas Tech under Kliff Kingsbury the past three years, and last year had assistant head coach added to his job title.

Not only will Jinks have the task of trying to follow up the best season in school history, but for he also has to try to find a way to stop Ohio State on Saturday. In 2015 Bowling Green scored 82 touchdowns and was third amongst FBS teams with 591 points. Last season Matt Johnson threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 46 touchdowns in his senior season, as Bowling Green won their second MAC Championship Game in the last three years. Not only do the Falcons have to replace Johnson, but they also lose four of their top five receivers from last year.

Luckily for Jinks he does a “new” quarterback with some experience. After Johnson was lost for the year due to injury in the 2014 season opener, James Knapke started the final 13 games of the year and led Bowling Green to their first bowl victory since 2004. Knapke didn’t put up number as crazy as some of Johnson’s, but still finished the year with 3,173 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Knapke’s highlight game came in a win against Indiana, where his 73 passing attempts and 46 completions were both single-game school records.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


A culture of winning. It’s easy to think that Ohio State is going to fall off this season, especially when they have to replace the talent they lost from the 2015 season. Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa, and Michael Thomas are just a few of the names that won’t be on the field this year for the Buckeyes. Ohio State returns just six starters from last years team, which is the lowest number amongst the 128 FBS teams. This marks the first time in which Urban Meyer during his head coaching career that Urban Meyer has entered a season with less than eight starters returning.

What Ohio State has going for them is that even though they have an unprecedented number of starters to replace, most of the players stepping into those starter roles have been a part of the recent run of success by the Buckeyes. Most of the Buckeyes on Ohio State’s two-deep depth chart have been with the program for at least a year, so they know exactly what Urban Meyer and the coaching staff expect from them, and how they need to perform on the field.

It also helps that those players that are expected to step up this season have been able to learn over the past few years from the likes of Elliott, Bosa, and the other Buckeyes who are now honing their craft in the NFL. While there is expected to be a learning curve with new starters like Mike Weber, Dante Booker, and others, it might not take quite as long for them to become comfortable on the field since they have had great teaching and are so talented.

King Barrett. Ohio State might be very green on offense, but what will likely make up for that is they have J.T. Barrett back behind center. It has been quite the whirlwind for Barrett the last couple years, but now he is the undisputed starting quarterback for the Buckeyes. In 2014 Barrett was thrust into the starting quarterback role for Ohio State when Braxton Miller reinjured his shoulder prior to the season. All Barrett did was lead Ohio State to a 10-1 record before he was injured in the regular season finale against Michigan.

Miller switch to wide receiver prior to the 2015 season, but Barrett wasn’t able to beat out Cardale Jones for the starting quarterback job. Barrett ended up starting five of the last six games of the year for the Buckeyes, accounting for 13 touchdowns over that span. Ohio State’s offense responded to the change in quarterback, putting up at least 40 points in three of those five starts.

With Jones now in the NFL, Barrett knows all the pressure lies on his shoulders if the Buckeyes have any designs on making it back to the College Football Playoff. Even though he doesn’t have playmakers like Elliott, Thomas, and Miller at his disposal, Ohio State’s offense should be in good hands with the versatility Barrett brings to the team at quarterback. Barrett’s ability to run the football should be able to take some of the pressure off Mike Weber early on, but also won’t allow teams to stack the box since the redshirt junior quarterback can get things done with his arm as well. Barrett’s poise and leadership in the pocket should help to erase some of the questions about the group of new starters he’ll have at wide receiver.

Pour on the pressure. They lost three starters from last year’s team, but the defensive line just might be the most talented unit Ohio State has this year. It’s impossible to truly replace players like Joey Bosa and Adolphus Washington, but the Buckeyes do have a number of players who have already seen plenty of time on the field. Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, and Jayln Holmes will all be called upon to create pressure from their end positions, while Michael Hill and Tracy Sprinkle will be counted on to clog the middle of the line.

Last year as a redshirt sophomore, Tyquan Lewis led Ohio State with eight sacks, and finished with 14 tackles for loss, just two behind team leader Joey Bosa. Lewis has plenty of experience after starting all 13 games for the Buckeyes last year, and ranking second among Ohio State defensive linemen with 731 snaps. With Bosa now gone, Lewis could see some extra attention from opponents, which could help to free up Sam Hubbard on the other end. While Hubbard didn’t see quite as much time on the field as Lewis, he was still very important to the Ohio State defense, racking up 6.5 sacks during the 2015 season. Hubbard held his own in the season opener against Virginia Tech last year when called upon to replace Bosa, who was suspended for the game.

Bowling Green will have three starters back on the offensive line from their 2015 team, but they suffered a major blow before the season when All-MAC left tackle Jacob Bennett was injured for the season. Look for Ohio State to try to exploit Bennett’s replacement not only with Lewis, Hubbard, and Holmes, but talented true freshmen Nick Bosa and Jonathan Cooper could see time on the field for the Buckeyes on Saturday.

Bowling Green’s biggest advantages


Big Ten tested. Sure the competition isn’t quite like what they’ll face on Saturday, but Bowling Green does have a few recent wins against the Big Ten to hang their hat on. The Falcons played four Big Ten teams over the past two seasons, winning three of those four matchups. Bowling Green took down Indiana 45-42 at Doyt Perry Stadium in September 2014, but then fell to Wisconsin 68-17 the next week in Madison. Last year the Falcons demolished Maryland 48-27 in College Park, and followed that up with a 35-28 win against Purdue a couple weeks later. The two Big Ten wins last year were more than Maryland, Rutgers, and Purdue were able to earn, and tied the amount Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana put up.

With over 100,000 people packing Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the atmosphere will certainly be different from what Bowling Green is used to, but the Falcons were strong on the road in 2015. Bowling Green played six true road games in 2015, winning all of them, including wins at Maryland and Purdue. The Falcons know they aren’t going to get any of college football’s national powers to come to Doyt Perry Stadium, so they have to hit the road to try and make a name for themselves, and lately it has been working.

Secondary to none. Bowling Green had their issues on defense last year, allowing over 40 points in all four of their losses, but they did have some bright spots along the way. The Falcons were able to intercept 20 passes last year, which ranked eighth amongst FBS teams. This year will see most of the players accounting for those interceptions returning, most notably cornerback Alfonso Mack, who picked off six passes last year.

The Falcons will have to replace starting safeties Eilar Hardy and Dernard Turner from last year’s squad, but their new defensive coordinator Perry Eliano was the safeties coach for UT-San Antonio the past five years, so the transition for the new safeties Bowling Green will employ could be a little quicker than normal. The secondary could also get some help from the linebackers in pass coverage, as James Sanford broke up eight passes last year and grabbed an interception, while Austin Valdez broke up five passes and had two picks of his own.

Nothing to lose. Despite their success over recent years, there isn’t a whole lot expected from Bowling Green in this contest. It’s hard to blame the prognosticators since Bowling Green had to replace their coaching staff, quarterback, running back, as well as a number of talented wide receivers from last year’s team. The pressure will all be on Ohio State since they’re opening up the season at home and are expected to be a contender for the College Football Playoff this season.

This could allow for the Falcons to open things up a little more and take some added risks during the game. If Bowling Green loses, no big deal. But if they can play loose and keep things close they could find themselves putting a little doubt in the heads of the young Buckeyes. A strong showing at Ohio Stadium could give Bowling Green some added confidence the rest of the season, as they try and win their third MAC title in the last four seasons.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 39, Bowling Green 20

Win Probability: Ohio State 86%

It seems unlikely that Bowling Green will win this contest, but the numbers have them having a good shot to cover the point spread, which has Ohio State as 28-point favorites. Even with their youth, Ohio State is just too talented for Bowling Green to likely keep pace in this one.

J.T. Barrett will be able to provide the steadying hand for the Buckeyes at quarterback, while linebacker Raekwon McMillan will be over the field on defense in this one as they open up their 2016 with a win over their in-state foe. The score won’t be quite as close as the 24-17 game these two teams played in 2003, but Ohio State will improve to 5-0 against the Falcons.

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Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for takeoff against Bowling Green Falcons: Crowquill - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for takeoff against Bowling Green Falcons: Crowquill
cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Buckeyes open the 2016 season Saturday at Ohio Stadium against the Bowling Green Falcons of the Mid-American Conference. Every year, a MAC team seems to come from nowhere to either beat or put a good scare into a Top 20 ...
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
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Bleacher Report -Land-Grant Holy Land -MyDaytonDailyNews
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Editorial: Buckeye fever hasn't cooled - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Editorial: Buckeye fever hasn't cooled
Columbus Dispatch
While doing some research for the Dispatch Sports Department this week, Dispatch librarian and historian Linda Deitch ran across a Dispatch editorial from Sept. 23, 1955, anticipating the opening game of the Buckeyes football season the following day.

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Ohio State set to host 5-star SF Troy Brown
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeye basketball looking to make another class of 2017 splash

Brown to see Bucks


Last weekend Ohio State basketball Head Coach Thad Matta was the beneficiary of two in-state commitments when the Buckeyes reeled in verbal pledges from both 2018 small forwards Justin Ahrens (Versailles, OH / Versailles) and Darius Bazley (Cincinnati, OH / Finneytown Secondary Campus). This weekend, the goal will be the same even if the scenario is a bit different.

According to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, the Buckeyes will receive an official visit from one of this year’s top prospects in the entire country. Class of 2017 SF Troy Brown of Centennial High School (NV) will be on campus to check out what Ohio State has to offer.

Brown, a 6-foot-6, 215-pounder, is currently graded out as the 13th best player in the 2017 recruiting class. The Las Vegas native also sits at No. 3 amongst all small forwards and is unsurprisingly ranked as the top player from his state.

If the Buckeyes were able to snag Brown out of Nevada and pair him with 2017 center Kaleb Wesson, it would give Ohio State the 11th best basketball class for the year. Also, the Buckeyes would be just .01 away from Louisville and a top 10 recruiting class for 2017. Furthermore, if Matta and the rest of the coaching staff can bring Brown to Columbus, it would be there highest rated pickup since since 2014 when D'Angelo Russell signed with the Scarlet and Gray.

Swift to UGA


I know what you are thinking: Why does 2017 running back D'Andre Swift committing to Georgia have anything to do with Ohio State?

Well, simply because the Buckeyes are in major pursuit of '17 RB Cam Akers out of Clinton (MS), much like the Bulldogs. In fact, the 5-foot-11, 213-pounder even included Georgia in his top 10 group back in May.

Does the pickup of Swift pickup eliminate UGA from contention with the five-star RB? We will have to wait and see. It is worth remembering that Ohio State already has '17 RB J.K. Dobbins in their class, and that hasn't halted the interest that Akers has in the Buckeyes.

Also, while the Bulldogs were in the top 10 for the Mississippi back, they are not the school that Head Coach Urban Meyer and Ohio State should be worried about at this point. The Seminoles of Florida State have seemingly made a major move for Akers and have received a couple predictions on the 247Sports Crystal Ball for the nation’s No. 2 ranked running back.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Buckeyes can overcome the momentum that FSU has brought as of late – especially considering the fact that Akers visited with the Noles at the tail end of July.

Quick Hits


On Thursday at 12 a.m., collegiate coaches were able to begin communicating with prospects in the 2018 class. No surprise, Ohio State coaches were up and talking in hopes to build better relationships with some talented players. Here is a list of some who were contacted by the Buckeyes staff on Thursday:

• Jackson Carman
• Anthony Cook
• Patrick Surtain Jr.
• Xavier Thomas
• Taron Vincent
• Xavier Williams

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Ezekiel Elliott and Braxton Miller traded jerseys after the Cowboys-Texans game
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Respect.

The Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans matched up Thursday to end their respective 2016 NFL preseasons.

In one final tune up before the regular season -- and one last chance for those on the periphery of their rosters to make a case for their spot — both the Cowboys and Texans mostly just wanted to make it out of AT&T Stadium without any injuries.

Houston ultimately prevailed, 28-17, but a pair of former Ohio State teammates on the two teams got to meet up afterwards.

While neither saw much in the area of action during the game, they were able to get some face time with one another afterwards and even exchanged jerseys at the site of Ohio State’s 2015 College Football Playoff championship:


Pretty cool to say the least.

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Hoops Recruiting: With Kyle Young Choosing Butler over Ohio State, Where Do the Buckeyes Turn in 2017? - Eleven Warriors
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Hoops Recruiting: With Kyle Young Choosing Butler over Ohio State, Where Do the Buckeyes Turn in 2017?
Eleven Warriors
Committing to Butler after an official visit that went very well for the Young and the Bulldogs, the 6-foot-7 wing forward's snubbing of Ohio State has left Thad Matta and the Buckeyes searching for answers. For more than a year, Kaleb Wesson has been ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Five-star prospect Troy Brown Jr. to visit campus this weekendColumbus Dispatch
OSU Non-Rev: Off to a Hot StartThe Buckeye Battle Cry
Preview: Ohio State men's soccer heads out west for two gamesOSU - The Lantern
Crain's Cleveland Business (blog) -cleveland.com -247Sports
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Five Ohio State Buckeyes Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2016 - Fox News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Five Ohio State Buckeyes Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2016
Fox News
Apr 16, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer leads the Scarlet and Gray teams onto the field prior to the spring game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports ...


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Buckeyes among those to reach out to top DT Taron Vincent - 247Sports (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes among those to reach out to top DT Taron Vincent
247Sports (subscription)
The nation's top defensive tackle in 2018, Taron Vincent, talks about which schools reached out to him on September 1, the first day allowed.
Biddle chat: Erick Smith 100 percent? Worley hold off Baker?247Sports

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Ohio State football is coming off perhaps their best 4 year stretch in school history
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This Urban Meyer guy must know what he is doing.

“Meyer’s first four teams - a combined 50-4 - have both the most wins and the top winning percentage for any four-year period for Ohio State.”

Rich Exner, cleveland.com


Urban Meyer is entering his fifth season as Ohio State head coach and what he has done so far with the school has been historic. The 50-4 the teams in his first four years have amassed is far and away the best four-year stretch in school history. With the introduction of the Big Ten Championship Game, as well as the College Football Playoff, there are more games to be played, and easy to see why the Buckeyes were able to earn six more wins than any other four-year stretch in school history.

What is more telling for Meyer and the Buckeyes is of those games they’ve played the last four years, they are winning 92.6% of those contests. The next highest winning percentage in school history over a four-year period came from 1972-75, where Ohio State won 88% of their games. Prior to Meyer coming to Ohio State the most recent stretch was from 2006-09, where Ohio State won 84.6% of their games. The 2007-10 stretch also had the same winning percentage, but the last year saw all the wins vacated due to NCAA sanctions. 12 wins this year will allow the Buckeyes to register another year of 50 wins over a four-year period, but Ohio State wants even more, so there could be a new stretch topping the list once the season is completed.

“We had some issues in the offensive line as far as pass protection last year. That was involved in the lack of production from the receivers and the quarterback. The face we were playing two different quarterbacks at time, the continuity was not what you wanted.”

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


It’s easy for the passing game to take a backseat when there is a talent like Ezekiel Elliott lining up in the backfield. The last couple years Ohio State hasn’t needed quite as much out of their passing game because they knew they could get things done on the ground. With Elliott now gone, finding success rushing the football might not be quite as easy this year. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer knows this and that’s why he is expecting more out of his passing game this year.

After finishing just 100th in the country in passing offense last year, Meyer is hoping for a 50-50 balance between running and passing, with each rolling up at least 250 yards. With J.T. Barrett back at quarterback, those goals might not be as far-fetched as they seem. In 2014 Barrett passed for at least 250 yards in six of his 12 starts. Now with even more experience, more of the same could be seen this year. Meyer knows that for Barrett and the passing game to succeed they’ll need a better effort from the offensive line this season. If the Buckeyes are able to channel their 2014 offensive output, the rest of the country could be in trouble.

“It’s just a mistake that I made and God brought me through it. I’ve learned to appreciate what you have because it can be gone within seconds. I’m just happy to be here and showcase my talent on Saturday.”

Ohio State defensive lineman Tracy Sprinkle via Jacob Myers, The Lantern


So far during his career at Ohio State, Tracy Sprinkle is most known for something off the field. In July 2014 Sprinkle was arrested at the Grown & Sexy Lounge in Lorain, Ohio. Sprinkle was dismissed from the team by head coach Urban Meyer, but a month later he was reinstated after a hair sample determined no trace drug use by Sprinkle. Since then Sprinkle has been buried on the depth chart with talent like Adolphus Washington and Tommy Schutt ahead of him. Now Washington and Schutt have graduated so it’s time for Sprinkle to make a name for himself on the field.

Now a redshirt junior, and with his two years of probation ended, Sprinkle is ready to do his part to help Ohio State reach the College Football Playoff again. Sprinkle had to earn back the trust of his teammates and coaching staff after the incident and has spent the offseason doing his best to be a leader on the young defensive line. The defensive tackle is looking forward to combining with Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis, and the other defensive lineman to create havoc in the backfield, and make Buckeye fans forget about the incident that happened a couple summers ago.

“A lot of things have happened since the 2010 plan. Tearing down St. John is an assumption that got challenged in the course of this project.”

Ohio State associate vice president for planning and real estate via Mary Mogan Edwards, The Columbus Dispatch


In 2010 it was announced that St. John Arena was going to be torn down and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences would be relocated to the site. There was plenty of objection among Buckeyes, especially from fans who were wondering what would happen to Skull Session, which is held two hours before every Ohio State football home game. To the relief of many Buckeyes, it now sounds as if St. John’s Arena won’t be going anywhere.

A big reason why St. John Arena won’t be torn down is because it was found out that the arena can’t be torn down without French Field House and the OSU ice rink also being taken with St. John Arena. Also, the FAES college has decided that they prefer to stay in their current location, between Olentangy River Road and Route 315. Today’s Master Planning and Facilities Committee meeting will lay out three scenarios on what is to be done in the future with St. John Arena.

STICK TO SPORTS

• The USWNT will be hosting a free public training session at MAPFRE Stadium on September 14th.
• Columbus is a good place to make friends.
• Mike Tyson is swiping ice cream bars at the US Open.
• Watch “Super Mario World”, as told by 80,000 dominoes.

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BBC Exclusive: A Conversation With Parris’ Mom – Shelly Woodruff
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Even though her jersey says Parris’ Mom, Shelly Woodruff loves for people to know what her name is and call her by it. She and her family sat in my section in the stadium last season and we had a great time getting to know each other and became friends in the process. Let me preface the conversation with this, she is as genuine as she seems and is one of the nicest people I have ever met.




WVaBuckeye: What was the message that Coach Smith gave you when he called and how did that make you feel?








WVaBuckeye: With everything Parris went through last season, how has this made him/his family feel?

Woodruff: My family and I are very happy for Parris and all the guys on this amazing team. Last year was tough on Parris as he suffered a major disappointment in the Virginia Tech game which we all know would have been his first touchdown of his college career. Parris was really hard on himself after that. That dream would come up during his sleep repeatedly. Parris and I are very close and we share a lot with each other. He was hard on himself but, as his momma, I couldn’t wait to see him and wrap my arms around him in Blacksburg, VA. I wanted to tell him how proud of him I was being that he had just played his first college football game at the very young age of 18, especially when he could still have been a senior in high school.

It’s something about no matter what he is feeling or going through, when I tell him its gonna be ok and he see a smile on my face…he knows it’s going to be ok. Shortly after that he suffered some injuries and that was difficult as well but I told my son have faith in God and know that God does not make any mistakes and be patient his time would come. I knew it was hard for him but he kept that smile on his face, held his head up, and continued to work hard every week to earn the right to get back out there as the season progressed.

I’m just so proud of him for everything he has accomplished, all the adversity, and the circumstances he has overcome. We both know none of it would be possible without God. I also thank and give a lot of credit to his amazing coaches and the strength and condition staff that work with him daily and continue to push and encourage him, as well as his teammates. We are one happy family. Go Bucks!

— — —

I had an instant reaction to the news as I saw the tweets between Coach Smith and Shelly unfold. My first thoughts were, what is this going to mean to the team? I believe and have believed since he was a junior in high school at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, he was going to make an impact. He was on track to be a difference maker until some things got in the way, as Shelly explained above.

When Campbell has the ball in his hands, his combination of second gear and vision is probably the best on the team. I have seen it with my own eyes in the past and the fact that he was a sprinter makes his instincts golden. I am looking forward to seeing what he is going to accomplish on the field this season.

My secondary thoughts around what this really means to this team is that all bets are off on there being just one work horse(Mike Weber). The wealth is going to be spread around. Campbell will be in the regular mix with others and will make an immediate impact this season. Also, there’s the fact that he was raised to be a well-rounded young man by his momma and that’s always a bonus!

I want to leave you with this. If the coaching staff are pulling out all of the stops in recruiting right now…that definitely doesn’t quit once they are at THE University. Shelly can attest to that! Wouldn’t you love to play for a program that makes you feel that way all through the years you are there? How can you say no to that?

The post BBC Exclusive: A Conversation With Parris’ Mom – Shelly Woodruff appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind:Bosa Signs, RSB, BGSU Game Preview, MOTSAG Podcast
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary and links to the author’s twitter account!


JC Collingsworth catches us up on the Joey Bosa situation.



WVa brings us up to speed on what boggles his mind in this good, the bad, the ugly piece with help from staff.



Brandon Zimmerman tackles the game preview for Ohio State vs. Bowling Green



Shannon Sommers and Chip Minnich ramp up their game in this MOTSAG Podcast game preview



Ben van Ooyen brings us up to speed on a Weber announcement and bad news about Cam Burrows



Ben van Ooyen runs his daily gambit and is rapidly becoming one of the best in the business. We are lucky to have him!







The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind:Bosa Signs, RSB, BGSU Game Preview, MOTSAG Podcast appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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What to know about Michigan before they play Ohio State
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Michigan’s just about everyone’s pick to win the Big Ten. Can they live up to the hype?

The Ohio State football season will be here before you know it, and even if you’ve only been paying semi-close attention this offseason, you’re probably aware of the major storylines with the program. This is going to be an exceptionally young, but talented and athletic team. There’s a lack of proven production at wideout, running back, and defensive back. They return the best QB in the conference, and should at least compete for a Big Ten title.

But you may not know a lot about the specific teams on Ohio State’s schedule. We’ll get into a lot more detail before the actual games, but you may want a primer so you can sound smart at the bar, or at the barbecue, or in the grocery store checkout line.

We wrap our looks at Ohio State’s opponents this year with a familiar foe, OSU’s archrival, the Michigan Wolverines.

So, dare I ask, what was Michigan’s story last year?


The start to the improbable Jim Harbaugh era went about as well as could’ve been expected. They lost a tough, close opener against a Utah team that before injuries, were looking like the Pac-12 South favorites. And then aside from a black swan event against their other rival you probably remember well and a bizarro second half egg laying against the Buckeyes at home in Harbaugh’s The Game head coaching debut, UM was pretty darn good the rest of the season.

The advanced stats loved them. The eye test did the same. And then they destroyed a fairly talented Florida team in their bowl game despite their quarterback still being banged up from The Game to finish 10-3. That seems about as good as realistically could’ve been expected.

Satellite camps, though! Did Michigan use all those to get every good out-of-region-player ever?


Agnostic of satellite camps, Michigan’s recruited at a pretty strong clip the past couple seasons. They closed fairly strong after Brady Hoke’s firing left the 2015 cupboard bare, then bounced back to finish fifth in the country in 247Sports’ Composite Team rankings in 2016. They’re 10th in the country for next February’s class heading into the fall. Of course recruiting wasn’t so much the problem under the previous regime as talent development.

The early return on satellite camps seems more multiplier effect oriented than anything. Jim Harbaugh’s done an arguably brilliant job marketing his program by putting himself in the 24/7 modern news cycle just about constantly. Even if all they managed to pluck was a couple three-stars, that alone would be a net win in all likelihood.

Alright so what about the 2016 team. Do they have enough firepower to score more than the 13 they did against Ohio State last year?


Maybe! Message board rumors claim ginormous redshirt junior Wilton Speight’s beaten out somewhat ballyhooed redshirt junior transfer John O’Korn. Speight’s 6’6 with a big-ish arm to match and game experience.

He got some action against Ohio State last season after Joey Bosa impaled Jake Rudock. Then he did this:


On the plus, he did tackle Joey Bosa. Ohio State also ended that drive with a turnover on downs so ... Little victories?

Even if Speight proves just replacement level, that should be more than enough. Senior wide receivers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson are back and senior tight end Jake Butt is too. That trio alone should be enough to make even the most outstandingly mediocre college quarterback look pretty decent.

The running game is ... Well, it should be solid? Senior De'Veon Smith is back. So is redshirt sophomore top backup Drake Johnson. Smith particularly is pretty good out of the back field with his hands. And do-everything linebacker/hybrid/freak Jabrill Peppers will get plenty of touches on offense as well.

Did we mention Michigan has eight fullbacks on their roster?

Michigan has eight fullbacks on their roster?


They sure do:

• Henry Poggi
• Joe Beneducci
• Brian Chu
• Bobby Henderson
• Spencer Dickow
• Nick Volk
• Michael Hirsch
• Khalid Hill

David Shaw’s derivative offense of what he and Jim Harbaugh ran at Stanford’s featured tight end heavy sets for the Cardinal. Maybe we can get a five fullback look from the Maize and Blue sometime this fall?

What about the defense? Is it still terrifying?


Yup.

The nation’s best defense for much of 2015 returns tons of talent and despite coordinator D.J. Durkin heading to Maryland, new defensive coordinator Don Brown coached a bad Boston College team to the No. 1 ranked defense in the country a year ago. Big time recruiting inexperience aside, he seems like a home run hire on paper.

Other than some kind of Job-ian injury bad luck, even if Brown’s philosophies don’t integrate seamlessly, it seems hard to imagine the Wolverines not having a Top 5 defense this fall.

The best cornerback in college football for my money a season ago, Jourdan Lewis, returns. As does the aforementioned Peppers.

Whether he’s technically a safety or a linebacker, he’s going to be blowing people up, making plays on the ball, and doing the kind of things to produce hyperbole we haven’t seen from a Michigan defender since Charles Woodson.

That seems like insanely high praise


He’s that good.

What’s The Game’s ledger looking like these days?


58-47-6 in Michigan’s favor, though six wins and a tie came before the forward pass was legalized. If you count just college football’s modern era (1970-present) and disregard OSU’s vacated win in 2010, the Buckeyes have a slight edge of 23-19-1.

Michigan’s only won three times against their biggest and most hated rival in the 2000s, but they may never have a better opportunity to get one than they do this November.

Is Michigan going to be good this year?


Very good.

Though the Buckeyes are ahead of them in the first AP Poll and last year’s edition of the rivalry game showed the Wolverines still have a gap to close, the Buckeyes are -- as you know — in a bit of transitional year, while the Wolverines return a lot more experience.

Even with a Buckeye edge in recruiting stars, recent history, and homefield advantage, it’s extremely conceivable the Wolverines head into Columbus 11-0 (their schedule is very, very forgiving) while Ohio State’s looking at one or more losses.

Regardless of the slight talent differential, put two teams with very different things to play for and even in a rivalry game, you may have the one with the better season prevail.

How worried should Ohio State fans be about this game?


A lot.

Michigan were ever so slight favorites in last year’s and we all know how that turned out. It won’t have any bearing on this year’s of course, which should be an extremely close, hard fought contest.

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