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


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

A look back at Ohio State’s win in Happy Valley and a look ahead to a trip to Evanston.


For the second consecutive week, Ohio State’s offense took a little while to get warmed up, but then it was absolutely fine. Also for the second straight week, the defense forced key turnovers to effectively prevent the Buckeyes’ opponents from being able to take advantage of the offense’s slow start. We break down Ohio State’s 44-31 road win over the Penn State Nittany Lions, including a first half that seemed much tighter than it needed to be. We checked in on our score predictions to see how well we prognosticated the game, and poured over the statistical data to see if our picks to click actually... well, clicked.

We took our usual stroll through the rest of the Big Ten games from Saturday to keep tabs on how everyone else made out. There was some ugliness in Ann Arbor, and it wasn’t limited to the game between the Wolverines and Spartans, as it spilled into the tunnel after the final whistle. While everyone seems to want to point out how easily Michigan handled Penn State compared to Ohio State’s trip to Happy Valley, it’s worth reminding them that the Wolverines had to settle for a lot of field goals at home against a Spartans team that the Buckeyes eviscerated in East Lansing. The Illini kept rolling while the Minnesota Golden Gophers tried to get back on track, and Iowa found some offense against... Northwestern.

Speaking of the Wildcats, we looked ahead to Saturday’s road game and the way Northwestern has played this season. We expect the spread to be covered as Ohio State looks to get back in rhythm offensively heading into the season’s final stretch. We made our predictions for the game and selected our offensive and defensive picks to click.

We’ll be back next week to talk about Ohio State’s matchup with the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois, and to preview the following week’s return home to face the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share!

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Ohio State makes the cut for four-star tight end from Georgia
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2024 four-star tight end Michael Smith via 247Sports

The Buckeyes made the top eight for a 2024 four-star tight end and offered a four-star wide receiver over the weekend.

It may not have been pretty, but Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are still undefeated following a road game at Penn State. The Buckeyes struggled throughout the first three quarters of the game, but then impressed in the fourth quarter, leading to a victory. With the regular season getting down to crunch time, the majority of the headlines surround Ohio State will revolve around the current roster. However, don’t expect the Buckeyes to rest their laurels in recruiting because of this.

Four-star TE has Ohio State in top 8


One of the positions Ohio State has been focusing on early in the 2024 class is at tight end. The Buckeyes have offered a half-dozen recruits at the position already, and will continue to look to add to this group while also continuing to recruit those already offered.

One of the tight ends Ohio State has offered in the class is four-star Michael Smith (Savannah, GA / Calvary Day). The Buckeyes offered Smith on June 28, following his visit for one of the program’s summer camps. The camp must have left a strong impression on Smith, as he included the team in his top schools Monday.


Smith narrowed his list of schools he will focus on to close out his recruitment to eight. Alongside Ohio State, Smith also included South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Texas and Penn State.

It will be tough to sway Smith to leave SEC Country, but he is also considering Penn State, which means he is at the very least considering going to college far from home if he feels it is the best school for him to continue his football career. However, if the Buckeyes are going to separate themselves from the field, they will need to get him on campus for the in-game experience. Saturdays in ‘The Shoe are one of Ohio State’s biggest selling points when it comes to recruiting.

Smith is the No. 6 TE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 152 overall prospect regardless of position. He is also No. 24 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Georgia.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State continues to recruit the 2024 class as they also look to close out its 2023 class. They did so this weekend by offering three-star wide receiver Jaden Reddell (Peculiar, MO / Raymore-Peculiar). Reddell has seen his recruitment take off as of late, receiving offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Oklahoma and now Ohio State in the past two months. Reddell is projected to play wide receiver or tight end in college, and with the Buckeyes prioritizing tight end in 2024, the likely are looking him to play there as opposed to wideout.

• One of Ohio State’s commits in the 2023 class, and one of the leaders of the class, four-star offensive tackle Luke Montgomery (Findlay, OH / Findlay) will be visiting Georgia this weekend as they take on Tennessee. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Montgomery already clarified he is visiting with his brother, Ryan, as a guest and there should be no worries of a decommitment.

• ICYMI, Ohio State landed its latest commitment in the 2023 class on Monday with the addition of four-star Georgia DT Kayden McDonald.

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BOOOOM! 2023 four-star DL Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Four-star DL Kayden McDonald | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports

It’s all treats and no tricks for the Buckeyes on Halloween as they add another member to their fourth-ranked class.

The kids aren’t the only ones bringing home the goods on Halloween, as Ohio State’s coaching staff got themselves a big piece of candy on Monday afternoon. The Buckeyes went trick or treating in Suwanee, GA this time around, hauling in a commitment from 2023 four-star defensive lineman Kayden McDonald.


At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, McDonald profiles as a defensive tackle at the next level. The Peach State product currently sits as the No. 229 player in the country and the No. 33 defensive lineman, according to the 247Sports Composite. McDonald hauled in close to 40 scholarship offers during his recruiting process, but in the end Ohio State managed to emerge victorious. It’s obviously not the sole reason, but it’s certainly not surprising to see the Buckeyes haul in a defensive lineman on the heals of J.T. Tuimoloau’s insane performance against Penn State this past weekend.

While Tuimoloau is an edge guy, McDonald is probably hoping his game translates to something more like Mike Hall Jr. on the interior. His scouting report says he displays good athletic ability at his size in the middle of the defensive line, especially as a one-tech, but shows the ability to play multiple positions along the front. Here is the rest of what to expect from McDonald, courtesy of 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna:


As previously alluded to, the Buckeyes were not the only ones in heavy pursuit of McDonald. He kept his recruitment pretty close to the vest, and it seemed as though all five of his final schools including the likes of Clemson, Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma and of course Ohio State all had a legitimate chance to land the four-star prospect. McDonald was in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ big win over Wisconsin in September and came away very impressed, but ultimately it seems as though his relationship and respect for position coach Larry Johnson was the deciding factor in making Ohio State his college destination.

Ohio State is no stranger to the Suwanee area, as in just last year’s class they managed to haul in Kojo Antwi from the same Georgia City. They’ve also had some recent prior success from North Gwinnett High School as well, with Buckeye cornerback Jordan Hancock hailing from the prep program in the 2021 class. McDonald is the third Ohio State commit in this cycle from the state of Georgia, joining four-star tight end Jelani Thurman and four-star corner Kayin Lee. Coach LJ has had more than his fair share of wins in his time from all across the country, but it’s always especially sweet to steal a guy out of SEC country.

McDonald is the 21st member of Ohio State’s 2023 class, which currently ranks No. 4 in the country behind Alabama, Georgia and Notre Dame. The Buckeyes are not done yet, and the defensive line position looks to be the main area Ohio State will continue to look to add on. McDonald becomes the third defensive line commit in the group, and the second interior lineman alongside Will Smith with defensive end Jason Moore as the other in the position group. McDonald is a welcome addition to a defensive tackle room that could use an influx of depth and young talent.

Welcome to Buckeye Nation, Kayden!

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I-70 Football Show: A weekend full of horror
JordanW330 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

Two days before Halloween, college football delivered a weekend full of horror. Horrible football that is.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 Podcast. On this show, we talk all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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October is full of horror. New scary movies are dropping, and old favorites end up on streaming services as many of us are searching for a good scare. I watched Halloween Ends — the final film in the Michael Myers series — this weekend, and it was not even close to the scariest thing I’ve seen. That honor belongs to this week’s Big Ten schedule, as every game ended with a two-score deficit, many of them larger than three.

The weekend was full of blowouts. The closest game of the weekend was Ohio State vs. Penn State, as James Franklin’s team continued their streak of playing OSU tough. Penn State was winning most of the game, finding ways to slow down the Buckeye offense and holding a 21-16 lead with nine minutes left in the game. At that moment it was over, as Ohio State flipped the switch and scored 28 fourth quarter points, including a touchdown after a sack-fumble and a pick-six, both by Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau. Elsewhere, Michigan steamrolled in-state rival Michigan State. The Spartans didn’t show fight until after the game when they jumped a Michigan player in the tunnel.

The scariest thing of the year will happen the weekend after Halloween, as Northwestern has to spend 60 minutes on the same field as Ohio State. After allowing Iowa to score 33 points — without a defensive touchdown — Northwestern may want to forfeit this game and cite player safety. The Buckeyes will go into this one looking to fix some issues before they face Michigan with the Big Ten Championship Game and likely the playoffs on the line. The matchup against the Wildcats should come with an R rating. Cover your eyes, and don’t let your kids watch. There will be a lot of blood and gore.

In their weekly pit stops, Jordan laughs at Anthony Davis after his horrid start to the season. In the offseason, AD bragged about not touching a basketball, and it’s clear he didn’t as he struggles to begin the year. Dante thinks that Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are overrated and should retire as father time is catching up to them.


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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Column: Ohio State’s run game is back to being incredibly predictable
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone watching can tell when the Buckeyes are going to run the football based purely on the formation, which is not great in my personal opinion.

Ohio State’s running game has been less than stellar over the past two games, and that is putting it mildly. After totaling at least 160 yards rushing in each of the team’s first six games, the Buckeyes have failed to reach the century mark in back to back weeks against Iowa and Penn State. In fact, Ohio State was averaging 228 yards on the ground per game on six yards per attempt before these last two contests, wherein they totaled just 66 and 98 yards rushing, respectively, on a measly 2.9 yards per attempt.

So what gives? Can we simply chalk it up to Ohio State playing against some better defenses? Well, partially. But I think the main reason for the massive downgrade in production running the football has been a lack of creativity in the run game. More specifically, a lack of diversity in play calls based on the formation the offense comes out in. Anecdotally, it felt like the Buckeyes were running the football out of the same formations every single time against Penn State, and then we got the empirical data that this was actually the case, courtesy of Bill Connelly:


Objectively, it looks like Ohio State had a pretty great day on offense based on these numbers. The Buckeyes averaged 7.5 yards per play, which is pretty good considering you'd be getting a first down every two plays. Personally, I'd take it! C.J. Stroud was really good even despite some questionable play-calling, averaging over 10 yards per attempt through the air. OSU also won the turnover battle significantly, taking the ball away four times while not giving it up once. However, the specific figures we are looking at here are the run rates:



Ohio State ran the football 100% of the time when lined up either under center or in the pistol formation, compared to only 19.6% of the time when they lined up in shotgun. Essentially, Penn State could load up the box whenever they saw either an under center or pistol look from the Buckeyes — which they did — and there was never any threat of being beaten over the top by a passing play. When a dummy like me sitting on my couch can tell you that Ohio State is going to run the football purely based on how they are lined up, the opposing defense is certainly aware of it as well. This is simply inexcusable.

Ryan Day brought in a guy like offensive line coach Justin Frye to help diversify the run game, but it doesn’t appear that he is actually allowing him to do that. We know Day gets the final word when it comes to play calls, but it seems like it wouldn’t hurt to let someone like Frye or even offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson get into the mix and change things up a bit on the ground. Day is excellent at coaching quarterbacks and designing the passing game, but a run game this predictable is simply not going to cut it against the tougher teams on Ohio State’s schedule. It didn’t fool Iowa or Penn State, and while it didn’t cost them either game, they can’t afford to do that against a team like Michigan or a potential CFP opponent.

On top of the need for play diversity by formation, Day needs to realize that this offense has to be run in reverse of the traditional way of doing things. You always hear teams talking about establishing the run to open up the pass, but Ohio State has to do the inverse. Get the offense moving with C.J. Stroud spreading the ball around to guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming and eventually hopefully Jaxon Smith-Njigba and force the opposing defense to take a few steps back. Once you have them on their heels, the run game should come along way easier. Also just scrap the bubble screens entirely, because throwing the football behind the line of scrimmage with these receivers is silly.

There really isn’t any excuse for Ohio State to not put together an elite running game with the players they have at their disposal. TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams are both excellent running backs, and the offensive line — alongside the tight ends, especially Cade Stover — has opened up some really great running lines when given the opportunity and put in a position to succeed. All it would really take is a few play-action passes here and there out of these formations to at least make defenses think twice about what you are doing to fix this issue. You dont have to re-invent the wheel, but you can’t be this predictable without doing literally anything else at least a few times per game.

Teams already have to throw a ton of resources on defense into slowing down a Heisman candidate quarterback in Stroud and his treasure trove of future NFL wide receivers, so a more consistent and impactful running game could take an already powerful offense to a truly elite level. This was a huge problem for Ohio State last season as well, and Ryan Day never got it fixed. Hopefully he can figure it out before The Game, or it could once again prove costly.

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Three storylines for No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball exhibition game vs. Notre Dame College
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The OSU women’s basketball team faces an in-state side to warm-up for Nov. 8’s season opener.

For the first time since Mar. 25, the Ohio State women’s basketball team competes on the court for fans and media to see. All-in-all, it’s a game that won’t matter in the regular season standings, and won’t be against a team that is likely to challenge the Buckeyes. Regardless, there’s a lot to take from Monday night’s exhibition.

Here are three storylines to watch for during Monday night’s spooky Halloween exhibition.

Madison Greene’s Return


The biggest attention will fall on Buckeyes point guard Madison Greene. Feb. 10, 2021 is the last time Greene’s suited up for the Scarlet & Gray for a competitive basketball game. That 628-game gap likely ends Monday, with fans finally getting a small glimpse of what Ohio State can look like with their best players on the court.

Greene’s played with many of the names still on the roster like fellow guards Jacy Sheldon and Rikki Harris, along with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, so chemistry won’t be a problem. It’s more about getting back into the pace of the game.

According to head coach Kevin McGuff, Greene stayed with the team over the summer as an intern, continuing to work out and practice, and enters this season motivated by a year of watching the title-winning Buckeyes from the bench.

It’ll be interesting to see how she works alongside guard Taylor Mikesell, who Greene played alongside in their AAU days. The faster those two get on the same page and know each other’s movements, the more dangerous the Ohio State offense becomes.

Starting Forwards


McGuff said there’s an open competition for spots entering the season, but it feels more likely inside the paint. Last year, Mikulášiková and now-graduate Braxtin Miller took four and five spots but this year it’s a toss-up.

Mikulášiková has a strong chance to return as a starter. Last year was the Slovakian’s first year starting a majority of her games with the Scarlet & Gray. Mikulášiková knows the system and she could make a leap this year in consistency of performances. If so, it leaves one spot open on the court.

The other forward spot could go a few different ways, with Monday showing where McGuff is leaning. He has returning sophomore Taylor Thierry available alongside three new names: Cotie McMahon, Eboni Walker, and Karla Vres.

McMahon is a freshman but enters the season off a summer competing with Team USA’s youth team, and she’s been with the Buckeyes since Jan. 2022, opting to graduate early from high school.

Walker — a senior — and Vres — a graduate senior — each bring experience. The duo transferred from Syracuse University and American University, respectively.

Vres follows a similar road to Mikulášiková, growing up playing in Europe before taking their craft to the United States, but it doesn’t seem likely that McGuff starts them both. Mikulášiková and Vres could both play center, switching off throughout games.

The way that the minutes are split on Monday will be something to watch closely, especially in the first half. Thierry, McMahon, and Walker are all likely to play. Whoever gets early-game minutes could be who McGuff favors to start on Nov. 8, when the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers come to town.

The Future


Monday’s exhibition and early non-conference games against smaller schools are a great time to look ahead. The Buckeyes have three freshmen this season. Outside of the aforementioned forward McMahon are guards Mya Perry and Kaia Henderson.

Their play on Monday, and in the coming year, is important because the Scarlet and Gray’s guard group is its strength. Also, it could have a big changeover in the coming seasons.

Mikesell is in her final NCAA year and Sheldon could be close behind, especially if this year is better than her last and she tries her hand at the professional ranks. That means players like Greene and Harris will lead the guard group and the current crop of underclassmen will fill in those spots.

Giving minutes to Perry, Henderson, and transfer Emma Shumate gives a glimpse into who can be those key starters for the next four years.

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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State at Penn State
Michael Citro 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

Saturday’s result in Happy Valley was good, but it came after an afternoon filled with petty aggravations and I’m going to let you people hear about them.

Ohio State traveled to Happy Valley on Saturday for what should be the team’s toughest true road game of the 2022 season. Games against Penn State rarely go exactly according to plan and instead end up becoming much more aggravating than they usually need to be. This was certainly the case on Saturday when the offense continued to stubbornly do things that never worked for three quarters before the Buckeyes stopped playing with their food and took care of business in the fourth quarter. Here’s what soured my stomach in Saturday’s 44-31 road win.

Continued Problems Getting Plays In


The ongoing problems getting plays in and the offense ready to go just don’t seem to be going away under Ryan Day and they were magnified on Saturday as the Buckeyes played with a silent count for the first time this year. On the first drive of the game, Ohio State faced a third-and-10 deep in Penn State territory and took a delay of game penalty. It was the second time in that set of downs alone in which the Buckeyes had trouble getting the play called in time to run it.

They had previously checked into a running play that went nowhere on first down and although I’ll admit I have no idea what that play might have been originally, but the play they checked into seemed to go into the teeth of how Penn State was set up defensively, so it was a weird deal all around. While Ohio State wasted a few first downs last week after having these issues, this time the Buckeyes thought taking the bad play and the penalty were the preferable way to go.

The third down resulted in an 8-yard pass to Cade Stover that might have given Day a decision to make had it happened on third-and-10 rather than third-and-15.

Not a Banner Day Blocking


Granted, Penn State has a defense that can create problems, but — coming off a game against a stout Iowa defense — the blocking all across the line of scrimmage was problematic at Penn State.

On the second series, tackle Paris Johnson, Jr. got completely blown up on a first-down run and Stover whiffed entirely on a third-down wide receiver screen that could have gone for big yards to the right if the initial block had been successful, as the defense loaded up the middle and was outflanked.

Stover later missed his block again on the left side on a similar play. Credit the Nittany Lions for good recognition and reacting faster than Ohio State but the wide receiver screens that Day says are part of the running game were useless in this game — mainly because the Buckeyes couldn’t block them properly — and the team kept running them anyway. A competent running game doesn’t need wide receiver screens to open things up.

The Touchdown that Almost Wasn’t


Miyan Williams pretty clearly got into the end zone for Ohio State’s first touchdown and it’s puzzling how the umpire didn’t have a good enough look at it to signal that he’d gotten in. Instead, with three-quarters of Williams’ body lying in the end zone, both sideline refs marked the play short of the goal line and Day and company seemed content to line up and run the next play without asking for a review. Just as the ball was being snapped for the next play, the replay booth buzzed down to ask the referee to look at it, which ultimately overturned the call.

Another Key Injury, More Short-Yardage Blocking Woes


Williams caught a pass out of the backfield and looked to have a good shot at a first down but he landed awkwardly with contact and was kept short of the chains. When he landed out of bounds, he stayed down and both the repeated replays and the speculation by broadcasters Gus Johnson and Trent Klatt had folks thinking it was Williams’ knee. Social media doctors were still diagnosing season-ending knee injuries when Williams walked off with a trainer holding his arm. Although Williams later tweeted “All good,” he didn’t return.

On the ensuing third-and-short situation, the offensive line again allowed the Nittany Lions to penetrate and blow up a short-yardage run in the backfield to force a punt. Ohio State has fixed a lot of things that hurt the team last year, but short-yardage running continues to be problematic. That seems likely to cost the team at some point and it’s one of the main reasons Saturday’s game was even close.

This might be fixable by spreading the defense out via formation and running with fewer defenders close to the line of scrimmage or burning an opponent with a play-action pass or two in that situation to keep them honest.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct


Penn State tight end Brenton Strange was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for hitting J.T. Tuimoloau in the head from behind. There’s no doubt it was a penalty, but taking a swing at an opponent, particularly from behind, should be an automatic disqualification from the game. While the act had little chance of actually hurting Tuimoloau, there’s just no place in the game for taking a swing at your opponent’s head.

Strange was allowed to continue and went on to make a key play in the fourth quarter. Ronnie Hickman forced a fumble at the goal line when he knocked the ball out of Mitchell Tinsley’s hands. Strange recovered and was initially given a touchdown despite the ball being out of the end zone when it was recovered — see earlier aggravation about officials’ rulings at the goal line.

The play was correctly overturned, but Penn State then scored on fourth-and-goal when Tommy Eichenberg couldn’t pull down Kaytron Allen in the backfield. That touchdown gave Penn State a fourth-quarter lead and may never have happened had Strange been ejected.

J.K. Johnson’s Tough Day


Cornerback Jakailin Johnson had a tough afternoon in Happy Valley. On the same drive that Strange took his swing at Tuimoloau, A short pass for a first down became a nightmare play that turned a 10-0 game into the tight battle it ultimately became. Sean Clifford completed a pass to Parker Washington for a first down and the Buckeyes were in good shape with both Tanner McCalister and Johnson closing in.

But McCalister went to the ground and lost his grip on Washington. Johnson did what far too many young defenders do and went for the big hit to knock down the receiver without using proper technique to wrap up. Johnson bounced off the receiver, who kept his balance and raced the remaining distance to the end zone to pull the Nittany Lions within 10-7, igniting the crowd and stealing momentum back from the Buckeyes. Penn State went on to win the second quarter, 14-3, and led at the half.

Johnson had plenty of other issues later in the game in coverage. The worst of those was when he committed pass interference on a seemingly uncatchable ball on which he had good coverage on a Penn State third-and-16 play. That came at the start of the same drive on which Strange fell on the fumble near the goal line and allowed Penn State to take a fourth-quarter lead. The young corner will have better games than this one, and in fact, already has had several.

First Half Endgame a Masterclass in What Not to Do


Marvin Harrison Jr. picked up a big first down with seven seconds remaining in the second quarter at the PSU 8-yard line. Some fans, like me, were incensed that Ohio State opted to spike the ball rather than use its final timeout, wasting a second and leaving six on the clock. There was some confusion as to whether Ohio State had any timeouts remaining because the FOX broadcast graphic showed one remaining, as did the official stats broadcast used by the media. However, the Buckeyes had actually used their three, with two of them coming within a two-play span earlier in the drive (one was erroneously announced as a Penn State timeout by the on-field official).

On the ensuing play, Stroud did not get the ball out quickly despite the game clock winding down. He double-clutched and was hit, losing the ball. Although Luke Wypler fell on the football, the game clock expired, making it not matter which team came up with the recovery, and the Buckeyes got no points to show for their final drive. Stroud’s awareness of the game situation was a big mistake, as the quarterback should have made one read and then fired the ball over everyone’s heads and out the back of the end zone to preserve time for a go-ahead field goal. The Buckeyes trailed 14-13 at the half instead of leading 16-14 because of the error.

Despite the timeout situation not ultimately being what many thought it was, Day was still largely outcoached in the first half and that’s been a problem in big games since he took over. Ohio State’s second-half adjustments, the final results on the field, and the Buckeyes’ record have largely masked it, but Day’s first-half coaching performances in big games have left a lot to be desired since he took over the program.

When a couch potato like me can look at the alignment of the defense and then watch in horror as Ohio State runs unsuccessfully into the teeth of that defense, losing yards on critical, possession-wasting plays, it seems logical that the coaches paid millions can also see that the play isn’t going to work. I’m all for saving timeouts, but when using one can keep the team out of a bad third-and-1 play and extend a drive as a result, maybe it’s good to take one.

The Cosmetic Touchdown


I’m going to preface this section by saying I hate the term “style points.” However, when people across the country only see the final score, sometimes the margin of victory means something. Ohio State went up by 20 points on the road against the nation’s No. 13 team and then played softly on Penn State’s final scoring drive. The Nittany Lions had their easiest drive of the game, coming right down the field on a drive that covered 75 yards on eight plays but took only a minute and a half. For those around the country, 44-24 would have seemed more impressive than 44-31 and given Tuimoloau’s dominant performance, it would have more accurately reflected the game. As for the gamblers who took Ohio State to cover, well, that’s not my problem because I don’t have enough disposable income to wager some of it on the whims of 18- to 22-year-olds playing a game.


Those are the items that got me heated on Saturday. What irritated you? Let me know in the comments below. Obviously, there were plenty of good things too, such as Tuimoloa’s incredible game, Zach Harrison doing some similar things on the other side, Marvin Harrison Jr. having another huge outing, and TreVeyon Henderson hitting one of his long-awaited home runs.

Next week, the Buckeyes will travel to Evanston, Illinois to take on the Northwestern Wildcats. There’s always something aggravating about Ryan Field.

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Film Review: Ohio State’s offense explodes again backed by an all-time defensive performance
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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The Buckeyes needed every bit of J.T. Tuimoloau’s historic performance, but they came up huge again in the fourth quarter to beat Penn State.

Ohio State was in a dog fight until the offense clicked and their star defensive end took over in the fourth quarter to beat Penn State 44-31. The Buckeyes came out of the gate playing incredible football, jumping out to 10-0 lead in the first quarter, then a missed tackle and some questionable offensive play-calling allowed Penn State to answer.

In back-to-back weeks, the general feeling throughout the game was the Buckeyes were underwhelming on offense. Consistently moving the ball, but then getting in their own way by getting away from what was working led to drives stalling. For Ryan Day, it once again felt like a game where his overthinking was a detriment.

Luckily enough for Day, on the other side of the football J.T. Tuimoloau had one of the greatest individual performances in school history. In the moment, adding perspective to how good the performance was challenging to place, but the reality is Tuimoloau’s performance was an all-time great one in Ohio State history. Without his showing, the Buckeyes probably do not win this football game.

Despite trailing in the fourth quarter, Ohio State showed a toughness and an inevitability on both sides of the ball to emerge victorious. The issue once again was why it took so long to get there...

First half offensive struggles


This article could have been five clips of failed bubble screens, but there were issues that arose outside of the unusual amount of throws behind the line of scrimmage called. Ohio State’s offensive line and running backs were once again held in check. Penn State deserves credit for this, but the Buckeyes need to be able to overcome the physicality of opponents.

In the first scenario, Ohio State is in a 3rd-and-1, which through the first six games was picked up consistently. The Buckeyes even bring in their heavy package with Mitch Rossi at fullback and Josh Fryar as an extra “tight end.” Ohio State runs their inside zone concept from this formation, and after the snap the play goes south immediately. Penn State’s defensive tackle (No. 97) gets off the ball and into Ohio State’s play side offensive linemen, creating congestion. On the backside, Matthew Jones (No. 55) gets beat inside, and this allows the defensive linemen to make the play before Henderson is even able to react.


This trend continues in the next play. Ohio State is once again in a short yardage position looking to pick up the first down on the ground. The Buckeyes are lined up in their pistol single back formation with Henderson lined up behind Stroud. Tendency wise, this is usually a formational giveaway that Ohio State is running wide zone to the boundary.

After the snap, Ohio State does in fact run the play everybody is expecting. Still, the Buckeyes have the numbers and this play has a chance to be successful. The issue is there is interior penetration that stops the play before it can get started. This time Matthew Jones is play side, and the defensive tackle is able to get up field and cut off Henderson before he can get the edge. The predictability aspect is an issue, but we can see the play is there, the Buckeyes just need to execute to have success.


Now we get to the bubble screens — Ohio State’s new favorite play in every situation that feels important. Ryan Day explained this by saying he wanted to attack Penn State in all areas and challenge them to cover the entirety of the field. This to me is overthinking for the sake of trying to outsmart the defense.

Up to this point, Ohio State was attacking down the field getting chunk play after chunk play. Day isn’t wrong here: Ohio State had the numbers to the side, and the play would have worked if Cade Stover gets his block. Penn State does a great job defending this play, but once again failed execution doesn’t mean the play call is bad. Now, Day calling this play multiple times after it was stopped for no gain is another story. To me, the issues isn’t the bubble itself, it is sticking to the concept when the opponent has shown they aren’t going to be caught off guard.

Offensive concepts that were working


The offense had a huge day even though there were some struggles, and for the Buckeyes the ability to explode when needed is something that has always been there. As frustrating as it can be to watch the Ohio State flounder a few drives away, they have shown an ability to get it done when it matters most.

Early in the game, the Buckeyes found success attacking the middle of the field. The slant game and other inside breaking routes were open constantly. In this play, Ohio State runs a play-action pass with Marvin Harrison Jr. running a dig route. This opens up because the route concept attacks Penn State’s coverage tendencies. Harrison Jr. and Egbuka pushing vertical forces the safety to move over top of them, taking him away from the dig route that Harrison Jr. runs. Egbuka’s route forces the corner to stay in his area and carry Egbuka up the field. This leads to a huge window for Stroud to throw the ball, and allows Harrison Jr. to create yards after the catch.


This last concept showed that there was plenty of vacated space in the middle of Penn State’s defense to attack. On the very next play, Ohio State runs another inside breaking route, this time a quick slant, and the pass is complete again to Harrison Jr. who breaks off a big gain. This was not hard to see, and the question that I think most people want to ask coaches is why they don’t continue to run the plays that are working. Day showed that he still has the ability to get it done, but back-to-back weeks it took far too long to stick to what was working.


Moving forward to when the game was still hanging in the balance. This play was the last offensive play that I wanted to look at for two reasons: the level of design that went into the play, and then Cade Stover running with the ball after the catch.

The Buckeyes are lined up in 11-personnel in a tight end trips formation with Stover lined up in a wing alignment. Ohio State fakes their outside zone look with play-action. Stroud drops back looking to the field side, and Henderson runs a wheel route out of the run-action, taking the linebacker out of the picture. Stover at the top of the screen chips, selling the run action even harder and sucking up the linebackers who end up trying to bring pressure. After the chip, Stover slowly sneaks out and gets up field, creating an easy throw for Stroud.

Stover does the rest, breaking three tackles on the way to the end zone to make it a two-score game.

An all-time defensive performance


There are games that stay with you for a long time. Truly dominant performances that transcend the sport. On Saturday, J.T Tuimoloau had one of those afternoons. People all over the country were comparing this performance to Ndamukong Suh’s one man wrecking crew Big Ten Championship and Chase Young’s demolition of the Wisconsin Badgers. Having a performance like this creates a legendary aura for a player, and the Buckeyes needed every bit of that performance. With that being said, the entire defensive half of this article will be dedicated to Tuimoloau.

The first play set the tone for the day. Tuimoloau is lined as a stand-up edge rusher in a 3rd-and-short situation. Ohio State rushes three, and Tuimoloau actually drops into coverage right at the sticks. Clifford tries to fit the ball in at the yard-to-gain, but Tuimoloau had other ideas, breaking on the ball and intercepting it. For a defensive end to understand where he is on the field in coverage and then be able to break on the ball is incredibly impressive.


The next play shows the level of instinct Tuimoloau plays with and how his length is able to impact the game. In the play, Penn State is trying to run a tunnel screen. This is when the receiver comes inside to catch the ball behind blockers who are getting up field. Tuimoloau is lined up wide in what looks like a 9-technique to the field side. This gives him the angle to go right after the quarterback. The instincts come into play here, because Tuimoloau gets off the ball and is untouched with the tackle leaving to get up field to block.

His mind clicks immediately, understanding this means there is a screen coming behind him. Tuimoloau does the famous matching of hands and gets his hands up to deflect the pass. The ball pops up in the air, and then the other incredibly athletic defensive end in Zach Harrison deflects the ball to himself for the interception. This is just a remarkable play from Ohio State’s defensive ends.


Now the Buckeyes are in crunch time here, Ohio State had just taken the lead and the Nittany Lions got the ball back. Penn State’s opportunity to answer was disrupted by another incredible individual effort from Tuimoloau. The Buckeyes are in coverage and Penn State is in their stacked twins receiver look. They run switch concepts and Parker Washington comes open late across the middle.

Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Tuimoloau was not done playing hero yet. Tuimoloau bull rushes his defender, and by forcing him into Clifford, the Penn State quarterback needs to step up in the pocket. This gives Tuimoloau the tenth of a second he needs to strip the ball and recover it. Ohio State would go on to score to make it a two score game just like that.


The last play was a dagger in every sense of the word. Penn State was still in the game and there was still three minutes left on the clock for the Nittany Lions to try to score and try an onside kick. Instead, Tuimoloau said this game was over. Remember earlier in the game when Penn State tried running a tunnel screen and Tuimoloau deflected it to Zach Harrison for an interception? Well, they tried running that same play to his side of the field again – this time to an even more detrimental result.

This time around, Penn State’s tackle tries to cut Tuimoloau, but the Ohio State defensive end was ready. He fights off the cut block, and once again jumps up into the passing lane, this time intercepting the pass and returning it for a touchdown to put the game on ice. The performance was truly legendary, and if the season goes as many fans hope, Tuimoloau’s big game will live in Ohio State lure forever.


Ohio State was battle tested in a hostile road environment against a talented football team in Penn State. Despite trailing with just over nine minutes to go in the game, the Buckeyes never wavered. The talented Ohio State players executed to perfection when it mattered most, and that should be the takeaway from this game.

The offense was frustrating at times, but Penn State deserves some credit. Ryan Day said it himself, they took away the easy stuff and made Ohio State work for everything on that side of the ball. Eventually, the Nittany Lions broke and the Buckeyes’ inevitability, which was compared to an avalanche, took center stage.

The offense got the help it needed in the way of J.T. Tuimoloau. There have been few performances as dominant as Tuimoloau’s, and he could not have done it alone. Despite having their worst overall showing on defense from a yards per play stand point and giving up some big plays, the defense showed a toughness we haven’t seen in some time. When the game mattered most, they rose to the occasion.

For now, the Buckeyes will look to stay unscathed as they head to down their final stretch, starting with Northwestern. Ohio State has time now to clean up the mistakes, because Nov. 26 will be here before they know it.

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PLAYER PROFILE

• HEIGHT 6-0
• WEIGHT 228
• HOMETOWN TAMPA, FLA.
• LAST SCHOOL CARROLLWOOD DAY
• YEAR 2ND YEAR

Ohio State Overview
• Mason was an invited walk-on to the team in Fall 2021
• He is in his second season with the program and has four years of eligibility
• He is an OSU Scholar-Athlete majoring in finance

Honors & Awards
2021: OSU Scholar-Athlete

More on Mason
• Played football for coach Marshall McDuffie and wrestled at Carrollwood Day in 2020-21 after transferring in from Jesuit H.S.
• Rated the No. 6 rated long snapper in the nation as a senior by Kornblue Kicking
• Was an undefeated state champion in wrestling in 2020 as a senior
• State Class 2A wrestling runner up as a sophomore (220 lbs.) and as a junior (heavyweight)
• Attributes success as a long snapper to the mental focus he needed as a wrestler
• Wrestling coach at Carrollwood Day (Eric Smith) is a former Ohio State wrestler

Column: What did we learn from the Penn State game?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Good and bad, many different areas of the Buckeyes were highlighted Saturday.

I usually complain about blowouts, but after Saturday’s game and what it did to my heart, I don’t think I will ever be upset about a 40-point win again. Penn State is always a close game, and with it being Ohio State’s first real competition of the year, a few things were exposed.

Establishing a run game is CRUCIAL

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Through the first three quarters of the game, the Buckeyes had a pretty much nonexistent run game. Obviously having Miyan Williams get injured was a major contributor to the lack of a run game, but even with that, it proved how much Ohio State relies on it.

TreVeyon Henderson was really having a rough time getting going, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. The offensive line did not do him any favors, so most of his rushes ended up with negative yardage or no gain. However, once he broke free for his 41-yard touchdown run, the momentum totally changed.

C.J. Stroud and his receivers just weren’t working early on. That’s why having a run game was pivotal. Neither was working to start though, but luckily the defense came through. The Bucks can’t always count on the fact that Stroud & Co. are going to click right away and figure out the opposing team’s defense quickly. Therefore, the running backs must be able to be counted on.

There are two, possibly three, Heisman contenders on this team

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Stroud, once again, proved why he is the Heisman frontrunner. He went 6-of-8 in the fourth quarter, leading the offense down the field and making the throws when it mattered most. Prior to the fourth quarter, it’s not that he was doing bad necessarily — he went 26-of-33 for the whole game. The plays being called were just not working (please no more bubble screens!).

The other Heisman contender I’m speaking of is Stroud’s go-to guy, Marvin Harrison Jr. When all else fails, you can count on Marv making a play. He had 10 receptions for 185 yards, yet didn’t have any touchdowns. That’s when you know a guy is impactful — he didn’t even score, yet the receptions he did make had major ramifications for putting the Bucks in the red zone. I truly do think it’s time for Marv to be entered into the Heisman conversation.

We all know that this game is classified as the J.T. Tuimoloau game. It was one of the greatest defense performances in Ohio State history. Tuimoloau finished with six tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble and fumble recovery, and one touchdown. Now, obviously he won’t be playing like this every week (I mean, I hope he does), but this was certainly his coming out game. If he continues to be a major contributor every game, I think he could be considered as a finalist.

Having a good defense is important.

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

I am so happy that whenever the Buckeyes’ defense comes onto the field, I don’t dread it. In fact, I actually welcome it, as opposed to last year. It is so nice being able to rely on the Silver Bullets to come through when needed.

Top to bottom, they are looking good. Some holes were exposed Saturday, as they did still give up 31 points, but last year’s defense would’ve given up double that, and probably wouldn’t have gotten any interceptions. I think Jim Knowles has figured out who works best on the D-Line, and Zach Harrison in particular had a great game (alongside Tuimoloau, of course).

It was good for them to play a solid offense, probably the best they have seen all year. Now, they know what to work on and will be prepared for TTUN. Overall, I am still happy with what I saw from them Saturday.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: The J.T. Tuimoloau Game™
Gene Ross 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

Plus, a word or two about the head coach’s play sheet.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley Matt Tamanini as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On this week’s episode, Gene is joined by his LGHL co-managing editor Matt Tamanini to discuss Ohio State’s 44-31 win over Penn State this past weekend. Staying on brand, they discuss the putrid play-calling by Ryan Day that led to the Buckeyes’ less-than-desirable first three quarters of the game before a 28-point fourth quarter secured a victory for the good guys. They go on to talk about J.T. Tuimoloau’s ridiculous showing, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s rise to stardom, Ohio State’s continued injury woes, and much more.

“Hangout in the Holy Land” will be posting two episodes per week during the regular season, with an episode before and after each Ohio State game to give you all the preview and recap content you may need. Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

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Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Matt
Twitter: @BWWMatt

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Four-star Georgia DL set to make his decision later today
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kayden McDonald | 247Sports

The Buckeyes are hopeful they are the choice for a top defensive line target who is set to reveal his pledge today.

As Ohio State fought through adversity in Happy Valley to secure a resume-building victory on Saturday by a final of 44-31, they were also gathering some positive developments on the recruiting trail. Could the Buckeyes now be on the verge of adding a key piece to the defensive side of their 2023 class? Plus, a blue-chip defensive back from Florida revealed his list of top schools.

Decision day for McDonald


Today is the day in which Ohio State and defensive line coach Larry Johnson will learn their fate in the pursuit of 2023 four-star defensive tackle Kayden McDonald of North Gwinnett (GA). The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder will announce his commitment to his future program at 6:00 p.m. today, according to Atlanta sports reporter Maria Martin of 11 Alive News.

The Buckeyes are indeed a finalist for the Suwanee standout, but have a quartet of stiff competition in their way. Among the other programs in the running for McDonald include Clemson, Florida, Michigan, and Oklahoma. As of this moment, it’s the Tigers who hold the advantage on the 247Sports Crystal Ball for McDonald, with all three predictions favoring them. However, the forecasts were made several months ago, and it truly feels like anyone’s guess as to who the pick will be later today.

McDonald caught up with Rivals’ Woody Wommack to discuss the finalists that are hoping to be the beneficiary of his upcoming announcement on Sunday morning. When discussing the Buckeyes, the Georgia standout spoke highly of head coach Ryan Day, the aforementioned Larry Johnson, and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. McDonald also added that his, “friend and former teammate Jordan Hancock is up there, and he has been telling me the great things we can do together. They were one of the first schools to believe in me and they have been loyal to me ever since.”

We will see if the Buckeyes have done enough in this recruitment to bring McDonald to the fold and join a class that already ranks as the No. 4 class overall in the country.

Heyward down to six


While the highly-anticipated pledge of McDonald is the biggest news to look forward to, Ohio State was slotted as a finalists for 2024 four-star safety Jaylen Heyward of Rockledge (FL) as he narrowed down his recruitment on Friday afternoon.


The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder had already piled up over 30 offers as a prospect while only being a junior. However, he wasted no time figuring out which programs he wanted to focus on going forward. The Buckeyes, as expected with any national recruit, have more stiff competition to outlast in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee. The obvious next hopeful development for Ohio State in this recruitment will be getting the Florida standout on campus for a visit sooner rather than later.

Heyward is currently graded just outside of the Top 50 prospects in his class coming in at No. 51 overall. The blue-chip defensive back also slots in as the fifth highest graded safety for next year and the 12th best prospect from Florida.

Quick Hits

• According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, 2024 four-star athlete Garrett Stover of Big Walnut (OH) will be making a visit to Notre Dame this coming weekend for their contest against Clemson. Stover also revealed to Hodge that a decision will likely come in December, and that he really likes both Ohio State and the Irish.

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We’ll Talk About This Later: It’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Your dose of lighthearted takes from yesterday’s games.

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

First of all, happy birthday to the greatest mascot of them all!


Next, if you just look at the final score of the Ohio State vs. Penn State game, you might not realize the drama, anxiety, and fright that defined much of the first three-plus quarters. A la every iteration of the Halloween franchise, we always know Michael Myers is going to show up and wreak havoc on our protagonist, but that Laurie Strode will eventually emerge victorious.


That was once again the case Saturday, as the Buckeyes faced their toughest battle of the year. The defense allowed the most points of any game all season and the offense had their second-lowest point total of the year. Naturally, the margin of victory was the narrowest of any game except for the Buckeyes’ matchup against Notre Dame to open the season.

After watching (or maybe not watching) the game, it was clear to most that a road win in a tough environment—and one in which Ohio State showed resilience being down late in the game—was an indicator of success for the Buckeyes rather than a cause for concern. That leads us to a bizarre AP Poll, in which Ohio State and Tennessee are squarely tied at the No. 2 spot behind Georgia.

There hasn’t been a tie in the AP Poll since November 14, 2004, when Auburn and Oklahoma were also tied for No. 2 behind USC. My initial thought on seeing the poll, to channel Donovan McNabb in 2008, was that I didn’t know you could have a tie.


For Ohio State, it means there was not enough cause to warrant them moving down, but an impressive win for Tennessee was enough to boost them up.

The first College Football Playoff rankings are scheduled to come out this week, and all signs indicate that the initial CFP poll will look very different from the AP’s preseason rankings. What that means is that early season polls are a bunch of hocus pocus; meaningless chatter that distracts from on-field storylines.


Of course, polls are helpful in gauging relative aptitude, but absent some games under teams’ belts, they’re merely an embodiment of unfulfilled expectations. Kind of like candy corn. Because how bad can candy be? As it turns out, real bad.

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Penn State Recap

1. With the 44-31 win yesterday, Ohio State improved its record against Penn State to 24-14 overall, and 22-8 in Big Ten play. Penn State: Still not elite ... still not our rival.

2. A 13-point margin of victory over the #13 team in the country looks pretty impressive, and the win would've looked even more impressive if the Buckeye defense hadn't surrendered a garbage time touchdown. In reality, however, Ohio State played about fifteen minutes of winning football yesterday, but those winning minutes produced 38 of the Buckeyes' 44 points (86.4%); 270 of their 452 total yards (59.7%); and all four forced turnovers. Ohio State continues to be a quick-strike team on both offense and defense, a team that has difficulty grinding out long drives on offense or preventing big plays on defense (see below).

3. For 3+ quarters, CJ Stroud played a fairly ordinary game. Then with Ohio State trailing 21-16 with 9:26 left in the fourth quarter, Stroud went on a Heisman-worthy tear. Over the next 4:06, Stroud completed 6 of 8 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown, while the Buckeyes forged a 37-24 lead (soon to be 44-24 courtesy of a pick six) and it was game over. For the contest, Stroud completed 26/33 (.788) for 354 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions.

4. With Miyan Williams sidelined much of the game and the Penn State defense relying on a variety of blitzes, the Ohio State running attack never really got into gear. TreVeyon Henderson had 16 carries for 78 yards (4.9 average) and 2 TDs, one of which came from 41 yards out. Remove that long burst, and Henderson had just 37 yards on 15 carries for a paltry 2.5 average.

5. Henderson's 41-yard touchdown run was his sixth touchdown of 40+ yards for his Buckeye career, which ties him for 12th-place in Ohio State history; Ted Ginn Jr. leads all Buckeyes with 17 touchdowns of 40+ yards, while Devin Smith is in second place with 15 such scores. Henderson has racked up his six touchdowns of 40+ yards in just 20 games; from 1963 to 1968, a span of 55 games, Ohio State as a team had just seven touchdowns of 40+ yards. It is definitely a different game today.

6. Marvin Harrison Jr had another excellent game, with 10 receptions for 185 yards (but no TDs, a rare occurrence). If the voters are paying even the slightest bit of attention, then Harrison should be the clear frontrunner for this year's Biletnikoff Award, as he already has 48 receptions for 783 yards (16.3 average) and 10 touchdowns. The only reason he might get slighted is that his teammate, Emeka Egbuka, has posted nearly identical numbers (47 receptions, 788 yards, 16.8 average, 7 touchdowns). Egbuka had a relatively quiet game yesterday (6 receptions, 53 yards), but his 42-yard reception in the fourth quarter set up Ohio State's final offensive touchdown. Cade Stover had 6 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown, while Mitch Rossi had a reception for 16 yards and a run for 8 yards (both resulting in first downs).

7. I generally don't like to complain about play calling for two reasons: (a) each play call is tactical decision, and rarely does one tactical decision decide the outcome of a game (or even a drive), and (b) I don't possess all the information available to the play caller, so I don't know why he made a certain tactical decision at a certain time of the game. With that being said, a play caller's tactics should match his strategy. Ohio State still generally runs some sort of spread offense, where the strategy is to remove defenders from the box in order to open up the middle of the field. So, if your strategy is to spread a team horizontally to attack it vertically, then why would you throw wide receiver screens which are designed to outflank a defense that is loading up the box? And if you insist on throwing wide receiver screens, then why tip off the defense by spreading out your 250-pound tight end who is supposed to (but often does not) provide the block that is the key to the play working. For what it's worth, Ohio State's five wide receiver screens yesterday netted a grand total of 2 yards.

8. And while we're talking about play calls, it was absolutely coaching malpractice for Ryan Day to have tried for a touchdown at the end of the first half. The Buckeyes were trailing 14-13 and had the ball at the Penn State 8-yard line with just six seconds left on the clock. In that situation, take the sure three points and take the lead into the locker room. But Day got greedy, rolled the dice, and came up snake eyes (Stroud got sacked to end the half).

9. The defense played an erratic game to say the least, surrendering 31 points and 482 yards to an offense that hasn't exactly been explosive this season. The nemesis of the Buckeye defense was wide receiver Parker Washington, who caught 11 passes for 179 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown courtesy of some very poor tackling (note that Washington entered the game averaging 4 receptions for 55 yards, and had just one touchdown). The defense gave up seven plays of greater than 20 yards (23, 26, 27, 27, 35. 42, 58) and allowed Penn State to convert 9/20 (45.0%) on 3rd and 4th down. On the other side of the equation, the defense forced four turnovers that led to 21 points.

10. The main reason that the defense didn't completely collapse was the historic performance from defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, who had six tackles, two sacks, another TFL, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, two interceptions (one of which was a pick six), and a deflected pass that led to a third interception (by fellow defensive lineman Zach Harrison, who also played a very fine game). Some observers have stated that JT's performance might have been the best ever for an Ohio State defensive lineman, maybe the best ever for any defensive lineman for any team anywhere. While it's easy to spew hyperbole in this era of instant hot takes, I really can't argue against anybody's "best ever" analysis of JT's game.

11. JT's pick six was the first against Penn State since the 2012 season. From 2001 to 2012, Ohio State had 9 pick sixes against Penn State, which had some of believing that PSU stood for Pick Six University. Here's a list of Buckeye pick sixes against Penn State this century:

‘Ball Hell Broke Loose: Week 9 Chaos Roundup — Crazy day for multiple OSUs
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The storylines that left our jaw on the floor or merely entertained us

Everyone’s least-favorite chaos monger is back after a week off wreaking havoc on her sister’s wedding (just kidding, it was a perfect event. The other wedding staying at the same hotel maximized the chaos on our behalf in a way that was a little much even for me).

Fortunately, the NCAA continues to serve up insanity week after week, so read on for the storylines that sent my jaw to the floor this week.

As a fun aside, I did have the great fortune of accidentally stumbling on the UCLA football team, out in costume, last night while I was out in Westwood looking for a late-night bite after my own Halloween festivities. They were rightfully celebrating their Dub over Stanford, but the people-watching that came of that experience was perhaps more enjoyable than all the chaos below combined.

OSU’s first three quarters


If you saw the score without watching the game, you’d think OSU’s double-digit victory over Penn State indicated steady, consistent gameplay. If you watched the game, you know that couldn’t be further from the truth. That this win over the Nits was ugly is perhaps the biggest testament to this OSU team’s grit and talent that we’ve seen thus far, but it didn’t make it easy to stomach for the fans.

As a deeply superstitious sports fan, I eventually had to turn off the game and keep an eye on Gamecast because any time I left the room to refill my water or use the restroom, the Nits would score. It was a very stressful few hours, with CJ Stroud off his game and the Buckeyes looking a little shaken to start.

But the true measure of a team is in their resilience when they have to really muscle it out on the field. It’s all fun and games when you can steamroll your opponents. But we know Michigan isn’t going to lay down and take it, nor will anyone we meet in the Big Ten Championship or the playoffs, so it’s good for us to have to get down in the mud a bit. It builds character. And ultimately, the Buckeyes of the fourth quarter are the reason they’re ranked the way they are. They were in the mud, they dragged themselves out, and they still won in double digits.

Kansas State Demolishing the other OSU


K-State, the No. 22 ranked team going into yesterday’s matchup against then-No. 9 Oklahoma State, handed the Cowboys the worst shutout loss of an AP Top 10 team since 1966. Winning the game 48-0, the Cats made it look like amateur hour, and with a backup quarterback no less (though Buckeye fans know well never to doubt a second or third-string quarterback). Will Howard, filling in for Adrian Martinez, went 21-of-37 for 296 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Talk about a monster game. It’s safe to say that Halloween spooks won’t be the things haunting Oklahoma State’s nightmares — it’s going to be visions of Will Howard throwing touchdowns on a loop.

Miami v. Virginia going into FOUR Overtimes


Sitting through low-scoring football games can feel never ending. Now imagine sitting through one with no touchdowns by either team in regulation… and then having to sit through four overtimes. The score at the end of regulation was a measly 6-6. Miami’s punter ended the game with more punting yards than they did offensive yards. This game lacked all punch (in fact, actually getting punched might have been less painful). In the end, Miami eked out a victory 14-12, and while Virginia technically gets the L, the real losers are everyone who sat through this whole football game.

Gerald Mincey’s headbutt


My brother (a recent Tennessee grad) talked smack about C.J. Stroud yesterday and joked that the Heisman was Hendon Hooker’s after yesterday, so I’m going to take a moment to talk some smack about his team.

I can’t really talk about their performance because Tennessee is making a strong case that they’re the best team in college football right now. But I am going to make fun of the fact that Gerald Mincey got headbutted by his own teammate.

At the end of a play, Mincey had his helmet off, and offensive lineman Jerome Carvin walked up to him and, in what was intended to be a gesture of encouragement and reinforcement after a good play, headbutted him straight in the nose. It’s better to just watch the footage, so please enjoy this tweet below.


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Ohio State opens as 36.5-point favorites over Northwestern
Gene Ross 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 Wildcats have not won a game on U.S. soil this year.

DraftKings Sportsbook odds: Ohio State -36.5

Talk about two teams heading in different directions. Ohio State moved to 8-0 this weekend with a come-from-behind win over Penn State in a game that was far closer than the 44-31 final score would indicate. Northwestern, on the other hand, is just 1-7 on the year, with their only win of the season coming in the opener against Nebraska in Ireland. That being said, it makes quite a bit of sense that the Buckeyes would be massive favorites in this game, as they should be in their next three games before the highly anticipated finale against Michigan.

As mentioned, Ohio State managed to defeat the Nittany Lions on Saturday by double-digits despite playing three terrible quarters of football. Head coach Ryan Day had perhaps his worst game as a play-caller to date, as the Buckeyes ran nothing but bubble screens and predictable run plays for the majority of the afternoon. Things turned around in a major way in the fourth quarter, and trailing 21-16 with a little over nine minutes to go, Ohio State managed to rattle off 28 points in the final frame to pull away with another nail-biter against Penn State. Even with the awful game plan, C.J. Stroud finished passing for 354 yards and a touchdown, while Marvin Harrison Jr. stole the show with 10 catches for 185 yards.

Defensively, this will forever be known as the J.T. Tuimoloau Game. The former five-star defensive end put together one of the greatest individual performances on that side of the ball that we’ve ever seen. Tuimoloau intercepted a pair of passes — one on a diving play in the first quarter and another a pick-six of Sean Clifford to ice the game in the fourth quarter — while tipping a third pass that led to an interception by Zach Harrison. He also had a sack fumble, which he recovered himself. While they let up a couple of big plays that led to scores, the defense played pretty well overall in this one, albeit with some things that need to be cleaned up moving forward.

On the flip side, Northwestern is coming off its seventh-straight loss, this one a 33-13 loss at the hands of Iowa. Having seen the Hawkeyes play football a little over a week ago, letting that team put up 33 points — all of which were actually on offense — is purely indefensible, no pun intended. Pat Fitzgerald’s teams have always been known for their defense, but this years unit is not good, allowing almost 29 points per game to rank 85th in the country in that department. I mean, they let Spencer Petras throw for 220 yards and score two touchdowns. I think that says enough on its own.

As bad as the defense has been, the offense is even worse, ranking 120th of 131 FBS teams with just 17.9 points per game. Quarterback Ryan Hilinksi has been inefficient, completing under 58% of his passes with six touchdowns and six interceptions through six games, while no rushers have averaged more than 4.3 yards per carry. The team’s best offensive player by far has been Evan Hull, who has over 1,000 yards from scrimmage on the year — 579 yards rushing, 461 yards receiving with five total TDs. Outside of Hull and Malik Washington, the only wide receiver on the team with more than 250 yards this season, there really isn’t a ton going on with this offense.

After being battle tested against Penn State, Ohio State should have a much easier time taking care of this Northwestern team. The Buckeyes have some pretty notable injury issues, including Miyan Williams and of course Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was once again out against the Nittany Lions. I wouldn’t expect that to play much of a factor in this one, but then again those noon kicks in Evanston (11:00 a.m. local time) can sometimes sneak up on you and lead to less-than-desirable performances. Ohio State knows it has to take care of business, even against the lesser teams on its schedule, so I still expect the Buckeyes to roll here.

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

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And starting on the first of November, there shall be midweek MACtion!

Week 10
Tuesday, Nov. 1

Ball State at Kent State | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
Buffalo at Ohio | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Wednesday, Nov. 2

Central Michigan at Northern Illinois | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
Western Michigan at Bowling Green | 7 p.m. | ESPN2

Thursday, Nov. 3

UTEP at Rice | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Appalachian State at Coastal Carolina | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, Nov. 4

UMass at UConn | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Duke at Boston College | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
Oregon State at Washington | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday, Nov. 5

Air Force vs. Army (Arlington, Texas) | 11:30 a.m. | CBS
Ohio State at Northwestern | 12 p.m. |
Texas Tech at No. 7 TCU | 12 p.m. | FOX
Iowa at Purdue | 12 p.m. | FS1
Kentucky at Missouri | 12 p.m. | SEC Network
Maryland at Wisconsin | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
No. 17 North Carolina at Virginia | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Minnesota at Nebraska | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 19 Tulane at Tulsa | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Florida at Texas A&M | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Western Kentucky at Charlotte | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN3

South Florida at Temple | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Marshall at Old Dominion | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Baylor at Oklahoma | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Georgia State at Southern Miss | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at Louisiana Tech | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 1 Tennessee at No. 3 Georgia | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
No. 8 Oregon at Colorado | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
No. 15 Penn State at Indiana | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
No. 20 Syracuse at Pitt | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
No. 18 Oklahoma State at Kansas | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
Michigan State at No. 16 Illinois | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Washington State at Stanford | 3:30 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
No. 25 UCF at Memphis | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
West Virginia at Iowa State | 3:30 p.m. | Big 12/ESPN+
New Mexico at Utah State | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
UTSA at UAB | 3:30 p.m. | Stadium
Liberty at Arkansas | 4 p.m. | SEC Network
Navy at Cincinnati | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
South Alabama at Georgia Southern | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
FIU at North Texas | 4 p.m. | ESPN+

Troy at Louisiana | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Texas State at UL Monroe | 5 p.m. | ESPN3
Arizona at No. 14 Utah | 6:30 p.m. | Pac-12 Networks
No. 6 Alabama at No. 10 LSU | 7 p.m. | ESPN
No. 24 Texas at No. 13 Kansas State | 7 p.m. | FS1
No. 5 Michigan at Rutgers | 7 p.m. | Big Ten Network
UNLV at San Diego State | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Houston at SMU | 7 p.m. | NFL Network
BYU at Boise State | 7:05 p.m. | FS2
No. 4 Clemson at Notre Dame | 7:30 p.m. | NBC/Peacock
South Carolina at Vanderbilt | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Auburn at Mississippi State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
James Madison at Louisville | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Florida State at Miami (Fla.) | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
No. 21 Wake Forest at No. 22 NC State | 8 p.m. | ACC Network

Cal at No. 9 USC | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
No. 12 UCLA at Arizona State | 10:30 p.m. | FS1
Hawai'i at Fresno State | 10:30 p.m. | FS2
Colorado State at San Jose State | 10:30 p.m. | MW Network

Buckeye Stock Market Report: J.T. Tuimoloau turns it on as Ohio State come to life to beat Penn State 44-31
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


Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The highly touted edge player has a career day and destroys the Nittany Lions.

After each Ohio State game during the 2022 football season, LGHL will offer its market analysis of the Buckeyes’ performance. Using a standard bond rating system, we’ll evaluate the offense, the defense, and the special teams, according to this formula:

AA: Very Strong
A: Strong
BBB: Adequate
BB: Facing Major Uncertainty

Then, we’ll take a look at any individual players whose performance stood out (in one way or another!) and assign them a stock rating: Blue Chip, Solid Performance, Penny Stock (akin to a junk bond, dangerously high risk).

Quick Overview


Before this game began, I was wondering if Ohio State would resolve the offensive issues that emerged last week against Iowa: the absence of red zone touchdowns and the absence of a running game generally. Unfortunately, both problems persisted.

Although the Buckeyes enjoyed a 20-point lead until there was only a minute left in the game, they hardly dominated. The Nittany Lions had more first downs, more passing yards, more rushing yards, and a wide margin in time of possession. But they also had four turnovers (to OSU’s none) and, most importantly, fewer points.

We shouldn’t forget that Penn State is a good team and that Happy Valley isn’t a happy place for most opponents. The Nits stopped the Buckeye run game and made some big, explosive plays on their own – through the air – exploiting an OSU weakness.

And Ryan Day helped them. I thought that there was some very suspect offensive playcalling. But Tuimoloau (and others) on defense, along with Marvin Harrison, Jr., on offense, saved the day. It’s said that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The Bucks survived. We’ll see if they’re stronger as the season winds down and heads to the Thanksgiving week showdown.

Offense


Overall rating: BBB Adequate (i.e., good enough to win)

In many ways, Ohio State’s offense was better against Penn State than against the Hawkeyes last week. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was sharper and made better decisions on his throws. The Bucks gained more yards, and TreVeyon Henderson had a 41-yard breakaway touchdown. But the running game was again unreliable (less than 100 yards total) and seemed to collapse when Miyan Williams was hurt at the end of the first quarter with the Buckeyes leading 10-0.

With Harrison seemingly always open and the middle of the field available, the Bucks were determined to try wide-receiver screens. Five of them? All failures. Cade Stover, who otherwise had a strong game, couldn’t get his blocks on these plays. The line generally protected Stroud pretty well, giving up two sacks in the first half, and none in the decisive second. Stroud’s not very mobile, so it’s important that he have a good passing pocket.

Henderson had a couple of nice runs and scored two TDs, but his initial impulse, when given the ball, is, annoyingly, to hesitate and look around. He takes a lot of losses and goes down pretty easily. Seeing Williams in an arm sling was troubling. Stroud threw “only” one touchdown pass (to Stover) but had no interceptions (the first time in a while) and completed nearly 80% of his passes for over 350 yards. Harrison and Stover were great on the receiving end. Emeka Egbuka, on the other hand, was the recipient of those ill-advised screens and dropped a fourth-quarter pass. He did, though, have a 42-yard reception and finished with six catches for 53 yards.

All in all, the offense moved the ball and scored points but certainly wasn’t unstoppable. Once again, they got a lot of help from the defense’s takeaways. And Penn State is pretty good.

Defense


Overall rating: A Strong

The Buckeye defense gave up 31 points and nearly 500 yards of total offense. Yet – I give them a rating of “strong.” Why? Well, the takeaways, first of all. Three interceptions and a fumble recovery go a long way to helping out your offense, especially when it’s struggling (again). Oh, and there was a pick-six for the second week in a row.

Secondly, the defense stopped Penn State’s running game, normally its strength. Super-frosh Nick Singleton rushed 14 times for only 45 yards; his longest run was six yards. His freshman teammate Kaytron Allen did better, breaking a 27-yarder but still was largely held in check. Forcing Sean Clifford to take to the air should lead to success.

There were plenty of Buckeye heroes, led, of course, by Tuimoloau. And there were a couple of guys who were weaknesses. I must say, though, that Penn State’s final drive – 75 yards in about a minute and a half – bothered me. Yeah, the game was out of reach, but OSU still had first-line players in the game, and the Nits just moved right down the field. I’m glad that I didn’t have money on the game; that drive flipped bets on the spread.

Special Teams


Overall rating: BBB Adequate

There were some problems here. I’m saying “adequate” because there weren’t any disastrous screw-ups and because the Buckeyes won. Noah Ruggles missed a field goal. It was a long one (53 yards), but his missing is a rarity.

Then there were the special teams’ penalties. Twice OSU lined up to try for two-point conversions after TDs. Twice they were called for false starts and resorted to one-point kicks. Both times PSU linemen jumped into the neutral zone and back, causing Buckeye players to move. Intentionally on the Nits’ part? Maybe – but the Buckeyes need some discipline in these situations, some coaching perhaps. The extra couple of points didn’t matter yesterday. But someday?

In the fourth quarter, Penn State missed field goal attempts back-to-back. There were penalties, however, on both plays. A pre-snap call against the Nittany Lions that gave them the second shot and one against the Buckeyes (lining up over the center on a kick attempt) that gave the Nits a fourth-and-one situation. Given the unreliability of the kicker, PSU opted to go for the first down. Eventually, they scored a touchdown to regain the lead 21-16 at the 9:26 mark. Another matter of discipline – or of coaching.

Individual Performances

Blue Chip


J.T. Tuimoloau. Got to start here. What a game! The Buckeyes had four takeaways. Credit Tuimoloau with all of them. Two interceptions – one returned for a Buckeye TD. A strip of QB Sean Clifford and a recovery of that fumble. And a pass deflection at the line of scrimmage that went to teammate Zach Harrison for another interception. Tuimoloau recorded six total tackles for the game, two of them sacks. Ever since the Buckeyes began recruiting him in high school, he was pegged for greatness. He attained it yesterday.

Marvin Harrison, Jr. Harrison was the other true Buckeye hero of the game. With Egbuka struggling a bit, Harrison Jr. stepped up and cemented his claim to being the top OSU receiver. For the day, Harrison Jr. snagged 10 passes for 185 yards, including a long play of 37 yards. He was clearly the go-to guy. Penn State has an outstanding secondary, but they couldn’t handle Harrison Jr. Maybe nobody can.

The Ohio State defensive line. Have you seen a game where a team got three interceptions and they were all made by linemen? Additionally, the line got to Clifford for three sacks and pressured him into a number of bad throws. And they stopped the run game. Zach Harrison, Tyleik Williams, Tarron Vincent, Mike Hall Jr., Jack Swayer – hats off!

Solid Performance


C.J. Stroud. Not a game that made folks around the country do a double-take at the stats, but a really solid game. He was accurate from the get-go and didn’t make stupid throws on the run. Stroud’s decision-making was solid. As for touchdowns? Look to the play-calling.

Tyleik Williams. Well, hello, Tyleik, my old friend! Williams was a monster on the D-line last year, but he’s been relatively quiet this year. Until Penn State’s first drive of the second half. The Nits had a long drive going, one that ate up over five minutes. But Williams got a sack on a second-and-eight play. Then he stuffed the runner on a crucial fourth and two, forcing PSU to turn the ball over on downs.

Lathan Ransom. Defending the run. Defending against the pass. Ransom was there. With Ronnie Hickman, Ransom was the most active of Buckeye defensive backs with seven tackles.

Tommy Eichenberg. We’ve become accustomed to Eichenberg’s outstanding play. But fifteen total tackles deserve mention. With the game close throughout, Eichenberg didn’t get a breather, and he was always there.

Penny Stock


J.K. Johnson. The cornerback position is a problem for Ohio State. Suffice it to say that it’s not being solved by J.K. Johnson. Parker Washington is a good receiver, and Clifford’s a decent quarterback. Together, they ate Johnson up. PSU’s first touchdown occurred when the Bucks were caught in a blitz that didn’t get to Clifford. The pass was complete for a first down and should have been stopped there. But Johnson (with an assist by Tanner McCalister) whiffed on the tackle, resulting in a long TD. An interference call, blown coverages, and more missed tackles rounded out Johnson’s day. Time for a change.

Offensive play-calling. I’ll start with the most obvious. Trailing 14-13, Ohio State had the ball at the Nittany Lions’ eight, with six seconds left in the first half. A chip-shot field goal would give the Bucks the halftime lead – and, more importantly – a bit of momentum. No timeouts left, but Day has his team attempt a pass. Stroud was sacked. End of half. Take the points, Ryan.

In the second quarter, Henderson started a drive with a seven-yard run. Second and three. Everyone knew that the Buckeyes would run again. Certainly, Penn State did, as they put nine in the box. Stroud should have checked off (if he has the green light to do so), but he didn’t. Henderson lost two. A failed screen to Egbuka. A punt.

At the beginning of both halves, Day, as he’s prone to do, decides to “establish the run game.” He can’t. He (if anyone) should know that a running attack can come from a successful passing game, as well as the other way around. The Bucks are simply a better passing team, and their offense should start there. Those screen passes?


The Buckeyes, sitting now at 8-0, are headed on a collision course with Michigan. Will they be ready? We have to hope so. On to Evanston next week. career historic legendary

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Following his performance against Penn State, J.T. Tuimoloau adds his name to list of great Ohio State J.T.s
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images

The sophomore defensive end willed Ohio State to victory against Penn State with his legendary performance in Happy Valley.


There have been some great individual defensive performance in Ohio State history. It’s hard to remember any of them matching up to what J.T. Tuimoloau did in State College today. Joey Bosa had a walkoff sack in 2014 against the Nittany Lions where he blew up running back Akeel Lynch, pushing him into Christian Hackenberg on the final play of the game. While what Bosa did was memorable, Tuimoloau terrorized Sean Clifford all day long.

It’s scary to think of what the result of the game would have been had Tuimoloau not been on the field for the Buckeyes in State College. Ohio State did get a test in the game, which could help them later in the season in a close game, as they can call on what they did against the Nittany Lions. Without Tuimoloau, Ohio State definitely isn’t winning today’s game by two scores. Hell, they might even have lost to Penn State.

Coming into today’s game, Tuimoloau had been pretty quiet this season, recording just nine tackles and a sack. Four of Tuimoloau’s stops prior to today had been behind the line of scrimmage. The sophomore defensive end finished today’s game with six tackles, two sacks, and three tackles for loss. Tuimoloau also recorded his first career forced fumble and interceptions of his college career.

Even though he is still only a sophomore, there were probably some wondering how Tuimoloau was one of the top prospects in the country coming out of high school. Over the past decade, Ohio State had been spoiled by guys like the Bosa brothers and Chase Young at defensive end. With a performance like we saw from Tuimoloau today, there is no reason to think he won’t be mentioned with some of those greats when his Ohio State career comes to a close.

One thing that is for sure is Tuimoloau can be now mentioned with some of the great J.T.’s in Ohio State history. While these are mostly former Buckeye football players, we were able to find a few other greats with J.T. as initials.


Jim Tressel

James Patrick Tressel might not have attended classes at Ohio State, but there’s no question that he is a huge part of the history of the university. Tressel not only led the Buckeyes to a national title, he was 7-3 against Penn State. Three of Tressel’s wins against Penn State came at Beaver Stadium.


J.T. Barrett

If you look at Ohio State’s passing records, most of them are held by J.T. Barrett. While C.J. Stroud has taken many of the single-game records, it will likely be hard for Stroud to pass Barrett for the career record since the quarterback from Texas started for most of the four seasons he was in uniform.

Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Barrett also had a great deal of success against Penn State, going 3-1 against the Nittany Lions. The only blemish on his record against Penn State came in 2016, when a block field goal for a touchdown was what gave the Nittany Lions the win. Barrett atoned for the loss the next year, leading the Buckeyes back from a 28-10 deficit to win 39-38. In four games against Penn State, Barrett completed 77 of 105 passes for 677 yards, eight touchdowns, and just two interceptions. The dual-threat quarterback also ran the football 65 times for 298 yards and two scores in those games.


Jack Tatum

One of the most famous defenders in Ohio State history is “the Assassin”. After being recruited as a running back, Tatum was moved to the defensive side of the football at the urging of assistant coach Lou Holtz. The move would turn out to be a smart one, as Tatum was named First-team All-Big Ten three times, and a two-time All-American. During his time in Columbus, Tatum was a part of national title teams in 1968 and 1970.

Tatum didn’t face Penn State during his time at Ohio State since the Nittany Lions weren’t a part of the Big Ten at the time. The safety was taken in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. Tatum grabbed 37 interceptions during his career, earning Pro Bowl honors three times, and he was part of the Oakland team that won Super Bowl XI.


Jon Thoma

We’ll take an excuse we can to talk about some of the punters of Ohio State past. Thoma was the starter in the 2009 season. Thoma was especially busy in the Penn State game, punting eight times for 304 yards in the 24-7 win over the Nittany Lions.


Jae’Sean Tate

Now we’ll head over to the hardwood. Jae’Sean Tate was at Ohio State for four years, becoming a fan favorite for the effort he always gave on the court. Tate might not have been the biggest or strongest player, but he certainly made up for it with how hard he played the game. Tate defied a lot of the experts by earning an NBA contract a few years ago, carving out a role with the Houston Rockets.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Tate saw a lot of Penn State during his time in Columbus, as the Buckeyes met Penn State seven times in his four years with the team. Tate’s history against the Nittany Lions started off well, with Ohio State winning the first four meetings before dropping the three games the teams played in Tate’s senior year. In those games, Tate averaged 11.7 points per game and six rebounds per contest.


Jack Taylor

For this one we are looking back 70 years. Before becoming a naval aviator, Jack Taylor swam for the Buckeyes. Taylor would go on to win a bronze medal at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki in the 100-meter backstroke. Unfortunately, Taylor wasn’t able to appear in another Olympics, as he died at age 24 practicing aircraft carrier landings near Guantanamo Bay.


James Thurber

After being born in Columbus in 1894, James Thurber attended Ohio State from 1913 to 1918. Even though Thurber wasn’t able to graduate from the university because poor eyesight kept him from taking a mandatory ROTC course, he was posthumously awarded a degree in 1995. Thurber is still recognized in Columbus, as the house he rented at 77 Jefferson Avenue just to the west of I-71 between Long Street and Broad Street is named Thurber House. Just across the street from the house he rented is also Thurber Park.

Thurber would go on to become a famous writer and cartoonist. After moving to New York City, he would go on to have many works published in The New Yorker. Also, he wrote a number of works that would go on to be adapted into movies. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was made into a movie in 1947 and 2013, while ‘The Catbird Seat’ was turned into The Battle of the Sexes in 1959.


John Tatgenhorst

I’ll be honest, I don’t know very much about composers. John Tatgenhorst will forever have a place in Ohio State history, not only because he went to college here, but also because he is the main reason “Hang on Sloopy” by The McCoys is a staple of TBDBITL. Tatgenhorst hounded band director Charlie Spohn to allow him to arrange a version of the song for the band. While Spohn rejected the idea a number of times, he eventually relented, and the rest is history.

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Instant Recap Podcast: Tuimoloau’s performance, late offensive surge leads Ohio State past Penn State
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 Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

On the backs of their 5-star recruits, Ohio State was able to survive in Happy Valley in 44-31 win over Penn State.

Ohio State traveled to Penn State to take on the Nittany Lions in their first real test of the season coming away 44-31. Jordan Williams is joined by Chris Renne to bring you the Land-Grant Holy Land “Instant Recap Podcast.”

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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To get the show started, start the show off getting their anger out from Ohio State’s play-calling issues that kept Penn State in the game until the fourth quarter.

In the first discussion the guys discuss the bubble screens, the run-play failures, and why the Buckeyes wouldn’t keep attacking down the field. After this discussion, they discuss what needs to change and why it takes so long for Ryan Day to be good at his jobs. Then we discuss why this game was 100 percent on coaching and why the players almost suffered a loss on those coaching failures.

The defense showed up, but more specifically one player dominated in key moments, and you can easily guess who it was. We talk about J.T. Tuimoloau’s performance and how he won the game for the Buckeyes on that side of the ball. The rest of the defense played well, and we realize that none of the players really played bad.

After that, Jordan and Chris discuss the Players of the Game as well as their games and their favorite moments including Cade “Baby Gronk” Stover scoring a late touchdown.

To conclude, the show they give their final thoughts on the performance, discuss injuries, and what’s next for the Buckeyes.


Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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