http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...-with-cats-is-forbidden/ar-BBtt9Kg?li=BBnbfcL

at least according to some super important saudi cleric anyway. though in fairness it seems to be more about not being allowed to have your picture taken than cats and only if you follow the wahhabism flavor of islam. which i suspect is based on some form of asian hot sauce.... *ponders*

so maybe that old timey belief that cameras can steal you soul is legit after all. all your souls are belong to verizon???

Keyshawn Johnson believes Michael Thomas is a better Marques Colston
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The former NFL wide receiver has confidence in his nephew's ability to become the man in New Orleans.

"Sean [Payton] asked me what I think. I said [Michael Thomas] is a bigger, faster Colston, to me."

- Keyshawn Johnson, via Mike Triplett, ESPN


Michael Thomas' uncle, former NFL wideout Keyshawn Johnson had some pretty high praise for his nephew in talking to ESPN's Mike Triplett. Johnson compared Thomas to former Saints wide receiver Marques Colston, saying that, "If you're striving to be someone in the National Football League, Marques Colston is [somebody you want to be]," according to Triplett. Johnson would call him "Marques Colston 2.0". That doesn't seem like a terrible comparison, considering how many great years Colston gave the Saints, much thanks to the future Hall of Fame arm possessed by Drew Brees.

Although Johnson says that Thomas is bigger, Triplett points out that isn't exactly the case, when it comes to height or weight. But there's going to be some bias and embellishment when it comes to an uncle praising his nephew. But there's no doubting that Thomas is a great wide receiver with tons of upside and a high ceiling. His time at Ohio State is proof that with the right coaching, the possibilities are endless with him. Much like he did with other (now former) stars at Ohio State, Urban Meyer was able to get everything he could out of Thomas, who is going to yet another great coach in Sean Payton. With great mentors around him, watching him develop into an NFL wideout should be fun with Drew Brees throwing him the pigskin.

"With regular starting cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie absent from the voluntary workout, [Eli] Apple lined up on the outside covering Giants star wideout Odell Beckham Jr."

- Dan Graziano, ESPN


Eli Apple is perhaps getting some of the best NFL prep that he could possibly get right within his own organization. With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie not at the New York Giants' voluntary workout, he was able to practice, covering one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, teammate Odell Beckham Jr. That's certainly not the worst way to start practicing against NFL talent, going up against the guy with arguably the best hands in the league. Graziano notes that Apple also went up against Dwayne Harris and Myles White, and did pretty well.

Per Graziano, Apple said of Bechkam, "It was fun going against him. They didn't throw the ball his way when I was going against him, but you can tell, with his explosiveness and how he gets out of breaks. It's impressive." Graziano says that Apple has gotten in a great variety of work in, but the extra work will help Apple in being a more versatile player, and eventually taking a starting corner role, when his time comes. With his already impressive skill set and quality work ethic against quality guys, hopefully it won't take too long for the former Buckeye.

"SB Nation issued a survey to dozens of recruits ranked in the top 300 nationally on the 247Sports Composite, and those were some of the conclusions they reached."

- Alex Kirshner, SB Nation


The great folks at SB Nation surveyed 31 players from across the country to get a feel on some of their favorite things, including conferences, facilities, coaches, and a variety of other topics. When it came to the best head coach in college football, Urban Meyer was polled as the third best coach in college football, tied with Jim Harbaugh. Nick Saban was an easy first place, followed by Dabo Swinney at No. 2. In the evaluation of coaching staffs, Ohio State was second only to Clemson.

For their preferred apparel brands, 69% of the recruits said Nike was their choice. That certainly bodes well for Ohio State, who is one of the more profound institutions sponsored by Nike. The recruits first choice for uniforms was obviously Oregon, who is also outfitted by Nike, but the Buckeyes finished in a tie for third for favorite uniforms. That scarlet and gray is certainly a thing of beauty, especially with the buckeye helmet stickers. And finally, the recruits' second favorite preferred conference was the Big Ten, with the SEC in first place. The poll results help show why Urban Meyer is able to continue to bring in great class after class recruiting.

"The Ohio State women's basketball team will host the Miami Hurricanes in the 2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge this season."

- OhioStateBuckeyes.com


Just as the men learned yesterday, today the Ohio State women's basketball team learned who they would be facing off against in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. While the men will be facing Virginia, the women will take on the University of Miami on December 1 in Value City Arena, with the time having yet to be determined. The two teams have not faced each other since the 1986 season.

The two teams have played twice before, with the Buckeyes winning both contests in 1982 and 1986. The Hurricanes finished 24-9 last season, and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to South Dakota State. The 'Canes will be returning six of their seven top scorers from last season, so this should be a good challenge for the Buckeyes, who finished 26-8 last season. Hopefully this time around, the Buckeyes can win their ACC/Big Ten Challenge game, after dropping last season's to Notre Dame by a score of 75-72.

STICK TO SPORTS

• BoJack Horseman is coming back on July 22nd
• Netflix: Everything coming and going in June
• Port Columbus closer to becoming 'John Glenn Columbus International Airport'

Continue reading...

Does anyone have this file? I have part 1, but I would like to watch part 2 and cannot find it anywhere.

One more year, or NBA draft? Big Ten underclassmen make it official
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Wednesday was the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw their name from the 2016 NBA Draft. Entering the final day, Iowa’s Peter Jok (staying), Maryland’s Robert Carter Jr. (going), Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis (going), Ohio State’s Trevor Thompson (staying) and Rutgers’ Corey Sanders (staying) had already announced their future plans. Indiana’s James Blackmon Jr. and Troy Williams, Maryland’s Melo Trimble, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes, however, waited until the final hours to make their decisions. Four of the five have announced their plans, with Trimble’s future still to be determined. Here’s a look at who’s returning, and who’s headed

Continue reading...

Scout Profile
Rivals Profile
247 Profile
HUDL Highlights



Cypress Ranch HS (Cypress, TX)
Ht: 6'6''
Wt: 270 lbs
Class: 2018 (High School)

Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media

Scout Profile
Rivals Profile
247 Profile
HUDL Highlights



Paramus Catholic (Paramus, NJ)
Ht: 6'4''
Wt: 245 lbs
Class: 2018 (High School)

Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media

Preseason Top 25s all seem to love Michigan
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Wolverines are getting a lot of attention in early season polls.

As everyone under the sun begins to release their preseason top-25 lists, one thing is sure to have caught Ohio State fans' eyes, and its not the Buckeyes' ranking -- Michigan is nearly a unanimous preseason top-15 team.

Preseason rankings, even by respected media members, are largely educated guesswork and largely meaningless. But even Vegas bettors are buying Michigan stock, as the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook gives the Wolverines the second-best odds at winning the playoff.

I was genuinely surprised by all of the love for the Wolverines. I know it's "Year Two" for Harbaugh and Company, that they signed the number one overall recruit in Rashan Gary, and that they're fresh off shellacking Florida 41-7 in their bowl game, but these prognostications seemed to ignore Ohio State and Michigan State's recent dominance vis-a-vis the Wolverines. Not to mention their quarterback situation.

So I decided to take as objective a look as possible at the Wolverines for next season. First, today, I wanted to take a look at all of the various preseason projections to get a reference point.

First, Mark Schlabach put the Wolverines at fourth way back in January:


Schlabach questions whether Houston transfer John O'Korn can take over for the departed Jake Rudock, who was also a transfer. We'll dig in to O'Korn and the quarterback battle more later on.

Next, Athlon is the first big season preview magazine to release their top-25, and they ranked Michigan fifth:


They note that Michigan has two All-Americans in the secondary in Jourdan Lewis and Jabrill Peppers, Rashan Gary on the defensive line, and also an experienced wide receiver corps.

Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel both think highly of the Wolverines, ranking them fifth in their respective top-25s. For Stew, it all comes down to:


Bruce looks at Michigan's schedule and likes what he sees, outside of late-season road games with Ohio State, Iowa, and Michigan State:


So, based on this slew of top-25s, you get the picture of a team with a lot of solid experience in the secondary, in the receiving corps (including tight end Jake Butt), and on the defensive line. The schedule is extremely favorable until the end of the season. And then there's Harbaugh leading the charge. Figure out a starting quarterback and this team looks golden, right?

Well, maybe.

In our next edition, we'll dig in to the Wolverines' schedule, and arguments for and against a top-5 Michigan based on accumulated recruiting talent, Harbaugh, and key position battles.

Continue reading...

Best of Week 2: Penn State, Pitt face off for first time since 2000
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Thirteen schools are in action. And there are some top matches on deck in the second week of action highlighted by two rivalry games. The Iowa-Iowa State battle for the Cy-Hawk trophy always is a humdinger. This year, the Cyclones led by new coach Matt Campbell come to Iowa City. He had some top offenses at Toledo and is a rising star. Know this: Iowa boss Kirk Ferentz is just 8-9 vs. Iowa State. Finally! Penn State and Pitt are playing! Penn State leads the all-time series, 50-42-4. Pitt won the last meeting, taking a 12-0 decision in the Steel

Continue reading...

Ohio State Basketball Schedule with TV coverage and times

SUN 11/06/16 TBA WALSH (Exhibition) Columbus, Ohio BTN PLUS –

FRI 11/11/16 9 p.m. NAVY Annapolis, Md. CBS SPORTS NETWORK –

MON 11/14/16 9 p.m. N.C. CENTRAL Columbus, Ohio ESPNU –

THU 11/17/16 7 p.m. PROVIDENCE Columbus, Ohio BTN –

MON 11/21/16 7 p.m. WESTERN CAROLINA Columbus, Ohio BTN –

WED 11/23/16 7 p.m. JACKSON STATE Columbus, Ohio ESPN3 –

FRI 11/25/16 7 p.m. MARSHALL Columbus, Ohio BTN –

WED 11/30/16 9 p.m. VIRGINIA Charlottseville, Va. ESPN2 –

SAT 12/03/16 4:30 p.m. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON Columbus, Ohio BTN.com–

TUE 12/06/16 7 p.m. FLORIDA ATLANTIC Columbus, Ohio ESPN3 –

SAT 12/10/16 6 p.m. CONNECTICUT Columbus, Ohio BTN –

SAT 12/17/16 3 p.m. UCLA Las Vegas, Nev. CBS –

TUE 12/20/16 7 p.m. YOUNGSTOWN STATE Columbus, Ohio ESPN3 –

THU 12/22/16 9 p.m. UNC-ASHEVILLE Columbus, Ohio ESPN2 –

SUN 01/01/17 TBA ILLINOIS Champaign, Ill. BTN –

THU 01/05/17 7 p.m. PURDUE Columbus, Ohio ESPN/2 –

SUN 01/08/17 7:30 p.m. MINNESOTA Minneapolis, Minn. BTN –

THU 01/12/17 7 p.m. WISCONSIN Madison, Wisc. ESPN/2 –

SUN 01/15/17 1:30 p.m. MICHIGAN STATE Columbus, Ohio CBS –

WED 01/18/17 9 p.m. NEBRASKA Lincoln, Neb. BTN –

SUN 01/22/17 1 p.m. NORTHWESTERN Columbus, Ohio BTN –

WED 01/25/17 7 p.m. MINNESOTA Columbus, Ohio BTN –

SAT 01/28/17 8 p.m. IOWA Iowa City, Iowa ESPN2 –

TUE 01/31/17 7 p.m. MARYLAND Columbus, Ohio ESPN –

SAT 02/04/17 6 p.m. MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, Mich. ESPN2 –

WED 02/08/17 7 p.m. RUTGERS Columbus, Ohio BTN –

SAT 02/11/17 4 p.m. MARYLAND College Park, Md. ESPN/2 –

TUE 02/14/17 9 p.m. MICHIGAN STATE East Lansing, Mich. ESPN –

TBD TBA NEBRASKA Columbus, Ohio CBS Sports/BTN –

THU 02/23/17 9 p.m. WISCONSIN Columbus, Ohio ESPN/2 –

TUE 02/28/17 8:30 p.m. PENN STATE University Park, Pa. BTN –

SAT 03/04/17 Noon INDIANA Columbus, Ohio ESPN/2

100 Days
Mark Prine via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Today marks 100 days until The Ohio State Buckeyes kick off the 2016 season against Bowling Green. Yet there are still lurking questions about this team that will not be answered in full, perhaps until week five or six. For example, with all of its youth and inexperience, will the 2016 Buckeyes be able to compete on the same level as last year’s team? What will the offense look like in Tim Beck’s second year as Offensive Coordinator? What will the defense look like in Greg Schiano’s first year as defensive coordinator? Has Ohio State been written off, as a serious championship contender, already?



If you get the chance to read Coach Meyer’s book “Above the line”, I highly recommend it; not only for the life lessons it provides but for the insight into who Urban Meyer, the man, really is. In the book Meyer talks about his distaste for what he calls “BCD” or blaming, complaining and being defensive. Therefore, it doesn’t come as a shock that, in a time when fans were calling for Coach Tim Beck’s job after last year’s loss to Michigan State, Meyer didn’t blame Beck. Meyer realized that Ohio State’s offensive struggles went deeper than Tim Beck’s abilities as a coordinator; and firing him would not have made this team better. In spite of it all, Beck is back this year; and I fully expect him and Co-Offensive Coordinator Ed Warriner, to have the offense firing on all cylinders this season. A year after one of the biggest quarterback controversies in recent memory, Meyer, Beck and Warriner are completely committed to JT Barrett as this season’s starting QB. The change of pace and the lack of being able to establish a rhythm, that comes with repeatedly substituting the quarterback, were the offense’s biggest issues last year. The solution was never more evident than in the final two games of the season. JT Barrett was the sole starter for the Buckeyes and Coach Warriner moved upstairs to coach from the box. Ohio State’s offense dominated the competition by scoring 42 points against our rivals; and 44 points in the Fiesta Bowl. I simply don’t expect OSU to revert back to its old ways. Finally, with all of the talented that left Ohio State for the NFL, this offseason, the Buckeyes will rely heavily on the play of their on-field OC, JT Barrett. They will also need big contributions from players like Noah Brown, Mike Weber, Brionte Dunn, KJ Hill and Curtis Samuel. All things considered, it looks like this year’s offense is in great hands.



When I think Greg Schiano, I think Miami. I think about Ed Reed and Dan Morgan; Coach Schiano’s two best players during his tenure at “the U.” In his last Defensive Coordinator position, Schiano led the Hurricanes defense to being the number twelve ranked defense in college football in 1999; and the number five ranked defense in 2000. In his first year as OSU’s Defensive Coordinator, Schiano’s secondary is going to look quite similar to how the Bucks have looked the last two years under Chris Ash. However, Schiano likes for his to defense to be “flying around.” In other words, he likes to call a wider variety of blitzes to confuse opposing quarterbacks and offensive lineman, so expect Ohio State’s front seven to spend a lot more time in the backfield.

Overall the 2016 Buckeyes are going to start the season as a young team, an inexperienced team, but an extremely talented team. Most of OSU’s twenty-two starters will have never started a game in college, when kickoff comes on September 3rd. Most of these players did not have a major role in the Big Ten championship or the national championship from 2014. Most of these players have not contributed on Saturdays to Meyer’s 50-4 record at Ohio State. Most of them haven’t accomplished anything and they have already been written off by ESPN and others, as incapable. Now its their turn to prove themselves. Though they are young, they are hungry. Their opportunity to leave their mark at Ohio State will begin in 100 days.






Continue reading...

Script Ohio: Will Ohio State be Better Overall in 2016?
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joe Dexter and Clair Crawford discuss comments from ESPN’s Booger McFarland over the weekend on how he believes Ohio State will be a better team in 2016, despite just losing one season.
Both share their opinion on how hunger, team chemistry, and a fight for playing time might make Ohio State a better squad this season.

For more Ohio State Buckeyes podcasts, follow us on Twitter: @BuckeyesRadio

The post Script Ohio: Will Ohio State be Better Overall in 2016? appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

Continue reading...

Ohio State joins the fray, offer 2018 spot to New Jersey TE
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


New Jersey prospect Jeremy Ruckert picks up an offer from OSU – who join the likes of Alabama and Florida State vying for his services

We are right on the heels of summer and when it finally hits, action on the recruiting trail is in full effect. With thousands of camps across the country, prospects will be looking to make a name for themselves and catch the interest of Ohio State. While the 2017 class is loaded, there aren't a whole lot of spots left. Any offer that goes out for 2017 is a take. The Buckeyes can't afford to take any projections this year.

As for 2018, it should be more of the same. The amount of top tier prospects that hold the Buckeyes in high regard is staggering. Ohio State should finish with a top five class in this recruiting cycle as well as 2018.

Speaking of the 2018 class, Ohio State sent a new offer out to 2018 tight end Jeremy Ruckert (Lindenhurst, NJ. / Lindenhurst Senior) on Tuesday. Ruckert has just seen his recruitment take off over the last month, but its taken off in a big way.

In addition to now holding an offer from the Buckeyes, Ruckert also has gathered offers from Alabama, Penn State , Wisconsin and Florida State. The recruiting sites do not have him officially rated, but it's looking like Ruckert will be one of the top tight ends in his class.

At 6 feet 5 inches and 220 pounds, Ruckert is an instant mismatch in the passing game – and there's still a chance he continues to grow. Ruckert is a good pass catcher and also provides running ability after the catch. Ohio State has made the east coast a priority over the last couple of years and all that hard work has a good chance to pay off in this recruitment. Ohio State has been successful in sending tight ends to the NFL the past two seasons, as seen in Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett, and there's no doubt that could be a factor as well. Watch for the Buckeyes to try and get him on campus as soon as possible.


Continue reading...

Ohio State baseball | Three Buckeyes first-team all-Big Ten - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State baseball | Three Buckeyes first-team all-Big Ten
Columbus Dispatch
Infielder Nick Sergakis of Columbus Academy, left fielder Ronnie Dawson of Licking Heights and left-hander Tanner Tully were named first-team all-Big Ten, the first time three Ohio State players made the first team since 2009. Sergakis, a senior co ...
Ohio State baseball has 3 players receive All-Big Ten honorsLand-Grant Holy Land

all 2 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State Football: 5 Toughest QBs Buckeyes Will Face in 2016 - Bleacher Report
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Football: 5 Toughest QBs Buckeyes Will Face in 2016
Bleacher Report
The Ohio State football team will be challenged by a number of elite teams this fall, headlined by Oklahoma on the road in Week 3, but the Buckeyes won't have to defend an elite group of quarterbacks. The departures of Connor Cook from Michigan State, ...
Lamont Wade, Ohio State's top 2017 CB target, includes Buckeyes in list of final 10 schoolcleveland.com
OSUWG: Buckeyes in Top 15 after 2nd RoundThe Buckeye Battle Cry
Heat Check: Two Texans Rising, Buckeyes Battling for In-State Corner, and Tight End Worth Watching AgainEleven Warriors (registration)
ESPN -TexasSports.com -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 48 news articles »

Continue reading...

Ohio State baseball has 3 players receive All-Big Ten honors
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes' Nick Sergakis, Ronnie Dawson, and Tanner Tully received all-conference distinction on Tuesday as the team prepares to take on Michigan in its first game of the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday night.

As the Ohio State baseball team gears up for its opening game of the conference tournament against Michigan on Wednesday night, three Buckeyes were recognized for their outstanding play as first-team All-Big Ten selections in senior third baseman Nick Sergakis, junior left fielder Ronnie Dawson, and junior starting pitcher Tanner Tully

Sergakis, a senior co-captain, was Mr. Everything for Ohio State this year. He finished the regular season among the Big Ten's top ten in batting average (.352), slugging percentage (.573), on-base percentage (.474), hits (70), runs batted in (44), doubles (18), home runs (8), total bases (114), walks (33), and hit by pitch (16). The Columbus native also scored 38 runs and stole 13 bases. Sergakis was also recognized as the Buckeye's nominee for the sportsmanship award.

Dawson had a true breakout season, and may have put himself in position to be the first Big Ten position player selected in next month's Major League Baseball draft. Showing off his rare blend of speed and power, the Grove City, Ohio product slashed .300/.581/.398, hit 17 doubles, four triples, and 12 home runs, drove in 41 runs, stole 16 bases, and led the conference with 126 total bases.

Tully had a bounce-back season as a junior after a disappointing 2015. The left-hander went 7-3 in a team-high 93.2 innings of work, with a 2.31 earned run average that was second-best in the Big Ten, 71 strikeouts, a .238 opposing batting average, and a 1.10 WHIP.

No Buckeyes were named to the second or third teams this season, nor to the All-Freshman team. Minnesota's Matt Fiedler was named Big Ten Player of the Year, Cody Sedlock of Illinois was named Pitcher of the Year, Nebraska's Chad Luensmann was the top newcomer, and the Golden Gophers' John Anderson was a unanimous selection for Coach of the Year.

Ohio State finished the regular season with a 38-17-1 record, and a 15-9 conference tally good enough for the fourth seed in the Big Ten. Wednesday's first round matchup with the Wolverines is the final game of the tournament's first day, and is scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET. Big Ten Network will televise the game live.

Continue reading...

USGA Four-Ball: Engle/Grimmer Bow Out in Round of 16
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Clark Engle and Will Grimmer brought some smiles to Ohio State golf fans Monday by dispatching their 1st round match play opponents, 2 & 1, and moving on to the round of 16 in the USGA Amateur Four-Ball. As I commented in the 1st round recap, Clark/Will played this match perfectly; obtain an early lead, then settle in and play your game.

There is another critical element to success; having the right partner. Obviously, you want to partner with an accomplished golfer, but your partner’s skills need to be complementary to yours; if you hit your tee shots long and “not in play”, your partner should be a straight driver. At least one of you should have a solid short game around the green.

More important than golf “compatibility” is personality “compatibility”. Years ago, when it was easier to make a full shoulder turn and to get through the ball, I was part of a team that won two consecutive four-ball events at our golf club and had a record of 10-1 over three years. The key was that Steve and I knew each other’s games; we knew what we could do on the course and we knew what the other could do on the course. We acknowledged to each other, in practice and on the first tee, that although we were both bound to hit bad shots, neither was to apologize for them. It happens.

To the point, this is why I like the idea of an Engle/Grimmer team at this USGA event. They’ve played multiple rounds together in NCAA competition and in practices under coaches Moseley and Smith. There is a comfort level of golfing with one another and these two have it.



Match Play (Round of 16)


Clark/Will faced off against the #1 seed side of Brandon Matthews/Patrick Ross. They won their first round match 4 & 3.

However, Clark’s and Will’s run in the USGA ended with a 3 & 2 loss.

Clark/Will were even with their opponents through 3 holes. A Matthews/Ross win on #4 was offset by a Engle Grimmer win on #6, which maintained a level match status. Through the 8th hole the match was even; the Buckeyes were holding their own against the top seed.

The match turned for Matthews/Ross with birdies on the 395 yard par-4 9th and the 350 yard par-4 10th, putting them 2-up. A Matthews/Ross birdie on the 545 yard par-5 12th put them 3-up with six holes to go. This is not an enviable position for Engle/Grimmer.

The two sides each parred the next three holes, with Matthews/Ross dormie 3. Engle/Grimmer did their part with a birdie on the 16th hole, which would have extended the match, but incredibly, Matthews/Ross matched it. That was it. The Buckeyes were down three holes with two to play… they had simply run out of time.

Through the 16 hole match, Clark/Will were only -1 to par, not as sharp as their first match. However, the other 15 holes were pars, so they absolutely made no mistakes. Their opponents were -5, with four of those birdies coming on the last eight holes.

With Clark and Will returning to BuckeyeGolf next season, events like these USGA competitions can provide some additional “how to score” seasoning.

Congratulations to Clark and Will. This was a good non-NCAA experience and they acquitted themselves well.

Go Buckeyes!

The post USGA Four-Ball: Engle/Grimmer Bow Out in Round of 16 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

Continue reading...

Former Ohio State safety Vonn Bell making strong impression in New Orleans
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Saints' newest safety, Vonn Bell, has the ball-hawking skills that the team needs as he prepares for his first NFL season.

"Here's the thing on tape that we saw from his college career: No. 1, he has good speed. He's a good athlete. You look at him in his year before (2014), I know he only had maybe two picks his last year, but he had six the year before. He made great plays on the ball, so he has good ball skills."

- Saints secondary coach Aaron Glenn via John DeShazier, NewOrleansSaints.com


The New Orleans Saints took Vonn Bell with the 61st overall pick, right towards the end of the second round. The former Buckeye safety was more than a solid pickup for a team desperate for some help defensively, especially in the secondary. The Saints struggled last season with creating turnovers and adding Bell to their roster should help increase that defensive category heading into next year. Bell racked up 156 tackles, eight interceptions, 15 passes defensed and two fumble recoveries in his last two seasons at Ohio State and was often times looked upon as a key playmaker for the Buckeyes defense.

Now Bell has his secondary coach excited about the possibilities of the Saints' defensive back unit next season. Glenn mentioned several times that something that stood out to him about Bell's abilities was his willingness to play special teams. Not only did Bell play with the special teams units, he was a key player, often coming away with several tackles. He wanted to be there and wasn't just going through the motions. Bell's confidence in his ability to create turnovers is also working in his favor with his new team, so it should be a fun fall for the former Buckeye.

"Considering how much talent the Buckeyes lost and how tough their schedule is, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes earning a spot in the 2016 College Football Playoff."

- KC Joyner, ESPN


ESPN took a look at which teams had the best chances of making the 2016 College Football Playoff, and as of now, they have Ohio State on the outside looking in. The Buckeyes, as mentioned in the quote above, have lost plenty of talent to the draft and will have work to do to replace stars such as Ezekiel Elliott and Joey Bosa. Interestingly enough, ESPN listed 11 teams that realistically had a shot at finishing in the top four teams at the end of the season and the Buckeyes (obviously) weren't listed there either. The list of seven teams, including Ohio State, that fell just short of making that top 11 included Iowa, Michigan State, Ole Miss, TCU, North Carolina, and USC. Now obviously no one has the crystal ball that will tell them who ends up where at the end of the season (just look at the LGHL staff predictions).

It's still worth noting that it seems the Buckeyes could essentially end up being an underdog in 2016 and will have to prove plenty of critics wrong. Overcoming the losses of the aforementioned starters to their roster will no doubt hurt early on, but Ohio State gets a chance to showcase its new look against Oklahoma this season. That should help determine somewhat where the Buckeyes stand on a national level.

"I feel like any time — especially when I get the ball in open space — there's plenty of times where I go around the corner as a quarterback running the ball and stiff-arm one of those little DBs and keep going. Any time I get the ball in my hand, something special is going to happen. So I think the QBs know that and I think Coach knows that. I'm looking forward to it."

- Terrelle Pryor via Patrick Maks, ClevelandBrowns.com


It seems like eons ago when Terrelle Pryor was donning the scarlet and gray, stiff-arming Oregon Ducks defenders to the turf and finding DeVier Posey in the endzone of the Rose Bowl. These days, the quarterback-turned-wide receiver is trying to make his way into a starting role with the Cleveland Browns after bouncing around various NFL teams as a quarterback. He had his ups and downs along the way, but he seems finally at peace with his new position. Pryor's still learning the ropes, but every day he seems to be getting more comfortable. Although the Browns added a new receiver to the fold with Baylor's Corey Coleman, Pryor is focused on what he can control and contribute.

It's not impossible to think that Pryor can have success at his new position. He's shown off his athleticism before, and his versatility is unquestioned. After all, Pryor caught two touchdown passes as a Buckeye alone - and that was in the Jim Tressel era! Pryor has the physique necessary as well, with his 6'6 frame and speed to stretch the field. It will be worth watching his progress over the next few months to see just how good he can become as a receiver in the NFL.

STICK TO SPORTS:

• Now you can work out to Braxton Miller's song playlist, just like he does!
• Twitter is trying to change the game by making usernames and images no longer count towards the 140-character limit.
• An upscale Taco Bell Cantina is coming to Columbus in 2017.

Continue reading...

Check out 2016 All-Big Ten Baseball teams & award winners
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten announced Tuesday the 2016 Baseball All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners, as selected by the conference coaches. [ MORE: Danan Hughes previews Big Ten tourney | Watch every game on BTN2Go ] Minnesota’s Matt Fiedler was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, Illinois’ Cody Sedlock earned Pitcher of the Year recognition, Nebraska’s Chad Luensmann claimed Freshman of the Year honors, and Minnesota head coach John Anderson was named the unanimous Big Ten Coach of the Year. View the full team below. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Matt Fiedler, Minnesota PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Cody Sedlock,

Continue reading...

Will Ohio State basketball's schedule help their 2017 NCAA Tournament chances?
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The schedule math matters quite a bit come March.

Ohio State released their non-conference basketball schedule today, and there aren't too many surprises. We already knew the highlights, including a neutral site matchup with UCLA, a Gavvitt Game throwdown with Providence, and a home game against the UConn Huskies. The finalized Big Ten/ACC Challenge game, a road trip to Virginia, filled out the list of premier matchups, and a road trip to Navy adds a unique enviromnent, and challenge, for Ohio State.

The other games on this schedule probably won't make for overly compelling television, but they are very important, especially for Ohio State's hopes at making the NCAA Tournament, and for getting a quality seed. How big a margin of error Ohio State will get, depends in large part on how things break down in November and December. After all, every game impacts your RPI.

So how good a schedule will this be for Ohio State? Let's take a look at what the math said. Here's the RPI and KenPom rating for every program last season:


School KenPom RPI
at Navy 197 214
NC Central 296 315
Providence 44 32
Western Carolina 188 175
Jackson State 232 211
Marshall 142 130
at Virginia 3 3
Fairleigh Dickinson 270 210
Florida Atlantic 294 301
Connecticut 26 26
vs UCLA 79 79
Youngstown State 272 272
UNC-Asheville 122 122


We already know that the RPI is a flawed metric, isn't useful as a predictive tool, etc. All of that is true, but the NCAA Selection Committee still uses it, so it's still a number worth paying attention to.

So is this a good slate? UCLA is a fair bet to have improved numbers from last season, given the elite recruiting class they are bringing in. Virginia might take a little bit of a step back (it's hard to improve that much from third), but there's a solid chance that Ohio State will play four Top 50 RPI programs, or at least four within a shout of the top 50. Even if the Buckeyes only split those games, that'd be a big win.

Accurately predicting how the other teams will perform, RPI-wise, is a bit harder. It's a reasonable bet that Youngstown State will struggle again, as the Penguins have had just two winning seasons since 2000. Fairleigh Dickinson cracked the First Four last season, but you probably remember them as one of the teams that managed to lose to Rutgers. UNC-Asheville has been a consistently plucky mid-major program, and one that has a good chance of posting an RPI above 200.

It goes without saying that Ohio State needs to their games against mid and low major competition. Had the Buckeyes beaten Louisiana Tech and UT-Arlington last season, they might have cracked the NCAAs instead of the NITs last year. They also need to hope that every program can find a way to keep their RPIs above 300. Games against putrid teams can weigh down a profile in a way that games against simply bad teams do not.

The Big Ten schedule isn't out yet, but Ohio State should get plenty of opportunities to pick up other big wins. Michigan State projects to be an elite team again, and Indiana, Purdue, Michigan and Wisconsin should also be very strong. The Buckeyes are likely to play Wisconsin and Nebraska twice, given that they've failed to do so over the last two Big Ten schedules, and the Badgers could provide another RPI boost.

The Buckeyes can't get out of playing a team like Rutgers, who will almost certainly post another RPI below 250. The Scarlet Knights' profile was so bad last season it might have cost teams a seed line in March. But with a little luck, this schedule has the fundamentals to give the Buckeyes some breathing room in Big Ten play.

Given that Ohio State returns virtually every major contributor from last season and has goals beyond just an NCAA Tournament bid, that's a good sign.

Continue reading...

Texas Tornado: Are the Buckeyes on the Verge of an Epic Haul in the Lone Star State? - Eleven Warriors (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Texas Tornado: Are the Buckeyes on the Verge of an Epic Haul in the Lone Star State?
Eleven Warriors (registration)
To get any five-star linebacker on campus is huge, but to head to Texas and bring the state's second and third-ranked players to Ohio on their own dime, in May, is a major win for the Buckeyes no matter how you slice it. Ohio State has a commitment ...
Ohio State baseball | Buckeyes in full stride entering Big Ten tournamentColumbus Dispatch
Has Meyer 'hand-picked' the Buckeyes' future tight end?247Sports
Overlooked or Overrated? Ohio State Is College Football's Great Unknown in 2016Bleacher Report
Scout -Campus Pressbox (blog)
all 20 news articles »

Continue reading...

Best of Week 1: Opening week all about LSU vs. Wisconsin
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Not a lot of pizzazz in the first week of the season, as all 14 teams are in action over a three-day period. But there is one marquee clash: LSU vs. Wisconsin at iconic Lambeau Field. [ MORE: View the complete Week 1 Big Ten schedule ] Aside from that, there are no big-time matchups. In fact, four teams are playing FCS schools, with Furman at Michigan State; Murray State at Illinois; Howard at Maryland; Eastern Kentucky at Purdue. Here is a look at the Best of Week 1. Game of the week: LSU vs. Wisconsin at Green Bay. No

Continue reading...

2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups announced
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

Get ready, Big Ten basketball fans! The matchups for the 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge were released to the public today.

Continue reading...

Ohio State 2016 basketball non-conference schedule released
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A couple big names amongst the usual fare.

Less than 12 hours after pivoting on a report from CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein that Ohio State would be playing Louisville in the 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge -- the Bucks will instead face Virginia, a non-conference foe from last season -- OSU went ahead and unveiled the rest of their 2016 non-conference slate.

As previously announced, OSU will open the 2016-2017 season at Navy on the campus of the Naval Academy. The Bucks head back to Columbus that weekend and will face North Carolina Central that Monday before playing host to Providence that Thursday.

Joining the Friars and Cavs amongst OSU's most notable non-conference matchups, also as previously repoted, OSU will play host to UConn, Saturday, December 10. The Bucks head the following week to Brooklyn where they'll face former Indiana guard Steve Lavin and the UCLA Bruins. The Bucks' final non-conference tuneup before Big Ten play comes in the former of familiar foe UNC-Asheville, the Thursday before Christmas.

Here's Ohio State's complete non-conference basketball schedule for this coming season:



Continue reading...

Buckeyes to visit UVA for ACC/Big Ten rematch - The Charlottesville Newsplex
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes to visit UVA for ACC/Big Ten rematch
The Charlottesville Newsplex
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- After back-to-back road trips for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Virginia men's basketball team will get to stay at home this season. But it will be Ohio State -- not Purdue, as had been reported on Monday ...

and more »

Continue reading...

BTN’s Danan Hughes previews Big Ten baseball tournament
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The 2016 Big Ten Baseball Tournament starts Wednesday morning at TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series. [ MORE: Follow @dahughesguy83 on Twitter | Watch every game on BTN2Go ] The eight-team, double-elimination field includes up to 15 games, culminating with the final Sunday afternoon. View the full tournament bracket. Before No. 3 Indiana and No. 6 Maryland get things started at 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, we caught up with BTN analyst and former Iowa two-sport star Danan Hughes. BTN.com: Which team enters the event with the most momentum? DH: That would have to be Nebraska. It ended

Continue reading...