Matt Tamanini
Guest
Ohio State fans don’t think today’s game vs. Iowa will be all that close
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Yes, Ohio State has played for games already this season, but today feels different. With the Iowa Hawkeyes coming to town, the level of competition has been significantly ratcheted up, and we should finally get an idea of just how good this version of the Buckeyes actually is. One player we all know is good is Jeremiah Smith, who has somehow lived up to the sky-high expectations that he came to Columbus with.
So, in this week’s fan survey, we wanted to know how you felt about OSU’s freshman phenom; have you drank a heaping helping of the Kool-Aid, or are you a bit more reasonable than I am?
Then, as we do every game week, we asked you to chime in with your winner and scoring margin for today’s game. So, check out Buckeye Nation’s collective responses below, and if you have any other comments to throw in, drop them in the comments at the bottom of the page.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25659466/OhioState_1_10224.png)
This is, I think, the most level-headed, soberest answer that you could come up with for this question. Obviously, Jeremiah Smith is already an elite talent. In just four collegiate games, he is second in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game and third in touchdown catches, despite the people ahead of him having played one more game. So anyone who wants to deny that he is truly special has some sort of agenda.
But, I can respect your restraint if you don’t want to take the jump to irrationality along with me. I’ve already made my opinion on Jeremiah Smith’s status very well-known, and I admit that I can be a bit hyperbolic at times.
Regardless of whether or not you have gone off the deep end like I have, it is clear that OSU fans recognize just how special J.J. is. But, I’m really surprised that 17% thinks that he hasn’t done anything yet. Have we been watching the same games so far this season? Because I’ve seen him make some incredible catches, run away from defenders, and already make history.
Through a quarter of the regular season, he has essentially already halfway to the OSU freshman records for receptions, touchdowns, and yards. Those records have stood for 40 years since Cris Carter showed up on campus in 1984. If you’re an Ohio State fan trying to throw cold water on what Smith has done in his first month as a Buckeye, you just might be who I wrote about yesterday.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25659467/OhioState_2_10224.png)
When the odds opened for the game at the FanDuel Sportsbook, the Buckeyes were 20.5-point favorites, but that has dipped a bit and as of this writing, OSU is an 18.5-point favorite. Seeing Ohio State’s line drop a point or two after opening is not unusual, but what happens next week will be interesting because Ohio State is already a two-and-a-half-point road favorite for the game in Eugene, Oregon a week from today.
So, it looks like a lot of Buckeye fans are agreeing with Vegas and our computer overlords on the score prediction, but that there are nearly as many that think that OSU will put it on the Fighting Ferentzes even more... including me.
As we do every week, members of the LGHL staff all made our predictions for the game. We’ve got score, storyline, and MVP picks, and while you should click on that link and see what we’ve got to say, I will tell you that I am going 34-9 in favor of the Buckeye.
I am a little surprised that only 13% of respondents thought that thought the game would be within two touchdowns, or that the Hawkeyes would win. While I wouldn’t expect many OSU fans to pick the Buckeyes to lose this game, the fact that so few thought it would be even particularly close was a surprise, but one that I welcome.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Yes, Ohio State has played for games already this season, but today feels different. With the Iowa Hawkeyes coming to town, the level of competition has been significantly ratcheted up, and we should finally get an idea of just how good this version of the Buckeyes actually is. One player we all know is good is Jeremiah Smith, who has somehow lived up to the sky-high expectations that he came to Columbus with.
So, in this week’s fan survey, we wanted to know how you felt about OSU’s freshman phenom; have you drank a heaping helping of the Kool-Aid, or are you a bit more reasonable than I am?
Then, as we do every game week, we asked you to chime in with your winner and scoring margin for today’s game. So, check out Buckeye Nation’s collective responses below, and if you have any other comments to throw in, drop them in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Question 1: Which statement more closely aligns with your thoughts on Jeremiah Smith?
This is, I think, the most level-headed, soberest answer that you could come up with for this question. Obviously, Jeremiah Smith is already an elite talent. In just four collegiate games, he is second in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game and third in touchdown catches, despite the people ahead of him having played one more game. So anyone who wants to deny that he is truly special has some sort of agenda.
But, I can respect your restraint if you don’t want to take the jump to irrationality along with me. I’ve already made my opinion on Jeremiah Smith’s status very well-known, and I admit that I can be a bit hyperbolic at times.
Regardless of whether or not you have gone off the deep end like I have, it is clear that OSU fans recognize just how special J.J. is. But, I’m really surprised that 17% thinks that he hasn’t done anything yet. Have we been watching the same games so far this season? Because I’ve seen him make some incredible catches, run away from defenders, and already make history.
Through a quarter of the regular season, he has essentially already halfway to the OSU freshman records for receptions, touchdowns, and yards. Those records have stood for 40 years since Cris Carter showed up on campus in 1984. If you’re an Ohio State fan trying to throw cold water on what Smith has done in his first month as a Buckeye, you just might be who I wrote about yesterday.
Question 2: What will the margin of victory be in Saturday’s game against Iowa?
When the odds opened for the game at the FanDuel Sportsbook, the Buckeyes were 20.5-point favorites, but that has dipped a bit and as of this writing, OSU is an 18.5-point favorite. Seeing Ohio State’s line drop a point or two after opening is not unusual, but what happens next week will be interesting because Ohio State is already a two-and-a-half-point road favorite for the game in Eugene, Oregon a week from today.
So, it looks like a lot of Buckeye fans are agreeing with Vegas and our computer overlords on the score prediction, but that there are nearly as many that think that OSU will put it on the Fighting Ferentzes even more... including me.
As we do every week, members of the LGHL staff all made our predictions for the game. We’ve got score, storyline, and MVP picks, and while you should click on that link and see what we’ve got to say, I will tell you that I am going 34-9 in favor of the Buckeye.
I am a little surprised that only 13% of respondents thought that thought the game would be within two touchdowns, or that the Hawkeyes would win. While I wouldn’t expect many OSU fans to pick the Buckeyes to lose this game, the fact that so few thought it would be even particularly close was a surprise, but one that I welcome.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...