Gene Ross
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Ohio State stands as 50.5-point favorite heading into Week 1 vs. Akron
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 Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are huge home favorites in their 2024 season opener.
Ohio State is set to begin its 2024 campaign on Saturday against Akron, entering the first game of the new season as massive favorites.
The Buckeyes are coming off a year that saw them miss on all three of their major goals: beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten and winning a national title. While the Wolverines could see a bit of a step back this season without Jim Harbaugh — and more importantly Connor Stalions — the other two goals have now gotten even harder to accomplish with the addition of Oregon to the Big Ten and the introduction of a 12-team College Football Playoff.
The Zips, meanwhile, enter this season looking to turn things around from a year ago when they finished 2-10 with only one win over an FBS opponent (a 31-27 victory over Kent State). Unfortunately for Akron, that record is nothing new to the program, having finished with that exact same mark each of the last three years.
It has been six-straight losing seasons overall for the Zips, who enter their third campaign under head coach Joe Moorehead looking to hopefully right the ship and reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2017.
Minus Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State brings back the majority of its offense from the 2023 season with two big transfer portal additions in quarterback Will Howard and running back Quinshon Judkins. Howard takes over at QB1, while Judkins joins TreVeyon Henderson as the best RB duo in the country.
Emeka Egbuka headlines a wide receiver group whose top four guys are all former five-star prospects in Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith. Up front, Ohio State is hoping to see improvement along the offensive line, with three returning starters and a transfer addition in center Seth McLaughlin from Alabama.
On the other side, the Buckeyes’ defense figures to be one of the best units nationwide. An already strong group from last season returns all of its major contributors outside of Mike Hall Jr. at defensive tackle, and adds to it freshman All-American Caleb Downs at safety. The secondary is loaded, with Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom joining Downs on the back end.
Former five-star Sonny Styles moves down from safety to linebacker, and another pair of former five-stars in Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau return to start at the defensive end spots. Tyleik Williams is back up the middle, and guys like CJ Hicks, Arvell Reese and Mitchell Melton are all X-factors at the mystical JACK position just itching to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Just last week, Akron named its starting quarterback in Cal transfer Ben Finley. The junior QB started two games apiece at both NC State and Cal, having tallied 1,484 passing yards with seven touchdowns and nine picks over 15 total appearances between the two schools.
The Zips will need to get more from their ground game, which ranked 131st in FBS a year ago, and hope to get something out of Michigan State transfer Jordon Simmons. Akron’s top three pass catchers from last season are gone, with Alex Adams the returning leader in the clubhouse having caught 22 balls for 188 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.
Akron’s defense far outplayed its offense last season, ranking No. 32 nationally in yards allowed per game. Defensive end CJ McNunnally returns coming off a First Team All-MAC selection, leading the team with an impressive seven sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last year.
The Zips also get their tackles leader back in linebacker Antavious Fish, totaling 95 tackles a year ago, as well as linebacker Bryan McCoy, who finished right behind Fish with 94 tackles. The secondary will be led by Devonte Golden-Nelson, who tied for a team-high two picks last season.
Things aren’t going to get any easier to begin the 2024 season for Akron, with a trip to Ohio State to kick things off and two more P4 road trips on the non-conference schedule at Rutgers and South Carolina. The oddsmakers are not expecting much of an improvement this year for the Zips, with their win total set at just 3.5.
The Buckeyes are not going to be one of few those wins.
Continue reading...
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 Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are huge home favorites in their 2024 season opener.
Ohio State is set to begin its 2024 campaign on Saturday against Akron, entering the first game of the new season as massive favorites.
Bettings Odds: Ohio State -50.5 | O/U 57.5 (per DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Buckeyes are coming off a year that saw them miss on all three of their major goals: beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten and winning a national title. While the Wolverines could see a bit of a step back this season without Jim Harbaugh — and more importantly Connor Stalions — the other two goals have now gotten even harder to accomplish with the addition of Oregon to the Big Ten and the introduction of a 12-team College Football Playoff.
The Zips, meanwhile, enter this season looking to turn things around from a year ago when they finished 2-10 with only one win over an FBS opponent (a 31-27 victory over Kent State). Unfortunately for Akron, that record is nothing new to the program, having finished with that exact same mark each of the last three years.
It has been six-straight losing seasons overall for the Zips, who enter their third campaign under head coach Joe Moorehead looking to hopefully right the ship and reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2017.
Minus Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State brings back the majority of its offense from the 2023 season with two big transfer portal additions in quarterback Will Howard and running back Quinshon Judkins. Howard takes over at QB1, while Judkins joins TreVeyon Henderson as the best RB duo in the country.
Emeka Egbuka headlines a wide receiver group whose top four guys are all former five-star prospects in Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith. Up front, Ohio State is hoping to see improvement along the offensive line, with three returning starters and a transfer addition in center Seth McLaughlin from Alabama.
On the other side, the Buckeyes’ defense figures to be one of the best units nationwide. An already strong group from last season returns all of its major contributors outside of Mike Hall Jr. at defensive tackle, and adds to it freshman All-American Caleb Downs at safety. The secondary is loaded, with Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom joining Downs on the back end.
Former five-star Sonny Styles moves down from safety to linebacker, and another pair of former five-stars in Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau return to start at the defensive end spots. Tyleik Williams is back up the middle, and guys like CJ Hicks, Arvell Reese and Mitchell Melton are all X-factors at the mystical JACK position just itching to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Just last week, Akron named its starting quarterback in Cal transfer Ben Finley. The junior QB started two games apiece at both NC State and Cal, having tallied 1,484 passing yards with seven touchdowns and nine picks over 15 total appearances between the two schools.
The Zips will need to get more from their ground game, which ranked 131st in FBS a year ago, and hope to get something out of Michigan State transfer Jordon Simmons. Akron’s top three pass catchers from last season are gone, with Alex Adams the returning leader in the clubhouse having caught 22 balls for 188 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.
Akron’s defense far outplayed its offense last season, ranking No. 32 nationally in yards allowed per game. Defensive end CJ McNunnally returns coming off a First Team All-MAC selection, leading the team with an impressive seven sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last year.
The Zips also get their tackles leader back in linebacker Antavious Fish, totaling 95 tackles a year ago, as well as linebacker Bryan McCoy, who finished right behind Fish with 94 tackles. The secondary will be led by Devonte Golden-Nelson, who tied for a team-high two picks last season.
Things aren’t going to get any easier to begin the 2024 season for Akron, with a trip to Ohio State to kick things off and two more P4 road trips on the non-conference schedule at Rutgers and South Carolina. The oddsmakers are not expecting much of an improvement this year for the Zips, with their win total set at just 3.5.
The Buckeyes are not going to be one of few those wins.
Continue reading...