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2026 College Baseball World Series Bracket, Scores, TV Schedule and Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 15:41:26 +0000

2026 College Baseball World Series Update. TV Schedule and Times "Omaha, somewhere in middle America. ..." the College World Series gets right to the heart of the matter: Who will play for the NCAA baseball championship? The field of eight teams in the CWS is beginning to take shape following super regionals. It'll be a fresh field, as no 2026 super regional teams made last year's CWS. And it's an entirely new feeling for West Virginia, which is in its first CWS after dispatching Cal Poly in two games. College World Series predictions: Expert picks for baseball super regionals winnersWho will join the Mountaineers in Omaha? Troy followed shortly after for the second ticket with a sweep over Little Rock. Ole Miss became the first SEC team to book its flight to Omaha with a win over No. 4 Auburn on Saturday as well. North Carolina extended the Chapel Hill Super Regional to three games with a 4-0 win vs. USC on June 6. The fun in Omaha begins this upcoming Friday, June 12 at 2 p.m. ET. The best-of-three CWS championship series is set to start on Saturday, June 20, and can last until Sunday, June 21, or Monday, June 22, depending on how the first two games of the series go

2026 Ohio State Football News and Rumors

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 May 2026 19:05:23 +0000

Great Article About Ohio State Football 2026 Season CBS Sports has Ohio State among top 5 CFP contender toughest schedules Phil Harrison Buckeyes Wire There are some things you just can't control when it comes to making a run to the College Football Playoff national championship, and it's no different with a program like Ohio State. You have to get some luck, you have to remain relatively healthy, and then there's the schedule. We've seen many teams make a run through a relatively easy schedule and have a better shot of making the playoff because of it, and then we've seen teams try to navigate a gauntlet and experience too many losses to be considered. It's not as bad as when we had a four-team playoff, but it still exists, especially since the conferences have expanded and added some historically good programs that are now a part of the schedule. CBS Sports took a look at the teams it defined as CFP contenders this fall and tried to rank them based on the toughest schedules, and it's no surprise that Ohio State was near the top if you've even mildly glanced at the slate of places and teams the Buckeyes have to deal with in 2026. There are road games at Texas, Iowa, Indiana, and USC, and home contests against Illinois, Oregon, and Michigan. OSU will have earned it if it makes it into the CFP this year, to say the least. So, where does Brad Crawford have Ohio State when stacking up the Buckeyes' schedule against Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC -- teams he has identified as contenders? How about No. 3 behind the Longhorns (1) and Sooners (2)? Here's what Crawford says about the OSU schedule: Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more! "The good news? The Buckeyes are at their pinnacle under Ryan Day, an elite coach who already has a national title to his credit and is churning out first-rounders with impressive prevalence," Crawford said. "The bad? The 2026 slate is the toughest he's seen at Ohio State. It includes a trip to potential preseason No. 1 Texas, along with destination games at Iowa, Indiana, and USC. Toss in November home bouts with Oregon and Michigan for variety, and that's potentially a half-dozen matchups with nationally-ranked competition." He's not wrong, but we could even make the case that Ohio State's schedule is right there with the top two. I mean, at what point does the SEC stop getting the benefit of the doubt? It sure feels like Texas and Oklahoma are put ahead of the Buckeyes because of what the SEC has historically been, and not what has been over the last couple of years. Regardless, here's how Crawford ranks all eleven contenders when it comes to strength of schedule for a 2026 run to glory: Team 1. Texas 2. Oklahoma 3. Ohio State 4. Michigan 5. Ole Miss 6. Texas A&M 7. LSU 8. USC 9. Georgia 10. Alabama 11. Oregon 12 Indiana What do you think? Does Crawford have it about right here? For sure, Indiana has gotten an easier schedule over the last few years because of where it was historically before Curt Cignetti, but much of this beyond that is very debatable, and that's what makes college football so intriguing and fun

Ohio State Football Match Up Preview 2025

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 14:52:00 +0000

Great article on Ohio State's Football Matchups for this year from Elevenwarriors Dan Hope 2025 Season Preview: Ranking Ohio State’s 12 Regular-Season Games from Easiest to Most Difficult By Dan Hope The difficulty of Ohio State’s 2025 regular-season schedule can be broken down into four tiers. Three games should be easy blowout victories for the Buckeyes unless they badly underperform. Four other games look like they should be comfortable wins for Ohio State, too, though they won’t necessarily be cakewalks. Three games stand out above the rest as the three biggest tests that could make or break Ohio State’s season, but a pair of road games in the first half of the season should also be circled as challenges the Buckeyes can’t overlook. In order to assess the projected difficulty of Ohio State’s 12 regular-season games, I asked Eleven Warriors staffers to rank the 12 games on the schedule from the one they’re most confident the Buckeyes will win to the one they’re most concerned the Buckeyes could lose. From there, I averaged out their rankings – nine staffers voted in total – to rank each game in order from easiest to most difficult, then grouped them into tiers based on gaps in the voting. Tier 1: Easy Wins 1. Grambling State (Sept. 6, Home) Average Ranking: 1 High Rank: 1 Low Rank: 1 2. Ohio (Sept. 13, Home) Average Ranking: 2.2 High Rank: 2 Low Rank: 3 3. Purdue (Nov. 8, Away) Average Ranking: 2.8 High Rank: 2 Low Rank: 3 Our entire staff agreed that the second game of the season against Grambling State will be Ohio State’s easiest win of the year. It should be; Grambling is an FCS team and not even a good one, going just 5-7 last year. The staff also unanimously agreed that Ohio State’s next two easiest games, in one order or the other, will be its non-conference finale against the Ohio Bobcats and its November road game at Purdue. While beating a MAC team should theoretically be easier than fending off a conference foe, Ohio could very well be a better team this season than Purdue, which is projected to be the Big Ten’s worst team for the second straight year after going 1-11 last season. Tier 2: Should Be Comfortable Wins 4. Rutgers (Nov. 22, Home) Average Ranking: 4.4 High Rank: 4 Low Rank: 5 5. UCLA (Nov. 15, Home) Average Ranking: 5 High Rank: 4 Low Rank: 7 6. Minnesota (Oct. 4, Home) Average Ranking: 5.9 High Rank: 4 Low Rank: 7 7. Wisconsin (Oct. 18, Away) Average Ranking: 6.7 High Rank: 6 Low Rank: 7 Ohio State will be a heavy favorite to win three of its four Big Ten home games, as the Buckeyes’ home contests against Rutgers, UCLA and Minnesota all rank in the upper half of games we’re most confident the Buckeyes will win this season. Unsurprisingly, Rutgers ranked in the top five on everyone’s ballot as the Buckeyes have won all 10 of their games against the Scarlet Knights (all since 2014) by at least three scores. Greg Schiano has turned Rutgers into a respectable program rather than the punching bag it was during its early Big Ten years, but the Scarlet Knights still don’t have the horsepower to beat the conference’s elite teams. I put UCLA seventh on my ballot since the Bruins at least have a dynamic quarterback now in Nico Iamaleava, but considering his struggles with a better team around him in a cold Ohio Stadium last December, I can see why most of our staff ranked the Bruins’ cross-country November trip to the Shoe as one of their five most confident wins of the season. Minnesota has a better all-around team than Rutgers and UCLA, albeit with an unproven quarterback (Drake Lindsey), but there’s still a clear difference in talent between the Golden Gophers and the Buckeyes, who have beaten Minnesota 13 straight times dating back to 2001. The difficulty could turn up a bit when Ohio State travels to Wisconsin to play the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium, a notoriously tough road environment. That said, Ohio State has won 10 straight games against Wisconsin, which is projected to be a bottom-half team in the Big Ten this year. Given that, no one staff ranked the Wisconsin trip among Ohio State’s five toughest games, though no one ranked it among the Buckeyes’ five easiest wins either. Tier 3: Challenging Road Tests 8. Washington (Sept. 27, Away) Average Ranking: 8.4 High Rank: 8 Low Rank: 9 9. Illinois (Oct. 11, Away) Average Ranking: 8.7 High Rank: 8 Low Rank: 10 Our staff unanimously agreed that Ohio State’s first two road trips of the season rank among the Buckeyes’ five toughest games of the year, with all but one staffer ranking Illinois and Washington as the fourth- and fifth-toughest opponents of the season. A slight majority of staffers are more confident Ohio State will beat Washington than Illinois, but both games have the potential to present real challenges. Washington could have one of the Big Ten’s best offenses this season with quarterback Demond Williams Jr., running back Jonah Coleman and wide receiver Denzel Boston all ranking among the conference’s top players at their positions. The Huskies’ defense should also be improved this season. Husky Stadium is one of college football’s loudest stadiums, and Ohio State lost to Oregon in its West Coast road trip last season. Denzel Boston Washington’s offensive weapons, led by wide receiver Denzel Boston, make Ohio State’s trip to Husky Stadium a potentially dangerous game. (Photo: Steven Bisig – Imagn Images) Illinois is a popular College Football Playoff pick as the Illini return 16 starters from a team that went 10-3 last season. If the Fighting Illini can beat Indiana on the road in September, there’s a good chance they’ll be 6-0 when they host the Buckeyes in the first Illibuck game since 2017. This matchup has some 2024 Indiana vibes – that being a game where Ohio State takes offense to game-week upset predictions and exerts its talent advantage in a decisive win – but the trip to Champaign could be a dangerous one if the Buckeyes don’t bring their A-game. Tier 4: The Big Three 10. Penn State (Nov. 1, Home) Average Ranking: 10.6 High Rank: 10 Low Rank: 11 11. Michigan (Nov. 29, Away) Average Ranking: 11 High Rank: 9 Low Rank: 12 12. Texas (Aug. 30, Home) Average Ranking: 11.3 High Rank: 10 Low Rank: 12 Ohio State’s regular-season schedule is headlined by games against the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the preseason AP poll and a team that’s beaten the Buckeyes four years in a row. Even though Penn State is a popular pick to make the national championship game among our staff, none of us chose the Nittany Lions as the most likely team to beat Ohio State during the regular season. Ohio State has won eight straight games against the Nittany Lions, and getting them at home will only help the Buckeyes’ chances of extending that winning streak in the Jim Knowles Revenge Game. Five of nine staffers picked The Game as the game they’re least confident Ohio State will win, undoubtedly scarred by the Buckeyes’ results against Michigan over the past four years. The Wolverines aren’t projected to be as good as the Nittany Lions or Longhorns, but they are expected to be better – at least on offense – than they were when they beat Ohio State in Columbus last year. Winning the national championship last season should empower Ryan Day and his team to coach and play more confidently against their rival than they have in recent years, but it’s still the biggest roadblock the Buckeyes must overcome, and they’ll have to do it in Ann Arbor. Averaging out the staff’s ballots, however, Texas slightly edged out Michigan as the toughest game on Ohio State’s 2025 schedule. The Longhorns will enter the season opener as the nation’s top-ranked team, presenting a massive test right out of the gates for an Ohio State team that has just eight returning starters from last year’s national championship run. As such, all but one member of our voting panel picked the Texas game as one of Ohio State’s two most likely losses of the season, factoring in the likelihood that the Buckeyes will be a better team later in the season than they will be out of the gates with a first-time starting quarterback.

Ohio States Jeremiah Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:47:00 +0000

Great Article on Ohio States Jeremiah Smith from the New York Times.

Ohio State’s superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith: ‘I’m not finished’ Manny Navarro 48 July 1, 2025Updated 8:23 am EDT FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Shedeur Sanders, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III and Geno Smith — a recent NFL Draft pick, a former NFL MVP, a Heisman Trophy winner and the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders — were among the most recognizable faces at the OT7 Playoffs this past weekend at St. Thomas Aquinas High. Advertisement And yet, there’s little doubt who was the hottest star among the stars. It was Jeremiah Smith, the 19-year-old Ohio State receiver who shares the cover of the soon-to-be-released EA Sports College Football 26 video game. The moment the 6-foot-3, 225-pound All-American and national champion stepped out of a black Lamborghini — rented for the weekend — he was immersed by fans eager to take selfies and simply be in his presence. As one fan noted before he snapped a photo with Smith, “It’s not often you get a chance to see a football player in person with a 99 rating in a video game.” “This is all a blessing,” said Smith, who grew up in South Florida and became the No. 1 high school recruit in the country at Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna Preparatory School. “The season I had last year was a blessing. I just won a national championship, contributed to a top team. I mean, all of this has been surreal. I’m just soaking it all in, but I’m not finished.” The truth is, there probably isn’t a brighter young star in the college game right now than Smith, a rising sophomore who is third in betting odds behind Texas quarterback Arch Manning and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Over 16 games in his debut season, he caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns and won MVP honors at the Rose Bowl. At times, he made it look too easy — far easier than his father expected. “He did exceed expectations I had,” Chris Smith said. “My expectations were just going to school, getting in when he can, earning his steps as a freshman. I didn’t know he was going to take over.” Jeremiah Smith averaged 17.3 yards per catch as a freshman. (Adam Cairns / Imagn Images) How does it feel to hear people say his son is the best player in college football? “It’s surreal, but we take it with a grain of salt,” he said. “There’s more football to play. I always tell him never to get big-headed. Just keep working. You can be up top one day and down the next. Stay even keel.” Advertisement That can be a challenge with all the attention and business opportunities Smith receives. Companies have not stopped lining up to sign the Buckeye to be a brand ambassador. He attended the OT7 Playoffs — broadcast by NFL Network — in part to meet with brand reps and take photos. Nike, which has a $252 million partnership with Ohio State, pushed hard to sign Smith, but he inked a deal with Adidas last week. Top NCAAF Stories From the SEC to the Ivy League: QB Dante Reno returns home to play for his dad at Yale Recruiting reset: Taking stock of blue-chip quarterbacks in Class of 2026 Is Georgia Tech getting good again at just the right time? “I’ve been wearing Adidas since I was a young kid, 11, 10 years old,” Smith said. “To be a part of the brand is something special.” Smith humbly admitted he’s lost count of how many companies have hired him to promote their products. But his dad, who has owned a cleaning and moving company in South Florida since 2015, was able to help out. The list includes American Eagle Outfitters, Battle Sports, DSW, Red Bull, Lululemon and Chipotle. Smith said he does all of his photo shoots for those companies when he’s not in school. So, what was the hardest part of Smith’s first year in college? “Learning that playbook,” he said. “Coming in, they threw everything at me so fast. We had installs every week. Toward the end of the year is when everything started to slow down for me.” Ohio State’s 2024 season was a roller coaster. The regular season ended with a deflating fourth consecutive loss to rival Michigan. But the Buckeyes and Smith followed up with a magical run through the expanded College Football Playoff, crushing Tennessee and Oregon before crossing the finishing line with victories over Texas and Notre Dame. Smith tweaked his hip flexor in the win over Tennessee but responded the following week with his best game (seven catches, 187 yards, two touchdowns) in the Rose Bowl win over top-seeded Oregon. Despite winning the title, Smith has not gotten over the loss to Michigan. Advertisement “I’m not a sore loser, but I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy,” Smith said. “In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn’t want to go to Ohio State and lose to that team up north. I just hate them. Just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can’t lose to them in the next two years.” Ohio State and Texas — the favorites to win the 2026 national championship — open the season against each other in Columbus on Aug. 30. The Buckeyes had 14 players drafted off the national championship team, including quarterback Will Howard, receiver Emeka Egbuka and running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. With so many veterans gone from the offense, Smith said he’ll be more comfortable taking on a more vocal role in the locker room in his second season. As for Ohio State’s new starting quarterback, Julian Sayin, Smith said he’s fully confident the redshirt freshman is ready to ascend into the spotlight. “That arm is different,” Smith said. “He can make any and every throw. Just a smart quarterback. Like me, he’s a little quiet. But he’s starting to come out of (his) shell. He’s definitely going to be a guy. It’s going to be scary for opponents.” Returning home to South Florida to be around friends and family is something Smith always looks forward to. But he doesn’t regret his decision to leave home for college. “People always joke around and say you should’ve stayed home, played for Miami and put on for my city,” Smith said. “But deep inside, I know they’re happy for me at the end of the day. No regrets.” His parents and younger brother, Angelo, a three-star safety in the 2027 cycle, made it to all 16 Ohio State games last year, often taking early Saturday morning flights to get to those Big Noon Kickoff games. Advertisement Smith has his own apartment in Columbus and a private chef who makes all of his meals. He likes to keep to himself, but when he does go out, Smith drives his Mercedes-AMG GLE around town. For the most part, though, Smith said, he plays video games on his PS5 when he isn’t studying, training or practicing. His focus is always on the future. “I changed my eating habits — just eating healthy food, salmon, rice with vegetables,” Smith said. “I’m at 225 pounds now. I was at 205 or 208 when I got there. Body fat, I think I’m second lowest on the team. I just did 20 reps of 225 pounds on the bench and ran 22 (miles per hour) in a game.” There’s little doubt NFL teams can’t wait to get their hands on him. Smith, though, said he’s having a great time in college and is in no rush to get to the NFL — even if some believe he would have been a top-10 pick this year if eligible. He said he’s invested most of the NIL money he’s made to this point. When he does spend, it’s mostly on clothes and shoes. “He’s been very responsible,” Chris Smith said. “He still wanted things. He’s still a kid. But in all honesty, he’s done more good with his money than bad. Hopefully, if God keeps blessing him, pouring in his cup, he can pour in other cups.” Smith’s major at Ohio State is Sports Industry. He wants to get into coaching when his playing career is over. But he’s planning on that being a long time from now. “I still have a lot of work to do,” Smith said. “I’ve got two, three more years left of college. I’ve still got to go to the pros — hopefully by the grace of God. I’ve just got to keep it going. Just because I had one great year, I can’t get comfortable and depend on that. I want to do this year in and year out.” What about winning the Heisman? “I’m just trying to win another natty — that’s what I’m focused on,” Smith said. “All the other individual accolades will come after that.” (Top photo: Manny Navarro / The Athletic

2024 College Football Stat Leaders

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:17:00 +0000

College Football Stats for Passing, Receiving and Rushing after 11 weeks Passing Yards 1 team logo Cam Ward MIAMI QB 1 3494 YDS Rank Team Player YDS 2 team logo MISS Jaxson Dart QB 3409 3 team logo TCU Josh Hoover QB 3233 4 team logo CUSE Kyle McCord QB 3153 5 team logo NTEXAS Chandler Morris QB 3087 Click on Link for complete list Complete Passing Yards Leaders Rushing Yards 1 team logo Ashton Jeanty BOISE RB 2 1734 YDS Rank Team Player YDS T2 team logo UCF RJ Harvey RB 1328 T2 team logo IOWA Kaleb Johnson RB 1328 4 team logo TULANE Makhi Hughes RB 1209 5 team logo TXTECH Tahj Brooks RB 1184 Click on Link for Complete List Complete Rushing Yards Leaders Receiving Yards 1 team logo Nick Nash SJST WR 3 1156 YDS Rank Team Player YDS 2 team logo ARIZ Tetairoa McMillan WR 1066 3 team logo BGREEN Harold Fannin Jr. TE 1033 4 team logo MISS Tre Harris WR 987 5 team logo TCU Jack Bech WR 982 Click on Link for Complete List Complete Receiving Yards Leaders

College Football TV Times and Schedule for Week 10

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Week 10 Friday, Nov. 1 UConn vs. Georgia State, 7 p.m. | CBSSN Columbia vs. Yale, 7 p.m. | ESPNU Florida Atlantic vs. South Florida, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2 No. 15 Boise State vs. San Diego State, 8 p.m. | FS1 Saturday, Nov. 2 No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 4 Ohio State, 12 p.m. | FOX No. 5 Miami (Fla.) vs. Duke, 12 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ No. 19 Ole Miss vs. Arkansas, 12 p.m. | ESPN No. 24 Illinois vs. Minnesota, 12 p.m. | FS1 No. 21 Army vs. Air Force, 12 p.m. | CBS/Paramount+ Purdue vs. Northwestern, 12 p.m. | BTN NC State vs. Stanford, 12 p.m. | ACCN Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech, 12 p.m. | The CW Network Akron vs. Buffalo, 12 p.m. | CBSSN Eastern Michigan vs. Toledo, 12 p.m. | ESPN U Memphis vs. UTSA, 12 p.m. | ESPN2 Brown vs. Pennsylvania, 12 p.m. | ESPN+ Central Connecticut vs. Wagner, 12 p.m. | TBA Duquesne vs. Mercyhurst, 12 p.m. | TBA Robert Morris vs. Merrimack, 12 p.m. | TBA Georgetown vs. Lehigh, 12:30 p.m | ESPN+ Vanderbilt vs. Auburn, 12:45 p.m. | SEC Network North Carolina A&T vs. William & Mary, 1 p.m. | FloSports Hampton vs. Villanova, 1 p.m. | FloSports Bryant vs. Stony Brook, 1 p.m. | FloSports Rhode Island vs. Monmouth, 1 p.m. | TBA UAlbany vs. New Hampshire, 1 p.m. | FloSports Indiana State vs. North Dakota, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Presbyterian vs. Dayton, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Butler vs. Stetson, 1 p.m. | FloSports Morehead State vs. St. Thomas-Minnesota, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Princeton vs. Cornell, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Howard vs. Delaware State, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Morgan State vs. Norfolk State, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Bucknell vs. Lafayette, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ St. Francis (PA) vs. Stonehill, 1 p.m. | TBA Fordham vs. Colgate, 1 p.m. | ESPN+ VMI vs. Furman, 1:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Dartmouth vs. Harvard, 1:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Richmond vs. Towson, 2 p.m. | FloSports Elon vs. Campbell, 2 p.m. | FloSports Charleston Southern vs. Gardner-Webb, 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Marist vs. Drake, 2 p.m. | ESPN+ West Georgia vs. Lincoln (CA), 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Oklahoma vs. Maine, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+/SEC Network App State vs. Old Dominion, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ UAB vs. Tulsa, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Western Carolina vs. Chattanooga, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Tennessee Tech vs. Lindenwood, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Eastern Illinois vs. Western Illinois, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Incarnate Wood vs. Houston Christian, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Mercer vs. East Tennessee State, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Samford vs. Wofford, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Illinois State vs. Youngstown State, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Missouri State vs. Southern Illinois, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ South Dakota State vs. Murray State, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Alabama A&M vs. Southern, 3 p.m. | TBA Jackson State vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff, 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Bethune Cookman vs. Grambling, 3 p.m. | TBA Mississippi Valley State vs. Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. | TBA No. 1 Oregon vs. Michigan, 3:30 p.m. | CBS/Paramount+ No. 2 Georgia vs. Florida, 3:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ No. T11 Iowa State vs. Texas Tech, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN No. 13 Indiana vs. Michigan State, 3:30 p.m. | Peacock No. 17 Kansas State vs. Houston, 3:30 p.m. | FOX Nebraska vs. UCLA, 3:30 p.m. | BTN Florida State vs. North Carolina, 3:30 p.m. | ACCN UCF vs. Arizona, 3:30 p.m. | FS1 UTEP vs. Middle Tennessee, 3:30 p.m | CBSSN Marshall vs. UL Monroe, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ North Dakota State vs. Northern Iowa, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Navy vs. Rice, 4 p.m. | ESPN2 New Mexico vs. Wyoming, 4 p.m. | truTV/Max Troy vs. Coastal Carolina, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Utah Tech vs. Central Arkansas, 4 p.m | ESPN+ Abilene Christian vs. Southern Utah, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Lamar vs. SE Louisiana, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Eastern Washington vs. Montana State, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Northern Arizona vs. Weber State, 4 p.m | ESPN+ UC Davis vs. Northern Colorado, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Florida A&M vs. Texas Southern, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ San Diego vs. Davidson, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Nicholls vs. Stephen F. Austin, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Mississippi State vs. Massachusetts, 4:15 p.m. | SEC Network North Alabama vs. Austin Peay, 5 p.m. | ESPN+ Cal Poly vs. Montana, 5 p.m. | ESPN+ Alcorn State vs. Alabama State, 5 p.m. | ESPN+ Tennessee State vs. UT Martin, 6 p.m. | ESPN+ Oklahoma State vs. Arizona State, 7 p.m. | FS1 Fresno State vs. Hawai'i, 7 p.m. | TBA Tarleton State vs. Eastern Kentucky, 7 p.m. | ESPN+ No. T11 Clemson vs. Louisville, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN No. 10 Texas A&M vs. South Carolina, 7:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ Iowa vs. Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m. | NBC Washington vs. Southern California, 7:30 p.m. | BTN South Alabama vs. Georgia Southern, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN U No. 7 Tennessee vs. Kentucky, 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network No. 18 Pitt vs. No. 20 SMU, 8 p.m. | ACCN Baylor vs. TCU, 8 p.m | ESPN2 Nevada vs. Colorado State, 8 p.m. | CBSSN McNeese vs. Texas A&M-Commerce, 8 p.m. | ESPN+ Sacramento State vs. Portland State, 9 p.m. | ESPN+

Ohio state vs Penn State Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:17:00 +0000

Ohio State was built to win it all. Can Ryan Day & Co. finally reach that potential? Great Read by: Adam Rittenberg espn.com Ohio State is one of the most consistently elite teams in all of American sports. The Buckeyes haven't had a losing regular season since 1988. They haven't endured a multiyear stretch that would be described as mediocre since 1999 to 2001. In the past 50 seasons, they have 14 more wins than any other college football team. They also haven't won a national championship since 2014 or beaten archrival Michigan since 2019, Ryan Day's first season as head coach. The average margin of defeat against Michigan in the past three games was 14.3 points. Ohio State built a superteam for Day to check both of those boxes this season. With a $20 million NIL spree, the Buckeyes retained several key draft-eligible players, especially on defense but also with offensive standouts like running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. They also made their most aggressive transfer portal push ever, adding marquee names such as running back Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss), safety Caleb Downs (Alabama) and quarterback Will Howard (Kansas State). Day also hired his mentor, former NFL and college coach Chip Kelly, as offensive coordinator. The result: A team that ranks No. 4 nationally, is a one-point road loss to now-No. 1 Oregon from being undefeated but also hasn't shown sustained excellence to meet the highest of expectations this season. After an open week, Ohio State didn't dominate Nebraska last Saturday, as many expected it would. A Huskers team that one week earlier had lost 56-7 at Indiana stifled Ohio State's run game and took a fourth-quarter lead before the Buckeyes rallied to prevail 21-17. The Buckeyes also scored only seven first-half points against Iowa before pulling away. Ohio State now hits the road to face another top-three opponent in Penn State. A loss could significantly hurt Ohio State's chances of winning the Big Ten, and even put the Buckeyes' CFP hopes in doubt. According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, a loss to Penn State would drop Ohio State's playoff chances to 49%, while a win would place them at 88%. Ahead of the Penn State showdown, here's a closer look at a Buckeyes team that is exceptionally talented but also seemingly missing something. Opposing coaches and others weigh in on the late-game defense and schematic choices (especially with the line), a banged-up offensive line still finding its way, quarterback Will Howard and more. Ohio State clung to a four-point lead against Nebraska with 3:14 left when officials upheld a targeting call against Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese, who had hit Huskers wideout Jahmal Banks over the middle. Day slammed his headset to the turf and had to be restrained by a staff member. He drew a sideline warning penalty but easily could have been flagged for being out on the field. Pressure has been mounting for Day in every year that doesn't include wins over Michigan or a national championship. Even good moments, like last year's dramatic road win at Notre Dame, have brought out fire from the Buckeyes' coach. Editor's Picks College Football Playoff Bubble Watch: How close is Notre Dame to entering the bracket? 3dHeather Dinich Updated conference title odds and key games ahead, from Ohio State-Penn State to Pitt-SMU 3dBill Connelly 'Reminds me of Kelce': Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is the one to watch against Ohio State 2dJake Trotter After a brief lull in recruiting in 2023, Ohio State signed ESPN's No. 3 class in 2024 and has the No. 2 class for 2025. The school's NIL forces are fully engaged, as the past offseason showed. The stakes couldn't be higher for Day and the 2024 Buckeyes. Urban Meyer, Day's predecessor as Ohio State's coach, said in August that Ohio State might have the "best roster in college football in the last decade." Yet halfway through the season, Ohio State is still searching for its best product, starting on defense. The defense's improvement under coordinator Jim Knowles is undeniable. Since his hiring in 2022, the Buckeyes rank No. 3 nationally in average points allowed (15.2) and average yards allowed (285.2). Last season, only national champion Michigan surrendered fewer points per game than the Buckeyes (11.2). This fall, only Texas is allowing fewer yards per game than Ohio State (254.4). In 2021, the year before Knowles arrived, Ohio State had slipped to 38th in points allowed, 97th against the pass and 96th in third-down conversion rate (41.8%) The Buckeyes have been very good under Knowles, but they also could be better. One troubling trend in Ohio State's losses since Knowles' arrival is the inability to generate late stops. Michigan's final four full possessions in a 2022 win against Ohio State led to three touchdowns and a missed field goal attempt. Georgia's final four possessions in its 2022 CFP semifinal win over Ohio State led to two touchdowns, a field goal and a missed field goal attempt. Ohio State didn't force a punt in the second half of its 2023 loss to Michigan, which reached the end zone just once during that span but had a 7-minute drive to set up a field goal. In the Oregon loss Oct. 12, Ohio State prevented points on three straight Ducks drives but allowed a touchdown and a field goal on the final two. Ohio State's offense also struggled in crunch time, scoring only one total touchdown in the fourth quarter of the past two Michigan losses, the Georgia loss and the Oregon loss. Oregon's offense was able to get big plays against star OSU corner Denzel Burke. Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire "Everyone's got to do their job and produce in those moments and be accountable," Knowles told ESPN on Wednesday. "You can get people in the right places and not have people running around or trying to match personnel. What we're learning in those critical moments, it's about being set and ready to play ball. There's no magic formula. It's a matter of getting it done." Although Ohio State was a play -- or maybe a second -- away from possibly beating Oregon, the game left questions about both scheme and personnel for the Buckeyes' defense. Oregon averaged 7.6 yards per play, had five drives of 60 yards or longer and did not allow a sack or commit a turnover. Oregon went straight at Ohio State's secondary, especially standout cornerback Denzel Burke, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, who struggled to keep pace with Evan Stewart. The Ducks connected on four passes of 32 yards or longer -- to four different players, including a 69-yarder to Stewart and a 48-yard touchdown to Tez Johnson. "The part that just stuck out to me was they just didn't seem to have anybody step up and make plays when they needed it," a Big Ten coordinator said of Ohio State. "They weren't winning up front. I thought they would kind of get after Oregon a little bit." How Knowles matches the tone of the scheme with his personnel has come up at times during his mostly successful tenure. He came to Ohio State with a reputation for schematic creativity and havoc at Oklahoma State, which led the nation in sacks and ranked No. 2 nationally in tackles for loss per game in 2021, while also finishing No. 9 in points allowed. "It was really exotic," a Big 12 offensive coordinator said of Knowles' Oklahoma State defenses. "They just played with an extra D-lineman, and we couldn't figure out where he lined up and why and how. We thought they just genuinely gave this guy the freedom to just line up and go wherever he wanted. We didn't know how to account for him in the run game or the pass game. So it made you bastardize all your rules, or you had to be really simple with what it was to account for him. "I was certainly glad when [Knowles] left." The question when Knowles came to Ohio State was whether he would maintain such a blend of defensive calls with more talented players. Could he achieve similar dominance while taking fewer risks and playing more straight up? "I've dialed it back more than I ever have in my career to let the guys go out and make plays," Knowles told ESPN on Wednesday. "What we're finding in these matchup games is there are times when you have to turn it up and let them get after it." Day said after the Oregon game of Ohio State's schematic choices, "We've got to make sure that we are changing up and making sure that it isn't just a four-man rush all the time." Several sources brought up Georgia's innovative defensive scheme in its Oct. 19 takedown of Texas as a model for Ohio State. Georgia mixed up its pressures and flustered Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, finishing with seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and eight quarterback pressures. Ohio State has good pressure numbers -- it is tied for 21st nationally in sacks per game and sixth in pressure rate -- outside of the Oregon game, the only time it has faced truly comparable talent across the line of scrimmage. "You begin to wonder, 'OK, they've won in straight rush man, not a ton of blitzing, early in the season,' but when you face really good teams, you've got to mix it up a little bit, using some stunts, maybe some different packages up front," said Bobby Carpenter, a former standout linebacker for Ohio State and host on Sirius XM College Sports radio. "There's some risk-reward with that. Especially in the fourth quarter, if you haven't been giving a steady dose of different looks, then they may have a bead on you." The defense responded last week with three sacks and 13 tackles for loss against Nebraska. Still, there are questions about whether Ohio State can find the right scheme and performance elements in its biggest games. Penn State will provide a good test of whether Knowles can find the right scheme to counter. The Nittany Lions hired offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki because of his creativity and ability to generate big plays. Penn State is averaging 7.09 yards per play, which ranks seventh nationally and is up from 75th last season (5.61 ypp). "It's a lot different," Knowles said Tuesday of Penn State's scheme. "There are multiple formations and shifts, I mean, all the time. All of that window dressing is to create stress on the defense." Ohio State entered the season with an offensive two-deep envied by just about any team. Henderson and Judkins had 5,470 career rushing yards and 63 touchdowns. Howard, who led Kansas State to a Big 12 title in 2022, headlined a quarterback group with several capable options, including Alabama transfer Julian Sayin. The Buckeyes lost Marvin Harrison Jr., selected fourth overall in the NFL draft, from what has been the nation's top wide receiver room, but added dynamic freshman Jeremiah Smith to join Egbuka and others. Smith headlined a 2024 recruiting class that included seven players ranked among ESPN's top 52 prospects. Day has signed a top-10 recruiting class each year he's been in Columbus. "Personnel-wise, there's no doubt about it, that's an extremely talented group, from every position," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "It's hard to recognize any weakness there." But there were some concerns with the line, which Day highlighted during Big Ten media days. Offensive line performance and development has become a growing source of angst around Columbus. Although Ohio State's overall recruiting stands out, the team has had only one offensive lineman (Luke Montgomery) rank among the nation's top 125 recruits in the past three classes. Yet Ohio State had optimism entering the fall with Donovan Jackson, Josh Simmons and Josh Fryar all returning, as well as the addition of Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin. But injuries have stung the group, as Simmons was lost for the season against Oregon, and Zen Michalski, who started in place of him against Nebraska, was carted off in the fourth quarter.

How will Saturday's top games affect the College Football Playoff chase? What are the current odds for the top four? The Allstate Playoff Predictor has the answers. Check back every week as the odds are updated following that week's games. "They weren't elite last year, and it's pretty much the same crew," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "They definitely aren't as good up front as they probably wish they were." Another Big Ten coordinator added: "They're the weaker part of it, for some reason. You saw Nebraska match up well up in there." Michalski is unlikely to return this week after being carted off the field in the Nebraska game, but Day admitted Tuesday he had his struggles against Nebraska, which had seven tackles for loss and held Ohio State to a season-low 64 rushing yards, less than half of the Buckeyes' total in any other game. The Buckeyes converted only 1 of 10 third-down chances against the Huskers. Jackson, a first-team All-Big Ten guard, replaced Michalski against Nebraska and could do so again at Penn State, which has an elite pass rusher in Abdul Carter and ranks 19th nationally in pressure rate. Ohio State's strength up front has been protecting Howard, as it leads the nation in pressure rate and is tied for 13th in fewest sacks allowed per game. "This isn't the National Football League, where if you do lose somebody, you can go out to the waiver wire and go find another player at that position," Kelly said. "You've got to be able to handle it at your position. We've lost a really good one in Josh, and then everybody else is fighting and scrapping to stay in there." The run game, which felt like a guarantee with both Henderson and Judkins available, must deliver against a Penn State defense that led the nation in fewest rushing yards allowed in 2023 and hasn't fallen far this year, ranking No. 8. "We can't live with the way we ran the ball last week," Kelly said. "You're going to have to win the rushing battle to win games in the Big Ten, so we certainly understand that. Penn State's defense is different than Nebraska's ... but we have to establish the run in this game." Ohio State also must account for a Penn State defense talented enough to play the Buckeyes straight up. A coach who faced Ohio State earlier this fall noted that playing man-to-man defense is the best approach to limit busts. "Chip does a good job with formations and shifts and motions and different personnel group things, so if you're trying to match all those patterns in zone, it makes it tough," the coach said. "But if you can play man and, 'You've got that guy, you've got that guy,' it's a little bit easier. That's where the line's weakness or strength comes in, because they're not in a situation where they can catch you misaligned. "That's what Oregon did. They man-pressured a little bit and made Howard uncomfortable as the game went on." When Knowles met the media Tuesday, he not surprisingly fielded several questions about Ohio State's defensive front -- its performance, rotations and what comes next. Wide receiver might be Ohio State's flashiest position group under Day, but none has generated more debate than the "Rushmen," under the tutelage of veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson. Heading into the 2023 season, the Buckeyes talked openly about being the nation's best defensive line, and for good reason. They had two former ESPN top-five recruits in Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, veteran tackles Michael Hall Jr., Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton, and others. But the dominance didn't come. Ohio State finished 64th nationally in sacks per game, tied for 71st in tackles for loss and 27th against the run. Other than Hall, Ohio State returned the main pieces of its defensive front. The Buckeyes have leaned on their starters -- Sawyer and Tuimoloau on the edges, Williams and Hamilton inside -- even more so in recent weeks. JT Tuimoloau broke out with big 2022 season, including a huge game against Penn State. Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire "I'm comfortable with whatever Coach Johnson deems appropriate," Knowles said Tuesday of the line rotation. "He's around those guys all the time. He manages those guys, and he knows what he's doing." Knowles added that "constant experimentation" continues, not only with the mainstays but other players such as Caden Curry, who recorded a sack against Marshall after lining up across from a guard. Tuimoloau and Sawyer have combined for 6.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries, while Williams, who some coaches think has the highest ceiling of all the defensive linemen, has added 2.5 sacks and four tackles for loss despite missing two games with an injury. The question is whether Johnson, who established himself as one of the nation's premier defensive line coaches while at Penn State and amplified his profile at Ohio State -- mentoring standouts such as Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa and Chase Young -- can still get the most out of a group that, thus far, hasn't consistently met the hype. Coaches note that Johnson often has linemen, even the tackles, lined up so wide to play the pass that they leave gaps open for designed or improvised runs. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola both found running room against the Buckeyes, combining for 62 yards on 13 carries. Penn State could exploit similar openings with dual-threat quarterback Beau Pribula, even if Drew Allar is healthy enough to play. Tuimoloau on Saturday will return to the site of his best performance and among the best individual defensive efforts in Ohio State history. In 2022, he had two interceptions (including a pick-six), two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection that led to another interception in a win over Penn State. But he hasn't had any other forced fumbles or interceptions in his career. Sawyer had a strong finish to last season, including three sacks against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, but his career numbers -- 16.5 sacks, four forced fumbles -- are more solid than spectacular. "Since the Bosa brothers and Chase Young, they were so lucky for so many years to have a four-man rush that they could do almost anything in the back end now and still get pressure," a former Big Ten coach said. "These two guys now [Tuimoloau and Sawyer], they're big names, but they're not even close to those three players." Knowles described Tuimoloau's 2022 performance at Beaver Stadium as "epic" and almost impossible to replicate. "That was above and beyond, but I always have high expectations of JT," Knowles said. "We can always count on him in those critical moments." Ohio State hasn't looked like a superteam to date, but there's still plenty of time for a roster packed with potential. The Buckeyes have shown bursts of production, like four consecutive touchdown drives against Iowa -- within a span of 13:36 -- to blow open a close game. "You look at the amount of NFL prospects on that offense, it's a helluva crew," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. The receivers jump out as Egbuka and Smith have 78 receptions for 1,169 yards and 14 touchdowns between them, while Carnell Tate has emerged as a strong third option for Howard. A Big Ten coach said of Smith, "He's the closest thing I've seen to Julio Jones," while a defensive coordinator added, "They're special, the three of them." Even coaches who acknowledge the potential problems along the line also highlight just how many ways Ohio State can attack defenses. "They're so explosive," a coach who faced Ohio State said. "They've got five or six guys on offense where [opponents] just don't have six or seven [defensive backs] who can play at that level. If Howard can just get the ball to those guys, they're one play away. They're all one broken tackle away from a 60-yard gain." Will Howard came to Ohio State from Kansas State in last offseason's big portal splurge. Joseph Maiorana/Imagn Images Despite last week's struggles against Nebraska, both Henderson and Judkins have been effective, averaging 7.6 and 6.5 yards per carry, respectively. They're also fresh, as neither has reached 15 carries in a game this fall. "The thing that's undervalued for Ohio State is their backs are so good," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "They're just special, and they split the carries. To Day's credit, he's quick to get the guys out of the game when they're up, so those guys won't have huge numbers, but they're damn good." Howard, whom OSU went after in the portal after moving on from 2023 starter Kyle McCord, reaches a pivotal moment in his Buckeyes career, especially given his role at the end of the Oregon loss. He has played well overall, completing 74% of his passes for 1,795 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding five rushing touchdowns. The Downington, Pennsylvania, native returns to his home state and faces a Penn State team that he grew up rooting for but that didn't pursue him in recruiting. Howard won't lack motivation Saturday, saying after the Nebraska win, "They didn't think I was good enough, but I guess we'll see." "If you give him some different looks, he's going to throw it right at you sometimes," a Power 4 defensive coordinator said. The Penn State game also carries tremendous significance for Day. Despite a 62-9 record, Day has been calloused by recent high-profile losses and recognizes the urgency to get the most from his team. "Just like the Oregon game was, this game's been circled on our schedule," Day said. "We know what's at stake here. We've been in this situation before, so now it's time to go win this game and get a top-five victory." Health questions abound in Ohio State vs. Penn State: Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar is a game-time decision against Ohio State with what looks like a left knee injury suffered against Wisconsin. But perhaps just as concerning are apparent injuries to Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and right tackle Anthony Donkoh. That's a possible three starters out at key positions against the No. 2 defense and a top-10 offense. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes have significant injury issues themselves. Safety Lathan Ransom is day-to-day with an unspecified injury. Left tackle Josh Simmons was lost to a season-ending knee injury against No. 1 Oregon. His backup, Zen Michalski, was carted off the field late in the fourth quarter while making his first career start against Nebraska. The game will still ride on Ohio State's superior speed on the perimeter. I don't usually make picks in this space, but for games of this magnitude, we'll make an exception: Ohio State 23, Penn State 20 Games of the Week No. 4 Ohio State at No. 3 Penn State: I just wrote about how we've reached the time of year when we know so much more about teams, so why not lead this week's column with the big game with a billion questions? OK, a billion is stretching it, but Penn State QB Drew Allar is a game-time decision. Ohio State's starting left tackle might be you. I suspect Allar will start, even if he's not 100%, and Penn State is leaving his status in the air to force Ohio State to prepare for both him and Beau Pribula. While I think Penn State can win this game if forced to rely on Pribula, it has a much better chance of doing so with Allar. I know that's the kind of deep analysis you came here for. Anyway, the biggest story of this game will be how Ohio State's offensive line looks against Penn State's front. To put it as kindly as possible, the Buckeyes' offensive line looked bad against Nebraska. The Buckeyes couldn't run the ball effectively at all, and Will Howard dealt with more pressure than he has all season. Well, Penn State's defensive line is a lot better than Nebraska's, and I have a tough time seeing a scenario where the Ohio State offensive line rallies enough to hold Abdul Carter and company at bay. I'm well aware of James Franklin's history against Ohio State, and while it terrifies me, the fact is I have more confidence in the Penn State offense than Ohio State's at the moment. I would have preferred to bet the under, but even with the questions, I don't see a betting edge to either side of the total. So, all I can do is hold my nose and make the best choice with the information available to me.The Pick: Penn State +3.5 (-115) via Caesars No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (6–1) at No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions (7–0) Saturday, noon ET, Fox Three weeks after the Buckeyes ventured out west only to have their hopes for an unbeaten season dashed by Oregon, Ryan Day will take his team back on the road to face a top-five opponent Saturday. The undefeated Nittany Lions await with a chance to prove they are not only playoff worthy, but national title contenders. Ohio State didn’t exactly inspire confidence that it had moved on from the heartbreak in Eugene, Ore., needing all four quarters to eke past Nebraska last week. The Buckeyes uncharacteristically struggled on the ground with standout running backs Quinshon Judkins (2.9) and TreVeyon Henderson (2.5) both averaging fewer than three yards per carry. Penn State did the opposite coming out of a bye after an overtime scare on the road at USC, grinding down a hot Wisconsin team and pulling away in the fourth for a 28–13 victory. The schedule for the Nittany Lions from here is favorable with road trips to Purdue and Minnesota and home games against Washington and Maryland to close the regular season. Unfortunately, standing in James Franklin’s way is a familiar foe—and one that’s gotten the better of him frequently during his tenure in Happy Valley. Penn State has won just once against Ohio State since Franklin took over a decade ago, back in 2016 on the infamous “Block Six.” Since then, the Buckeyes have won seven straight. Player/Matchup to Watch: Ohio State offensive line vs. Penn State defensive front The Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions have been exceptional on defense this season, ranking in the top five in the nation in yards allowed per game. However, it’s on the other side of the ball where Ohio State’s offensive line and rushing attack has some serious questions to answer after last week. Will Howard has been efficient in big games this season, but the true litmus test of whether or not Day’s offense is succeeding is how well things are going on the ground. Penn State is coming off of a smothering of Wisconsin in which its defense held Badgers ballcarrier Tawee Walker to just 59 yards on 22 attempts, tallying five tackles for loss in the win. If the Nittany Lions can duplicate that performance and keep the Buckeyes’ backs in check, Franklin may walk away with just his second win against his dreaded conference rival.

Week 7 College Football TV Schedule and Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 12:36:00 +0000

Ohio State vs. Iowa Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Everything Ohio State and Iowa click here

Week 6 NCAA Football TV Schedule and Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Week 6 Friday, Oct. 4 New Hampshire at Harvard | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ Jacksonvillle State at Kennesaw State| 7 p.m. | CBSSN Houston at TCU | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN Michigan State at No. 6 Oregon | 9 p.m. | FOX Syracuse at No. 25 UNLV | 9 p.m. | FS1 Saturday, Oct. 5 UCLA at No. 7 Penn State | 12 p.m. | FOX No. 9 Missouri at No. 25 Texas A&M | 12 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ SMU at No. 22 Louisville | 12 p.m. | ESPN Purdue at Wisconsin | 12 p.m. |BTN UMass at Northern Illinois | 12 p.m. | CBSSN Boston College at Virginia | 12 p.m. | ACC Network Pitt at North Carolina | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 Wake Forest at NC State | 12 p.m. | CW Network Navy at Air Force | 12 p.m. | CBS/Paramount+ Army at Tulsa | 12 p.m. | ESPNU Bryant at Brown | 12 p.m. | ESPN+ Princeton at Columbia | 12 p.m. | ESPN+ Central Connecticut at Yale | 12 p.m. | ESPN+ Grand Valley State at Davenport | 12 p.m. | FloSports Wayne State (Mich.) at Michigan Tech | 12 p.m. | FloSports Salve Regina at Merchant Marine | 12 p.m. | FloSports WPI at Springfield | 12 p.m. | FloSports Coast Guard at MIT | 12 p.m. | FloSports Bentley at Pace | 12 p.m. | FloSports Tulane at UAB | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Delaware at Monmouth | 1 p.m. | FloSports UAlbany at Cornell | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Drake at Valparaiso | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Marist at Davidson | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Morehead State at Butler | 1 p.m. | FloSports Penn at Dartmouth | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ St. Francis (PA) at Delaware State | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Lincoln (PA) at Morgan State | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Norfolk State at Sacred Heart | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Long Island at Duquesne| 1 p.m. | NEC Front Row Lafayette at Fordham | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Holy Cross at Colgate | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Wagner at Stone Hill | 1 p.m. | ESPN+ Buffalo State at Mercyhurst | 1 p.m. | NEC Front Row Saginaw Valley State at Northern Michigan | 1 p.m. | FloSports Barton College at Carson-Newman | 1 p.m. | FloSports Lenoir-Rhyne at Emory & Henry College | 1 p.m. | FloSports Moravian at Keystone | 1 p.m. | FloSports Susquehanna at Catholic | 1 p.m. | FloSports Bowie State at Fayetteville State | 1 p.m. | HBCU Go SUNY Maritime at Norwich | 1 p.m. | FloSports American International at New Haven | 1 p.m. | FloSports Post University at St. Anselm | 1 p.m. | FloSports Limestone at Tusculum | 1 p.m. | FloSports Western Michigan at Ball State | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Rhode Island at Hampton | 2 p.m. | FloSports North Carolina A&T at Richmond | 2 p.m. | FloSports Austin Peay at West Georgia | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Gardner-Webb at UT Martin | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Tennessee State at Lindenwood | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Indiana State at Youngstown State | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Furman at The Citadel | 2 p.m.| ESPN+ Roosevelt at Ferris State | 2 p.m. | FloSports Morehouse College at Tuskegee | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ Catawba at Anderson (SC) | 2 p.m. | FloSports Assumption at Southern Connecticut State | 2 p.m. | FloSports Wofford at Western Carolina | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ South Carolina State at Tennessee Tech | 2:30 p.m. |ESPN+ Southeast Missouri State at Eastern Illinois | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Weber State at Montana | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ South Dakota at Murray State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Florida A&M at Alabama State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alcorn State | 3 p.m.| HBCU GO VMI at Samford | 3 p.m | ESPN+ Virginia Lynchburg at Texas Southern | 3 p.m. | SWAC Digital Network Erskine at West Alabama | 3 p.m. | FloSports Auburn at No. 5 Georgia | 3:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ Iowa at No. 3 Ohio State | 3:30 p.m. | CBS/Paramount+ No. 12 Ole Miss at South Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN No. 23 Indiana at Northwestern | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network Temple at UConn | 3:30 p.m.| CBSSN Virginia Tech at Stanford | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network Appalachian State at Marshall | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Miami (Ohio) at Toledo | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Bowling Green at Akron | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ East Carolina at Charlotte | 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU Villanova at Stony Brook | 3:30 p.m. | FloSports Chattanooga at East Tennessee State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ North Dakota at North Dakota State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ Rutgers at Nebraska | 4 p.m. | FS1 West Virginia at Oklahoma State | 4 p.m. | ESPN2 North Carolina Central at Campbell | 4 p.m. | FloSports Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Western Illinois at Charleston Southern | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Northern Colorado at Montana State | 4 p.m | ESPN+ UC Davis at Portland State | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Presbyterian at San Diego | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ Fort Valley State at Edward Waters | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ No. 1 Alabama at Vanderbilt | 4:15 | SEC Network Utah Tech at North Alabama | 5 p.m. | ESPN+ Northern Arizona at Idaho | 5 p.m. | ESPN+ South Dakota State at UNI | 5 p.m. | ESPN+ Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State (in Mobile, Alabama) | 5 p.m | ESPN+ Mississippi College at West Florida | 5 p.m. | FloSports William & Mary at Towson | 6 p.m. | FloSports Methodist at North Carolina Wesleyan | 6 p.m. | FloSports Colorado State at Oregon State | 6:30 p.m | CW Network No. 15 Clemson at Florida State | 7 p.m. | ESPN Utah State at No. 21 Boise State | 7 p.m. | FS2 Old Dominion at Coastal Carolina | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ South Alabama at Arkansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ James Madison at UL Monroe | 7 p.m. | ESPNU Louisiana at Southern Miss | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ McNeese at Houston Christian | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ Texas A&M-Commerce at SE Louisiana | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ Illinois State at Southern Illinois | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ Prairie View A&M at UIW | 7 p.m | ESPN+ Nicholls at Southern | 7 p.m. | Jaguar Sports Network Chowan at Delta State | 7 p.m. | FloSports Angelo State at UT Permian Basin | 7 p.m. | FloSports Mars Hill at Newberry | 7 p.m. | FloSports No. 4 Tennessee at Arkansas | 7:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ No. 10 Michigan at Washington | 7:30 p.m. | NBC/Peacock No. 11 USC at Minnesota | 7:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network Baylor at No. 16 Iowa State | 7:30 p.m. | FOX Nevada at San Jose State | 7:30 p.m. | truTV/Max UCF at Florida | 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network Duke at Georgia Tech | 8 p.m. | ACC Network Kansas at Arizona State | 8 p.m. | ESPN2 Hawai'i at San Diego State | 8 p.m. | CBSSN Tarleton State at Southern Utah | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ Idaho State at Cal Poly | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ Northwestern State at Stephen F. Austin | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ Central Washington at Eastern New Mexico | 8 p.m. | FloSports Midwestern State at Texas A&M-Kingsville | 8 p.m. | FloSports La Verne at Redlands | 10 p.m. | FloSports California Lutheran at Chapman University | 10 p.m. | FloSports No. 8 Miami (Fla.) at Cal | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN Texas Tech at Arizona | 11 p.m | FOX

Ohio State's Maurice Clarett and Jeremiah Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 13:57:00 +0000

A great read from cbssports.com Dennis Dodd on Maurice Clarett and Ohio State Freshman Jeremiah Smith Clarett knows better than anyone the pressures of standing out in college football as a superstar freshman By Dennis Dodd In a parallel universe, Maurice Clarett was Jeremiah Smith. Different position, different eras, different lives but shared experiences at the same age with similar talent and upside. One -- Clarett -- is a faded memory to some, a 40-year-old former Buckeye whose one-and-done career at Ohio State was known as much for its off-field shame as its football excellence. The other -- Smith -- is a former No. 1 overall recruit who has hijacked the sport the same way he has fleeced balls from defensive backs this season. Smith has become the second-leading receiver in the Big Ten with his one-handed catches vaulting him into the Heisman Trophy conversation. Oh, to be 18 again. Both stormed the gates of college football convention in their freshman seasons. The former great and budding star cross paths every Tuesday. Clarett is the friendly former Ohio State running back sensation who visits the facility one day a week to help any way he can -- speaking with coaches, counseling players, etc. Some players know his story. Some don't. It's been that long. "It's like you're warning somebody against something that can and will happen, but they don't believe it can and will happen to them," Clarett said. So all he can do is teach, advise and warn. It's been 22 years since Clarett came out of Youngstown, Ohio, to help the Buckeyes win the 2002 national championship before flaming out before our eyes. There were academic issues. The NCAA came sniffing around. Finally, Ohio State kicked him off the team in 2003. Today, Clarett is a successful entrepreneur having long ago pulled himself out of the depths of scandal. It seemed like a good time to ask his thoughts about Smith, who shares the same attributes, future and potential that Clarett once did. "We're talking about the same school," Clarett said. "But we're not talking about the same program." In 2002, those were the "Luckeyes," who won seven of their 14 games by a touchdown or less. Clarett and a stingy defense were the centerpieces. Things seem more complicated in 2024, however, with NIL, the transfer portal and realignment. Ohio State has long since established itself as Wide Receiver U. The program went all in this season in an attempt to snap a three-game losing streak to rival Michigan, win the Big Ten and make a College Football Playoff run -- in that order. Smith may be the key to the whole thing. The Big Ten Freshman of the Week might be the Big Ten Player of the Year. Against Michigan State last week, he had 83 yards receiving and 19 rushing. The pair of one-handed catches against the Spartans blew up the internet. "When you're talking about Ohio State now, you're talking about the lineage of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr. and a series of other first-round picks," Clarett said. "Look at [wide receivers coach] Brian Hartline. He played in the NFL, coached in the NFL," he added. "Brian has had all the success with the receivers. The kids coming in and having success, it's very easy for a kid to have success … you're already buying in." Their connection across the decades starts with ability and timing. Both entered their freshman seasons at Ohio State at the tender age of 18. Both quickly proved they could play in the NFL at the same age. Both were swallowed up by the sport's hype machine. Clarett -- rather his football reputation -- never came out alive. He first got sideways with Ohio State when he wasn't allowed to travel back from the Fiesta Bowl to attend a friend's funeral. Things cratered from there. Clarett ended his college career with one season in which he ran for 1,237 yards and 16 touchdowns despite missing three games. Upon leaving, Clarett challenged the NFL's rule requiring college players to wait three years to turn pro. He eventually came up short in that bid. Clarett actually won his challenge to the NFL's early entry rule in 2003 at the district court level -- for a hot minute. The decision was quickly overturned on appeal in the circuit court by who is now current Supreme Court judge Sonia Sotomayor. Smith would never think of such a thing today. He's busy challenging defensive backs for contested catches. So far, Smith is winning -- big. "Just like the rest of the world, when you first heard of him, you heard of all the potential," Clarett said. "I've been in that position. "The only difference between myself and him, you can tell what has taken place before he got here; he's been prepped," Clarett said. For football and for life. Best bet to make for Ohio State vs. Iowa The Six Pack: Ohio State vs. Iowa, Tennessee vs. Arkansas among top Week 6 college football picks It's no secret Smith's cousin is Seahawks QB Geno Smith. A huge NIL deal is assumed. Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork remains the only credible source on NIL payments, admitting during the offseason that the program spent $20 million on this season's roster. "I had good people giving me advice," Clarett said. "I just didn't listen to it. These kids are literally making millions of dollars. This is just a different day and age. You weren't thinking you would one day make millions of dollars. It wasn't the same situation." The intent of this interview was to get Clarett to weigh in on a subject only he and handful are qualified to do. What NIL is today would have landed players back then in NCAA jail. "For the most part these kids don't know my story," Clarett said. "To me it serves more as a distraction if you lead with it." So he doesn't. Besides, there would be no motivation for Smith these days to test the NFL rule given the current NIL climate. He can live comfortably for three seasons -- at least -- at Ohio State. "Sometimes in your mind it sounds noble to want to do something to be a trailblazer," Clarett said. "It just ain't worth it." "When these kids come in now they're not worried about what they have to do financially," he added. And, for the most part, athletes in the Wild West era of NIL have conducted themselves well. There are exceptions, but the foundations of the game are still the same. No matter how much money you make, you still have work has hard as everyone else in the locker room. If not, we know the NFL is watching. And any posing upsets the delicate fabric that holds a locker room together. None of those great, former Ohio State receivers mentioned above started as a freshman like Smith. The kid was one of 10 Ohio State players given "Iron Buckeye" status by the strength coaches. Smith is believed to be the first freshman to earn that label. "[Smith is] in a completely different space," Clarett said. "I was laughing with somebody yesterday. I've lived long enough to be kicked out of school on one hand. And [I've] lived long enough to come to see it come to pass. This is what this [NIL] stuff was made for." Smith's 6-foot-3, 215-pound body looks like it is too good for college at times. But that 18-year-old body would be filled out and worth more in two years prior to the 2027 NFL Draft. NIL has basically muted the discussion over the three-year rule. With that $20 million in "payroll" at their disposal, players like Smith will be more than comfortable financially as they work on their game. These days, the faded star with the wisdom collected over the decades has a piece of advice that resonates beyond those Tuesdays. "Hey man, don't be in a rush," Clarett said.

Ohio State vs Akron Final THoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:40:00 +0000

OSU vs Akron By Chris Lauderback JER-OH MY-UH SMITH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN So is it too early to consider Jeremiah Smith a lock to break every freshman receiving record at Ohio State? What about career receiving records? Yeah it was Akron but my goodness #4 looks like the real deal and then some. The best receiver prospect in school history led the Buckeyes with six grabs for 92 yards and became the first Buckeye freshman since Michael Wiley in 1996 to record two touchdown grabs in a collegiate debut. His 9-yard and 16-yard touchdown catches in the first half weren't even his most impressive feats on the day as he introduced himself to America. Things more impressive than those plays - which were no doubt elite - were plentiful. I appreciated how he responded to a tough start as he dropped a tunnel screen that appeared destined for a solid gain, was flagged for illegal formation after lining up incorrectly, and appeared late on a attempted block to spring Egbuka on a screen. After each miscue he just kept swinging and the results were worth getting very, very excited about. He led the team with nine targets (Egbuka next with seven) and his one-handed grab of a 45-yard strike from Will Howard was an example of the talent he has that you just can't teach. I know it's one game but it seems pretty obvious he and Howard have a legit rhythm. Considering Smith arrived at basically the same time as Howard, no other incumbent receivers had more time to develop chemistry with Ohio State's new signal caller and it shows. We'll see if Smith continues to lead the team in targets but I won't be surprised given what we saw yesterday. And while I had Smith pegged for 800+ yards this season, I'm starting to think that's a lowball. This kid is must watch TV already. HAVOC DELIVERED In my bold predictions column as part of our season preview series and on The 11W Show on YouTube, I've joined the chorus of folks expecting the third year of the Jim Knowles Experience to see this defense to take that next step in elite status by way of turning up the havoc. Last year's defense was great statistically in scoring and total defense, among other metrics, but the unit was near the bottom of the national rankings in interceptions and ranked No. 73 in tackles for loss per game (5.54). The hope for this season is Knowles' group would be able to dictate more of the action with increased aggression but still manage to limit big plays. After game one, again with the "it was Akron" qualifier, you have to feel awesome about how the defense was orchestrated. The Buckeyes compiled 10 tackles for loss, good for the most since a November 2022 matchup with Indiana. Safety Lathan Ransom led the way with a pair of TFLs while defensive linemen Tyleik Williams and JT Tuimoloau logged 1.5 each. Nine defenders contributed at least 0.5 TFL on the afternoon. Five of those TFLs were sacks, paced by Tuimoloau's 1.5. The increased aggression fueled Akron playing off schedule and contributed to the Zips converting on just 4-of-16 third down conversion attempts. It also played a part in the Buckeye defense recording two touchdowns by way of a 27-yard Ransom scoop and score off a Caden Curry forced fumble and a Gabe Powers 29-yard pick six to close out the day's scoring. And let's not forget the impressive interception from Denzel Burke as he plucked a ball right off the shoulder pads of an Akron receiver early in the contest. Overall, a great start for a defense capable of being the best in the country. What's My Line? The deep stable of skill players on offense is fun to talk about but we all know the vast majority of national championship-caliber teams sit on a foundation of elite or at least damn good offensive line play. It was only game one and Ohio State was without it's starting left guard but "elite" or "damn good" are not phrases that come to mind to describe what we saw from the guys up front yesterday. The good news is Ryan Day thinks Donovan Jackson could be back as early as next week although even he would admit he's looking to step his consistency up from last season. It's also very important to keep in mind Ohio State's offensive line room had some sickness floating around early in camp on top of needing to identify and break in a new starting center and right guard. But wow it was wild to see the line, particularly the interior, fail to generate much push for large stretches of action. Day lamented some miscommunication along the interior as part of the problem but even still, I saw some basic one-on-one battles with Akron's defensive line not go Ohio State's way across the interior and along the right edge. Having said all that, it should be noted the line game up zero sacks and zero tackles for loss. And while Akron is a team Ohio State should run all over, the Buckeyes did put up a somewhat modest 170 total rushing yards on 5.2 per carry. That 5.2 per try is a full yard better than last year's full season average and the Buckeyes only broke the 170 rushing yards barrier four times in 13 games a season ago. The Buckeyes also ran it better in the second half, averaging 5.5 per try versus a 4.8 mark in the opening half. I'm not freaked out here but there's no doubt Justin Frye's position group is the weakest link on the squad at this point. But of course we must remember it's only September 1 - there's still time to develop and gel. HOWARD'S DEBUT While I think it's fair to say heading into yesterday's game that most fans were most curious/concerned about how the offensive line would look, the second biggest question was how would quarterback Will Howard look in his Ohio State debut? I don't know about you but I emerged from the game with way more confidence about Howard than the big boys up front. Howard wasn't spectacular but he was so many things Kyle McCord wasn't while completing 17-of-28 throws for 228 and three touchdowns, with another 18 yards on the ground. The 61% completion rate on the day doesn't look great on paper, and I'm not trying to gas him up, but Howard connected on 11 of his final 12 throws, was hurt by a couple drops and had at least one smart throw away. (And one really not smart throw - backward while falling down - to TreVeyon Henderson). Most important of all, he did not turn the ball over. I was encouraged by Howard's veteran pocket presence, mobility in the pocket to buy time to throw, mobility outside the pocket to buy time to throw or turn up field, and his overall decisiveness. He looked like a guy who's been in this offense for longer than eight months which is a credit to him and Chip Kelly. Behind an offensive line that will surely improve over yesterday's performance but just might have a 2024 ceiling of slightly-to-solidly above average but not elite, Howard's overall pocket awareness and athletic ability are going to come in handy. Then through the air, it feels like his connections with Egbuka, Smith and Carnell Tate, among others, should only continue to improve. SAFETY NET With safety Caleb Downs transferring from Alabama to Ohio State last winter, incumbent safety Lathan Ransom was somewhat of a forgotten man within a secondary that has a chance to be, ahem, the Best In America for the first time in a while. Yesterday, Ransom was all over the field with nine tackles, including two for negative yardage, while also scooping up the noted forced fumble by Caden Curry and sprinting 27 yards to the end zone giving Ohio State a 31-3 lead. After missing the last five games of the 2023 season due to a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, it wasn't a given Ransom would bounce back and be the type of complement to Downs that can help make Ohio State great on the back end. The "if he stays healthy" disclaimer applies to all players but given Ransom's injury history and Ohio State's lack of proven depth behind he and Downs, it's paramount Ransom stays healthy and productive for a full season. As a great ambassador for the program and a guy grateful to have a fifth chance at chasing a title as a healthy key contributor, Ransom is super easy to root for. If he can turn in performances like yesterday against the better squads on the schedule, Ohio State's defense end will be in great shape. Jeremiah Smith is the REAl deal by Caroline Rice COLUMBUS, Ohio — True freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith came into Ohio State with more hype than any receiver in recent history. Following in the footsteps of Marvin Harrison Jr. was no easy feat, but somehow Smith’s potential was up there. Smith’s standout performance in the Buckeyes’ 52-6 season-opening win against Akron on Saturday showed why he’s considered the No. 1 receiver in the country. Day announced before the game that Smith had earned the right to be a starter as a true freshman, but he was reluctant to say ‘too much’ about Smith’s abilities and potential throughout fall camp. What mattered in his eyes was what Smith would put on the field on Saturday. It didn’t take long for Smith to make it known. On nine targets, Smith caught six passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, leading all receivers. He averaged 15.3 yards per catch. In the first half alone, Smith had five catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play past the halfway mark of the fourth quarter. “If you get him on 1-on-1 coverage, he’s going to win,” starting quarterback Will Howard said following the win. “This is just the start for him. I’m excited for him and we’re starting to develop a lot of chemistry. I’m excited to see how this season goes for him. He’s a phenomenal player and is going to have quite a few more targets this year, I’m sure.” When Smith was spot on, the Buckeye offense was firing on all cylinders. Smith grabbed Ohio State’s first two touchdowns and helped keep the offense moving despite a clunky run game early on. Smith’s longest catch of the day came on a 45-yard deep ball from Howard that put the Buckeyes on the 2-yard line and led to another touchdown. For Howard, having a receiver as talented and disciplined as Smith makes his job easy because Smith will make the adjustments needed to make a play. They already have chemistry on-field, despite both being first-time starters at Ohio State. For Howard, all that he has to do is give Smith a chance. But the electric performance by Smith wasn’t without its setbacks and mistakes early on. After all, Smith is still an 18-year old, true freshman. On Ohio State’s first drive, Smith dropped a pass and then was called for a false start. On the next drive, his field position led to an Ohio State illegal formation penalty. For many freshmen, the margin of error is slim. But for a player as talented as Smith, he was given a bit more room to play on Saturday because the risk was worth the reward. ” You could see the talent,” Day said. “We’re going to play through just about all of it. He’s another guy, sometimes you look at him and you don’t think he’s quite human, but he is, so he’s going to make early mistakes…but not very many.” There were no words spoken to Smith after the first drive. Howard said that while the drop was uncharacteristic, the coaches and players knew that Smith held the mental toughness and maturity to move on. And he did just that. In just one game, Smith set himself at No. 6 on the all-time records list for the most touchdowns by a true freshman in a season. Smith also is the first Buckeye to have multiple touchdowns in week one, since tight end Jeremy Ruckert in 2019.

AP Top 25 poll Georgia (57) Ohio State (5) Texas Alabama Notre Dame Ole Miss Oregon Penn State Missouri Michigan Utah Miami USC Tennessee Oklahoma Oklahoma State Kansas State LSU Kansas Arizona Iowa Louisville Georgia Tech NC State Clemson Others receiving votes: Texas A&M 97, Boston College 49, Boise St. 47, Iowa St. 32, Memphis 27, Nebraska 27, SMU 23, Washington 20, Liberty 12, Vanderbilt 8, Wisconsin 8, Auburn 8, Tulane 4, North Carolina 4, UTSA 3, Appalachian St. 3, Kentucky 2, West Virginia 2, Arkansas 2, UNLV 1, Colorado 1.

2024 Men's College Basketball Game-By-Game Schedule and TV Networks and Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 18:05:00 +0000

Here is the schedule for March Madness 2024, The NCAA tournament games then get underway with the First Four on Tuesday, March 19: First Four: March 19-20 First round: March 21-22 Second round: March 23-24 Sweet 16: March 28-29 Elite Eight: March 30-31 Final Four: Saturday, April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Here is the game-by-game schedule for the 2024 men's tournament, including TV networks. Tuesday, March 19 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio) (16) Wagner vs. (16) Howard | 6:40 p.m. | truTV (10) Colorado State vs. (10) Virginia | 9:10 p.m. | truTV Wednesday, March 20 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio) (16) Grambling vs. (16) Montana State | 6:40 p.m. | truTV (10) Colorado vs. (10) Boise State | 9:10 p.m. | truTV Thursday, March 21 (Round of 64) (8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Michigan State | 12:15 p.m. | CBS (6) BYU vs. (11) Duquesne | 12:40 p.m. | truTV (3) Creighton vs. (14) Akron | 1:30 p.m. | TNT (2) Arizona vs. (15) Long Beach State | 2 p.m. | TBS (1) North Carolina vs. (16) Howard/(16) Wagner | 2:45 p.m. | CBS (3) Illinois vs. (14) Morehead State | 3:10 p.m. | truTV (6) South Carolina vs. (11) Oregon | 4 p.m. | TNT (7) Dayton vs. (10) Nevada | 4:30 p.m. | TBS (7) Texas vs. (10) Colorado State/(10) Virginia | 6:50 p.m. | TNT (3) Kentucky vs. (14) Oakland | 7:10 p.m. | CBS (5) Gonzaga vs. (12) McNeese | 7:25 p.m. | TBS (2) Iowa State vs. (15) South Dakota State | 7:35 p.m. | truTV (2) Tennessee vs. (15) Saint Peter's | 9:20 p.m. | TNT (6) Texas Tech vs. (11) NC State | 9:40 p.m. | CBS (4) Kansas vs. (13) Samford | 9:55 p.m. | TBS (7) Washington State vs. (10) Drake | 10:05 p.m. | truTV Friday, March 22 (Round of 64) (8) Florida Atlantic vs. (9) Northwestern | 12:15 p.m. | CBS (3) Baylor vs. (14) Colgate | 12:40 p.m. | truTV (5) San Diego State vs. (12) UAB | 1:45 p.m. | TNT (2) Marquette vs. (15) Western Kentucky | 2 p.m. | TBS (1) UConn vs. (16) Stetson | 2:45 p.m. | CBS (6) Clemson vs. (11) New Mexico | 3:10 p.m. | truTV (4) Auburn vs. (13) Yale | 4:15 p.m. | TNT (7) Florida vs. (10) Colorado/(10) Boise State | 4:30 p.m. | TBS (8) Nebraska vs. (9) Texas A&M | 6:50 p.m. | TNT (4) Duke vs. (13) Vermont | 7:10 p.m. | CBS (1) Purdue vs. (16) Grambling/Montana State | 7:25 p.m. | TBS (4) Alabama vs. (13) College of Charleston | 7:35 pm. | truTV (1) Houston vs. (16) Longwood | 9:20 p.m. | TNT (5) Wisconsin vs. (12) James Madison | 9:40 p.m. | CBS (8) Utah State vs. (9) TCU | 9:55 p.m. | TBS (5) Saint Mary's vs. (12) Grand Canyon | 10:05 p.m. | truTV

2024 Men's Basketball Big 10 Tournament Bracket - Schedule and Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 12:31:00 +0000

2024 Big Ten Tournament schedule,times All times Eastern; some start times approximated First round -- Wednesday, March 13 Game 1: No. 12 Maryland vs. No. 13 Rutgers | 6:30 p.m. on Peacock Game 2: No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 14 Michigan | After Game 1 on Peacock Second round -- Thursday, March 14 Game 3: No. 8 Michigan State vs. No. 9 Minnesota | Noon on Big Ten Network Game 4: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Game 1 winner | After Game 3 on Big Ten Network Game 5: No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 10 Ohio State | 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network Game 6: No. 6 Indiana vs. Game 2 winner | After Game 5 on Big Ten Network Quarterfinals -- Friday, March 15 Game 7: No. 1 Purdue vs. Game 3 winner | Noon on Big Ten Network Game 8: No. 4 Northwestern vs. Game 4 winner | After Game 7 on Big Ten Network Game 9: No. 2 Illinois vs. Game 5 winner | 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network Game 10: No. 3 Nebraska vs. Game 6 winner | After Game 9 on Big Ten Network Semifinals -- Saturday, March 16 Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner | 1 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, Paramount+ Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner | After Game 11 on CBS, CBSSports.com, Paramount+ Big Ten Tournament Championship Game -- Sunday, March 17 Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner | 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, Paramount+

Buckeyes Come up Short Again Against Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:10:00 +0000

Loser: Ohio State coach Ryan Day Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is 56-7 at Ohio State. He also has now failed to win a Big Ten title for three straight seasons, the longest stretch in a decade. After Saturday, he is also the first Ohio State coach since John Cooper to lose three straight games against Michigan. Worse, Day is 1-6 against AP top 5 opponents. Simply put, Day is a bizarre case study of a coach who has won everything except the games that matter for three full seasons. There are few precedents. But after losing on Saturday and likely missing a second CFP in three years, Day is firmly on the hot seat in Columbus, Ohio. To make matters worse, it was Day's signature offense that failed in key spots. Quarterback Kyle McCord, a former five-star recruit, threw two backbreaking interceptions in the loss. Now, Day will go into next season without the best wide receiving duo in the nation (Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka). Everything is suddenly on the table.

Buckeyes fans aren't happy with Day after another loss to Michigan By Tom Fornelli Great read by Tom. I'd say the first move is to tell McCord to jump in the Portal. Not Day. There are three goals at Ohio State: win national titles, win the Big Ten and beat Michigan. If you accomplish all three, you become a legend. If you only accomplish two of them, you're beloved. If you only accomplish one of them, it better be beating Michigan. Ryan Day hasn't accomplished any of those goals for three years running. That's why a coach who has gone 56-7 as coach of The Ohio State Buckeyes and 40-3 in conference play finds himself on the receiving end of a lot of anger and frustration from the Ohio State fanbase. And none of this should come as a surprise. I said this would be the case last year. The night of last season's 45-23 loss to Michigan, I said on The Cover 3 Podcast reaction show that if Ryan Day and Ohio State failed to beat Michigan for the third straight time and didn't win the Big Ten, he'd be in trouble. The pitchforks, which were already being polished, would finally come out I also said none of it would make sense, but things making sense and the sport of college football don't find themselves in the vicinity of one another too often. While the SEC has developed a reputation of fan derangement (commonly referred to as "passion"), it is not the sole possessor of delusion amongst its constituency. A sane person looks at the situation and points out Ryan Day has lost seven games. Those losses have come to Clemson (2019 CFP semifinal), Alabama (2020 title game), Oregon (2021 regular season), Georgia (2022 CFP semifinal) and the three losses to Michigan. Oregon is the "worst" loss of the bunch, and the Ducks reached the Pac-12 Championship Game that season. That sane person says three playoff appearances and a Rose Bowl in your first four years as coach are incredible accomplishments and points out the Buckeyes were a missed 50-yard field goal away from likely winning a national title last season. A sane person says these things. A college football fan says, "Yeah, but they've lost to Michigan three times in a row, stupid." Neither one is wrong. Day certainly realizes this. It's evident by everything that the Buckeyes have done in 2023. Following last season's loss, Day initially planned to give up play-calling duties to Brian Hartline. It was short-lived, but while Day continued to call plays, there was a noticeable difference in Ohio State's offense this season, and not only because C.J. Stroud was gone. Plenty of detractors felt Ohio State's problem with Michigan was a result of Michigan being the "tougher" team. Ohio State was "soft." Given that Ohio State suddenly played a style of football that looked a lot more like the Michigan teams that have beaten it lately (goodbye style points, hello mashing teams into the dirt), and that Day's reaction to pulling off a great win at Notre Dame earlier this year was to yell at Lou Holtz for questioning his team's toughness, it's clear the talk got to him. It's also a testament to Day's leadership that, despite all of his success, he still felt there were things he had to improve. But it doesn't matter because Ohio State lost to Michigan. Again. The good -- or sane -- news is that, while the pitchforks are out, I don't see Ohio State firing Ryan Day any time soon. Both because the people in charge aren't as insane as the fans and because athletic director Gene Smith is retiring next summer. I'm not sure Smith wants firing Ryan Day and conducting a coaching search to be the coda to what's been an incredibly successful run in Columbus, Ohio.. That doesn't mean Day will be back next year, though. The rumors that he'd leave Ohio State for Texas A&M (because there's no better way to escape the pressure of unrealistic expectations than by taking the Texas A&M job!) or any other school is silly, but if news breaks that Day has accepted an NFL head coaching job this offseason, it won't be much of a surprise. Ohio State is one of the best jobs on the planet for a football coach, but it's also one of the most difficult. Leaving it could be the sanest decision of all.

Ohio State vs Minnesota Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

FIVE THINGS: BUCKEYES DEMOLISH GOPHERS By Chris Lauderback YESTERDAY'S JACK SAWYER - MODERN DAY WARRIOR After what sorta felt like a wasted 2022 season as he learned the Jack spot and his traditional defensive end position, Jack Sawyer didn't exactly come out firing on all cylinders in 2023. That said, his impact on games continues to grow in the back half of this season, much like we saw from Zach Harrison last year, highlighted by yesterday's career day. The Pickerington product posted six tackles, a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble in a dominant showing. Entering yesterday's action Sawyer had 2.5 tackles for loss on the season. Sawyer posted a TFL for -2 yards on Minnesota's second possession to throw it off schedule, blew up a screen play for a 3-yard loss on the following empty possession, and on the next series, got great pressure on a 2nd-and-14 to force an incompletion before eventually stopping a 3rd-and-5 play for no gain to force another punt. He saved his best for last though as his strip sack of Athan Kaliakmanis on Minnesota's first possession of the second half was recovered and returned by fellow defensive end JT Tuimoloau to the Gopher 6-yard line. Kyle McCord found Marvin Harrison a few snaps later to make it 27-0 Buckeyes. Just a spectacular performance from Sawyer and one the Buckeyes would love to see duplicated next weekend in the Big House. TWO'S BACK Yesterday marked wide receiver Emeka Egbuka's third game back since missing nearly a month with a high ankle issue. In the first two contests he recorded a combined six touches for a modest 45 yards including just one catch for 12 yards in last weekend's win over Michigan State. In both, he looked like a guy easing back into things. Against Minnesota however, Egbuka's burst was back as he tallied six touches for 83 yards (all in the first half) while also providing typical upper tier blocking on the edge including on TreVeyon Henderson's 75-yard touchdown dash in the third quarter. With Ohio State leading 7-0 and taking possession for its third series of the day, Egbuka tallied 31 yards via catches of five and 26 yards, the latter moving the ball to the Minnesota 29 before the Buckeyes settled for a 47-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead. On Ohio State's fourth possession Egbuka ran eight yards around the right edge on 3rd-and-2. On the next play he hauled in a 23-yard reception. Finally on another 3rd-and-2, he took a pop pass 21-yards around the edge to set up 1st-and-Goal from the Minnesota 6-yard line. Jayden Fielding kicked a 26-yard field goal four plays later to take a 13-0 lead with just over four minutes left in the first half. On a day in which Marvin Harrison Jr. only had three catches for 30 yards, Egbuka finding his stride was important. More than that, posting a game showing he's back in the groove should be a confidence booster for all involved ahead of next weekend's high-stakes matchup. HENDERSON STAYS HOT TreVeyon Henderson was again on fire with 17 touches for 172 yards and two touchdowns with 146 of those yards and both scores coming on the ground. The headliner was a shifty 75-yard touchdown jaunt on the first play of the second half to give Ohio State a 20-0 lead and trigger a 17-point third quarter outburst. That said, his 9-yard run to open the scoring flashed one of his patented jump cuts enabling an untouched breeze into the end zone. Henderson has rushed for over 100 yards in four of his last five games. It can't be stressed enough how much Ohio State needs Henderson to be his 100% healthy self next weekend. Beyond the home run threat which forces defenses on their heels, I continue to be impressed with his burst and toughness between the tackles which has been a knock on him in the past. He's indeed running with purpose and he's complementing tenacious running with being a strong receiving threat. In 2021 against Michigan, Henderson totaled 128 yards and two touchdowns including five catches for 53 yards. I can see Day looking to exploit his versatility as a receiver next weekend as well on wheel routes, screens and check downs. Henderson needs 20+ touches in Ann Arbor in my opinion and all signs point to him being poised to deliver. Henderson producing would take some pressure of McCord which should be a chief goal of Day's going into the game. MANAGER MCCORD Speaking of Ohio State's quarterback, this was another game where within it, there were points where I was confused at what he was/wasn't seeing and frustrated with his pocket presence and/or ball placement but then I looked up and saw he completed 67% of his throws, two of which went for touchdowns and he didn't turn it over while taking just one sack. (Which, Randall Cunningham was getting sacked on that one as Josh Fryar turned in his at least once per game olé.) He missed an open Julian Fleming for six and on the same play could've also targeted a wide open Cade Stover. He limited receivers' ability to tack on yards after catch due to poor ball placement - a low and away toss to Xavier Johnson comes to mind - and his 212 passing yards were his fewest at home this season and second-fewest this season (189, Rutgers). For Ohio State to prevail next weekend, it really needs McCord to just manage the game which means zero turnovers above all, while limiting sacks by way of effective pocket presence and focusing on the higher percentage throws. Day can't ask him to carry the load. In five road games this season McCord has eight touchdown passes with four interceptions whereas in six home contests, he's racked up 14 touchdown throws without a pick. Let's not ask him to win it. That's a job better suited for the defense, Henderson and Harrison. BULLETS LOOK LOCKED AND LOADED One thing Ohio State seems poised to bring to The Game that it hasn't the last two years is a shut down defense. So far this season the Silver Bullets faced two top-20 scoring offenses in No. 15 Penn State (37.7 ppg) and No. 16 Notre Dame (36.8 ppg) and held them to 14 and 12 points, respectively. Entering yesterday's action, Michigan ranked No. 10 at 39.0 points per contest. Notre Dame also ranked No. 11 in yards per play (6.81) entering yesterday's games and Ohio State held the Irish to 5.48. Before beating Maryland yesterday, Michigan ranked No. 17 nationally averaging an extremely on brand 6.66 yards per play. Minnesota's offense is obviously hot garbage (4.90 ypp entering yesterday) and the Buckeyes held it to 3.33. Ohio State held the Gophers to 159 total yards making it back to back weeks of holding opponents under 200 yards of offense - the first time that's happened since 2019 according to our own Dan Hope. The Buckeyes also made it back to back games keeping the opponent under 90 passing yards and the 70 rushing yards allowed was Ohio State's best since holding Penn State to 49. The Bullets also stopped Minnesota on 9-of-12 third down tries and held the Gophers to 10 first downs. Sawyer's noted forced fumble returned by Tuimoloau to deep in Minnesota territory and a Jordan Hancock pick also led to 10 points. Even playing a bunch of reserves late, Ohio State had a shot at a shutout until midway through the fourth quarter in another outstanding showing despite being without Mike Hall Jr., Tommy Eichenberg and Lathan Ransom.

Ohio State Rolls Early in Second Half to Beat Minnesota 37-3 COLUMBUS, Ohio — After a slow start, Ohio State turned up the heat in the second half of its 37-3 win against Minnesota on Saturday, scoring more in the first minute of the second half than all of the first. Ohio State didn’t have the first half of play that it wanted or needed. Simply put, Ohio State was not putting on a show against an opponent that it had an advantage over for nearly every position on the field. Early on Saturday, Ohio State certainly wasn’t playing its best, November football. After only scoring 13 points in the first half of play, Ohio State put up 24 points in the second half, and only allowed Minnesota to score a on a late 54-yard field goal despite a second-string team through the fourth quarter. Ohio State moved the ball well early on, but stalled repeatedly in the red zone. The Buckeyes were forced to settle for field goals and left points on the field. They didn’t show much or do too much and there wasn’t a lot happening on either side of the ball. The second half, however, told a different story in all aspects. It went from 13-0 to 27-0 in a matter of a minute following the break. “We wanted to win the first five minutes. We ended up scoring 14 in the first minute — touchdown, turnover, touchdown,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said on the second half. “It’s something that we’ve talked about all year, coming out in the second half and playing well.” On the first play of the second half, running back TreVeyon Henderson burst open for a 75-yard touchdown. Henderson made an excellent cut and then was off to the end zone. Right after, the Buckeye defense got the ball back for the offense on a strip sack by defensive end Jack Sawyer that was recovered by J.T. Tuimoloau, with a nice return of 16 yards to the 6-yard line. The play was followed up by a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kyle McCord to wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. — his 30th career touchdown and first of the night. Sawyer had arguably the best night of his career as a Buckeye, with six total tackles, three solo, one sack, 3.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback hurry, and one forced fumble. On Minnesota’s next drive, cornerback Jordan Hancock intercepted Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and returned it for 40 yards inside the 15-yard line, setting the Buckeyes up with another chance to put points on the board. By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State led 30-0 with most starters out of the game. Day emphasized after the win that the hot start in the second half was the ideal situation in this game to get a solid cushion for the rest of the game. The Buckeyes were then able to get their starters some rest ahead of meeting Michigan in Ann Arbor next Saturday.

NCAA College Football Top 25 for the week of November 20-25, 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:05:00 +0000

AP Top 25 college football poll 1. Georgia (61) 2. Ohio State (1) 3. Michigan 4. Washington 5. Florida State 6. Oregon 7. Texas 8. Alabama 9. Louisville 10. Missouri 11. Penn State 12. Ole Miss 13. Oklahoma 14. LSU 15. Oregon State 16. Arizona 17. Notre Dame 18. Tulane 19. Kansas State 20. Iowa 21. Oklahoma State 22. Liberty 23. Toledo 24. James Madison 25. Tennessee

November 13-18 College Football Top 25

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 22:00:00 +0000

College Football Playoff committee Top 25 1. Georgia (10-0) 2. Ohio State (10-0) 3. Michigan (10-0) 4. Florida State (10-0) 5. Washington (10-0) 6. Oregon (9-1) 7. Texas (9-1) 8. Alabama (9-1) 9. Missouri (8-2) 10. Louisville (9-1) 11. Oregon State (8-2) 12. Penn State (8-2) 13. Mississippi (8-2) 14. Oklahoma (8-2) 15. LSU (7-3) 16. Iowa (8-2) 17. Arizona (7-3) 18. Tennessee (7-3) 19. Notre Dame (7-3) 20. North Carolina (8-2) 21. Kansas State (7-3) 22. Utah (7-3) 23. Oklahoma State (7-3) 24. Tulane (9-1) 25. Kansas (7-3)

Ohio State Buckeyes Football - Players That May Enter the Transfer Portal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:57:00 +0000

Five Ohio State football players who could enter the transfer portal this offseason by: Michael Chen This is a great read about the portal and I actually agree with everything he says. As the college football regular season winds down, Ohio State football, like many other teams across the country, will be watching the transfer portal to see who will be on the move. Some players have already submitted their names, while others are waiting for their seasons to play out before making a decision. The Buckeyes have not seen many players leave, although that might change this offseason. I want to preface this list by saying it is pure speculation, educated guesses about which Ohio State football players could be on the move after this season. Here is who I think could be looking for a new football home.

Quarterback Devin Brown Why It’s fairly obvious why Brown is a candidate. Kyle McCord won the job and hasn’t given the coaching staff any reason to change its mind. Yes, the Utah native got involved, but only as a short-yardage running quarterback. McCord will not leave for the NFL after this year, and it’s highly unlikely Brown will want to sit another season while waiting for his turn. Running back Dallan Hayden Why It’s not a question of ability, Hayden has plenty of it. It’s about the coaching staff’s reluctance to play him. After a freshman season in which he rushed for 553 yards and 5 touchdowns on 111 carries, he has logged 12 touches this season. The coaching staff wanted to redshirt him, and very well could have played Hayden in last week’s blowout. Is he being held back for the postseason? None of this makes sense to me, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Hayden leave for more playing time. Wide receiver Jayden Ballard Why He has no catches on the year. Ballard sees some time on special teams, but that’s about it. True freshman Carnell Tate has been much more productive and you’d have to expect that Brandon Inniss will see the field more next season. Ballard could stay, given Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming should be leaving, but with another loaded recruiting class coming in, there might not be more playing time for him next year.

Safety Ja’Had Carter Why The former freshman All-American didn’t come to Ohio State to sit, but that is what he’s done. He suffered an injury against Penn State. Before that, his playing time probably wasn’t what he had hoped. Carter has seen multiple younger players jump him on the depth chart, and has seen the field rarely when healthy. I expected a much bigger role when he transferred from Syracuse, but his impact has been minimal. Tight end Bennett Christian Why It’s going to be hard for the third-year player to crack the rotation next season, even with Cade Stover moving on to the NFL. Jelani Thurman looks to be a budding force, and Joe Royer returns with some experience. Christian was a very solid recruit, so if he does enter the portal, plenty of teams will be interested.

Buckeyes Sit Atop the Power Rankings and Play-Off Rankings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 15:30:00 +0000

Ohio State vs Wisconsin Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Check this article out by Dan Hope. Great read and preview for the buckeyes. OHIO STATE VS. WISCONSIN PREVIEW By Dan Hope Even though he’s midway through his seventh year on Ohio State’s coaching staff, Ryan Day has never coached at Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium. The Buckeyes haven’t been to Madison since 2016, the year before Day became Ohio State’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, which means Saturday’s game against the Badgers will be Day’s first time ever coaching in Camp Randall. But Day is well aware of its reputation as one of the toughest places to play in college football. Given that, Day says the Buckeyes have been preparing themselves all year for the challenge of playing Wisconsin on the road just one week after hosting Penn State at home. “We knew when we saw Wisconsin on the schedule that this was going to be a challenging game,” Day said Monday. “We knew coming off of the Penn State game, but also just Camp Randall is one of the better places in college football. And when we looked at Notre Dame, we looked at this one and we looked at the last one, we knew that we were gonna have to be road warriors this year. That these were going to be battles. And when you go on the road, it's (worth) about seven points. So we have to overcome that in this game. We've gotta have a great week of practice, and then we got to continue to build on that competitive stamina that we talk about.” THE HEADLINES AVOIDING THE TRAP If you were looking to cook up a trap game for Ohio State this season, this game has all the ingredients. Coming off of its biggest game of the season to date, the Buckeyes now have to go on the road to play in one of the Big Ten’s hostile environment against a 5-2 team that is unranked but still good enough to be dangerous. Both of the Badgers’ losses have come by only nine points, and they’re 3-1 so far in conference play. They haven’t faced an opponent of Ohio State’s caliber – none of their first seven opponents are currently ranked – but they have a history of playing Ohio State tough. The Buckeyes needed overtime to beat Wisconsin in their last trip to Camp Randall Stadium in 2016, and seven of the last 10 meetings between the two schools have been decided by 13 points or fewer. “First off, we know we're going into a really difficult environment, and they're going to be gassed up for this one. So we’re going to have to play well,” Day said. “And the goal this week for us is like it is every week, we want to play our best football to date. And I still think it's out there.” That said, Ohio State has won its last nine games against Wisconsin. And trap games have been a non-issue for the Buckeyes through Day’s first four-and-a-half years as head coach. While Ohio State’s losses to Iowa in 2017 and Purdue in 2018 are frequently recalled as reminders of what can happen if the Buckeyes don’t perform on the road – and both of those games came around the same time of the year, with the Iowa loss also coming one week after a closely contested win over Penn State – the Buckeyes are 34-0 in games against unranked opponents since Day became Ohio State’s head coach in 2019. Ohio State just needs to continue those trends to improve to 8-0 this weekend. FICKELL FACES HIS ALMA MATER If the sign-stealing scandal up north wasn’t dominating headlines in Columbus right now, the week’s most popular talking point likely would have been the impending matchup between the Buckeyes and one of their own as Luke Fickell prepares to face Ohio State for the first time as Wisconsin’s coach. Fickell has a storied history as both a player and coach at Ohio State, as he was one of the Buckeyes’ all-time great defensive tackles, starting 50 consecutive games from 1993-96, then was a member of the Buckeyes’ coaching staff from 2002-16, including one season as interim head coach in 2011. But Fickell says he’s trying to keep his focus on his present role leading the Badgers rather than on his past as a Buckeye as he prepares for Saturday’s game. “It’s not about me. I know we have some guys on our staff, myself included, that have some obvious history there, whether they went to school there or played there. But that’s not what it’s about,” Fickell said this week. “It’s about the players, it’s about our team, it’s about our program. It’s about the journey that we’re on and the process that we’re in. “When the ball’s kicked off, that’ll have absolutely no effect on anything that happens on that field. And so we try to just focus on the things that are going to have the greatest effect on Saturday night.” This won’t be the first time Fickell has coached against Ohio State; he previously did so in 2019 as the head coach at Cincinnati, suffering a 42-0 loss to the Buckeyes. As Akron’s defensive line coach in 2001, he was also on the losing end of a 28-14 game against the Buckeyes. Both of those games were played in Ohio Stadium, however, and this will be the first time Fickell goes head-to-head with his alma mater as the coach of a Power 5 team, as Cincinnati was a Group of 5 team for his six years coaching the Bearcats.

RUN GAME STILL CHASING IMPROVEMENT As Day looks for his team to play its best football of the season to date against Wisconsin, one specific area where he’ll certainly be looking for improvement is with the Buckeyes’ rushing offense. Although it hasn’t yet cost Ohio State a game, the ground attack has been a clear weakness for the Buckeyes as they’ve been held under two yards per carry in two of their last three games and currently rank just 93rd nationally in rushing yards per attempt (3.85). While Wisconsin has been known for stout run defenses in the past, the Badgers rank 67th nationally in yards allowed per rush (4.05) this season and have given up over 200 rushing yards in each of their last two games, so Saturday could be an opportunity for Ohio State to build some momentum on the ground – or raise more cause for concern if it doesn’t. “We gotta execute better, we got to coach it better, and that's on us as coaches to get it done,” Day said. “So we'll work our tails off to get it done this week, because we need that balance, and we’ve gotta be able to do that.” RELATED Ryan Day’s Proposed Answers for Ohio State Running Game Remain the Same As Problems Persist Ohio State’s running game should get a boost this week from the return of top running back TreVeyon Henderson, who has missed the Buckeyes’ last three games with an undisclosed injury. Day said Thursday that Henderson is “full-go” for the trip to Wisconsin, and his explosiveness will make the Buckeyes’ running game tougher to defend, as he leads OSU with 295 yards and five touchdowns on only 44 carries this season. Day said Tuesday that he also expected to have starting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke back on the field this week after they missed the Penn State game, though he did not specifically address their status during his radio show as he did Henderson. KEEP AN EYE ON THESE GUYS RB BRAELON ALLEN Wisconsin’s offense has become more balanced in terms of passing plays and running plays under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo, but running the ball remains its strength. While the Badgers are currently playing a backup quarterback, Braedyn Locke, who has completed only 51 percent of his passing attempts, they have one of the nation’s best running backs. With 704 rushing yards and eight touchdowns this season, Allen ranks second in the Big Ten in both categories. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound running back is a load to bring down, having already forced 41 missed tackles this season per Pro Football Focus, while he also has the speed to break off a long run, as evidenced by his 75-yard run against the Buckeyes last year. “When he gets going, he can get a big, long run, I don't think you see that for a dude that size to have that kind of breakaway speed,” Ohio State safety Sonny Styles said. “I think the biggest thing is just wrapping him up. You're not going to try and hit him up high, you can't come reaching, he's gonna give you a stiff arm. So you gotta be a sure tackler and it's gonna be a swarm to the ball, all 11 (defenders).” S HUNTER WOHLER In his first year as a starter, Wohler has emerged as the star of Wisconsin’s defense, leading the Badgers with 70 tackles – the second-most in the Big Ten this season – and also recording two interceptions in their win over Georgia Southern. With high grades in both tackling and coverage, Wohler has the ninth-highest overall grade (87.3) among FBS safeties this season from PFF. He’s a big reason why Wisconsin ranks among the national leaders in not allowing big plays with only 21 plays of 20-plus yards and seven plays of 30-plus yards given up this year, and the Badgers might need him to make some big plays of his own to have a chance to upset the Buckeyes. CB RICARDO HALLMAN The other standout in Wisconsin’s secondary is Hallman, who leads the Big Ten and is tied for fourth in the FBS with four interceptions this year. Those four picks include a 95-yard interception return against Rutgers, underscoring that opponents need to be careful when throwing the ball his way. Hallman has been strong in coverage for the Badgers all season, allowing only 16 catches on 30 targets for 203 yards across seven games. He’s been particularly strong in Wisconsin’s past four games, allowing only six catches for 39 yards on 16 targets. If the Badgers are going to have a chance to slow down Marvin Harrison Jr., they’re going to need a great performance out of Hallman, who will likely draw the assignment of matching up with Ohio State’s superstar wideout for most of the game. RELATED Heisman Watch: Marvin Harrison Jr. Soars Into Top 10, Now Has Seventh-Best Odds GAME WEEK TALK “I THINK THEY’RE MORE TALENTED THAN MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, EVEN WHEN WE PLAYED THEM.” – LUKE FICKELL ON OHIO STATE The 2019 team that beat Fickell’s Bearcats 42-0 was Ohio State’s best team since its 2014 national championship team, so it’s high praise that Fickell believes this year’s Buckeyes are more talented than that squad was. “EVERYBODY DOING THEIR JOB IS ALL IT TAKES TO WIN, SO I THINK THAT’S THE MAIN FOCUS THIS WEEK. NOT TRYING TO PUT TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON WE’RE THE UNDERDOGS OR TRY NOT TO MAKE THEM BETTER OR KIND OF BLOW THEM UP INTO SOMETHING THAT THEY’RE NOT. THEY’RE A TEAM THAT’S BEATABLE, AND WE JUST HAVE TO DO OUR JOBS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.” – BRAELON ALLEN It’s rare for Wisconsin to be an underdog by more than two touchdowns as it is entering this game, but Allen says the Badgers still believe they can upset Ohio State. “I LIKE PLAYING AWAY GAMES. I FEEL LIKE THE VILLAIN WALKING IN THEIR HOUSE. SO I'M DEFINITELY EXCITED. I'VE NEVER BEEN UP THERE TO MADISON, SO I THINK IT'LL BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE.” – OHIO STATE SAFETY JOSH PROCTOR In a year where the Buckeyes are playing six regular-season road games, this has been a common refrain from Ohio State players ahead of games away from home. The Buckeyes are embracing the villain role they play when going to opponents’ stadiums, and it’s worked for them so far.

PROJECTED STARTERS OHIO STATE POS WISCONSIN OFFENSE KYLE MCCORD QB BRAEDYN LOCKE TREVEYON HENDERSON RB BRAELON ALLEN MARVIN HARRISON JR. WR CHIMERE DIKE JULIAN FLEMING WR BRYSON GREEN EMEKA EGBUKA WR WILL PAULLING CADE STOVER TE HAYDEN RUCCI JOSH SIMMONS LT JACK NELSON DONOVAN JACKSON LG JOE HUBER CARSON HINZMAN C TANOR BORTOLINI MATT JONES RG MICHAEL FURTNEY JOSH FRYAR RT RILEY MAHLMAN DEFENSE JT TUIMOLOAU DE RODAS JOHNSON MIKE HALL NT GIO PAEZ TYLEIK WILLIAMS DT/DE JAMES THOMPSON JR. JACK SAWYER DE/OLB DARRYL PETERSON STEELE CHAMBERS LB MAEMA NJONGMETA TOMMY EICHENBERG LB JAKE CHANEY SONNY STYLES NB/OLB C.J. GOETZ DENZEL BURKE CB RICARDO HALLMAN DAVISON IGBINOSUN CB ALEXANDER SMITH JOSH PROCTOR FS KAMO’I LATU LATHAN RANSOM SS HUNTER WOHLER GET SMART Ohio State has a 62-18-5 all-time record against Wisconsin. The Buckeyes have not lost to the Badgers since 2010, when they suffered a 31-18 loss in Madison. Starting center Carson Hinzman is Ohio State’s only player from Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s roster includes 11 players from Ohio. Five of them are starters: left guard Joe Huber, defensive ends Rodas Johnson and James Thompson Jr., outside linebacker Darryl Peterson and kicker Nathaniel Vakos. Former Ohio State linebackers Tuf Borland and Chris Worley are both members of Wisconsin’s staff; Borland is a defensive graduate assistant for the Badgers while Worley is their director of player development. The Wisconsin game will be Ohio State’s second 7:30 p.m. game televised by NBC this season. The Buckeyes’ 17-14 win over Notre Dame in their final game of September also aired on NBC in primetime. Ohio State will play a third 7:30 game on NBC when it hosts Michigan State on Nov. 11. HOW IT PLAYS OUT LINE: OHIO STATE -14.5, O/U 45.5 Wisconsin has won more than 80 percent of its games at Camp Randall Stadium over the past 10 years. Ohio State has a track record of struggling one week after playing Penn State, and one can’t help but wonder if the Buckeyes might be a tad distracted by the scandal happening in Ann Arbor – even if they’re saying all the right things. And one can expect Fickell to have his team dialed in for the chance to make a statement against a program he knows very well. All of those are reasons to think Saturday night’s game could end up being a tighter affair than it should be, and the Buckeyes could put themselves on upset alert if they aren’t careful. But this game really shouldn’t be too close, at least not by the end, if Ohio State plays well. MORE OHIO STATE VS. WISCONSIN COVERAGE Five Things to Know Across The Field Game Poster Game Trailer On paper, the Buckeyes have a clear advantage over the Badgers, especially when Ohio State’s defense is on the field. The Buckeyes haven’t allowed any opponent to score more than 17 points all year, and they’ve already played four teams (Penn State, Notre Dame, Maryland and Western Kentucky) who average more points per game than Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s defense, meanwhile, has been statistically only slightly better than Maryland, who allowed the Buckeyes to score 37 points. The Terps held Ohio State to only one offensive touchdown before the fourth quarter, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see some similarly tough sledding for the Buckeye offense in this game when factoring in the road night game environment. But a better Wisconsin defense gave up 52 points to the Buckeyes last year, and this year’s Badger defense gave up 31 points to the only offense comparable to Ohio State (Washington State) that it’s faced so far this season. With all of that in mind, we expect the Buckeyes to cover the spread and improve to 8-0 on the season with a win over the Badgers on Saturday night. ELEVEN WARRIORS STAFF PREDICTION 31 13 B1G Rock Fight of the Week No. 3 Ohio State at Wisconsin: Speaking of things the market hasn't entirely caught onto yet, this is not the same Ohio State team we've seen in recent years. Instead of high-powered offenses led by future first-round picks at quarterback, the Buckeyes are a defensive-led team with a one-man offense. Ohio State struggles to move the ball when anybody not named Marvin Harrison has it in his hands. It's been banged up at running back and can't run the ball even when healthy. It also struggles to finish drives, ranking No. 83 nationally in points per red-zone possession. This helps explain why the under is 6-1 in Ohio State's seven games this season. To drive the point home further, the average Ohio State game is finishing 13.2 points below the posted total. That's nearly two touchdowns! Now, it seems the total for this game is starting to catch on, but it still isn't low enough. Wisconsin will have a tough time putting up points in this one, but Ohio State will struggle, too. This game won't look too different from last week's Penn State game. If it goes over, it'll be because of a touchdown on defense or special teams.

College Football TV Times and Schedules for the Week of October 28, 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:20:00 +0000

College football schedule: TV selections for October 28, 2023 *All times Eastern. ACC Saturday, Oct. 28 Florida State at Wake Forest – 12pm, ABC UConn at Boston College – 12pm, ACCN Clemson at NC State – 2pm, The CW Duke at Louisville – 3:30pm, ESPN Pitt at Notre Dame – 3:30pm, NBC/Peacock Virginia at Miami FL – 3:30pm, ACCN North Carolina at Georgia Tech – 8pm, ACCN Off: None AMERICAN Friday, Oct. 27 Florida Atlantic at Charlotte – 7:30pm, ESPN2 Saturday, Oct. 28 Tulsa at SMU – 12pm, ESPNU Memphis at North Texas – 3pm, ESPN+ East Carolina at UTSA – 3:30pm, ESPN+ Tulane at Rice – 4pm, ESPN2 Off: Navy, Temple, UAB, USF BIG 12 Saturday, Oct. 28 Houston at Kansas State – 12pm, ESPN2 Oklahoma at Kansas – 12pm, FOX West Virginia at UCF – 12pm, FS1 BYU at Texas – 3:30pm, ABC Iowa State at Baylor – 3:30pm, ESPN+ Cincinnati at Oklahoma St. – 8pm, ESPN2 Off: TCU, Texas Tech BIG TEN Saturday, Oct. 28 Indiana at Penn State – 12pm, CBS Maryland at Northwestern – 12pm, BTN Purdue at Nebraska – 3:30pm, FS1 Michigan St. at Minnesota – 3:30pm, BTN Ohio State at Wisconsin – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock Off: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Rutgers INDEPENDENTS Saturday, Oct. 28 UConn at Boston College – 12pm, ACCN UMass at Army – 12pm, CBSSN Pitt at Notre Dame – 3:30pm, NBC/Peacock Off: None MAC Saturday, Oct. 28 WMU at EMU – 1pm, ESPN+ Miami (Ohio) at Ohio – 3:30pm, CBSSN Off: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Toledo MOUNTAIN WEST Saturday, Oct. 28 Wyoming at Boise St. – 5:30pm, FS2 Air Force at Colorado St. – 7pm, CBSSN New Mexico at Nevada – 10:30pm, CBSSN UNLV at Fresno St. – 10:30pm, FS1 San Jose St. at Hawaii – 11:59pm, Spectrum PPV Off: San Diego State, Utah State PAC-12 Saturday, Oct. 28 Oregon at Utah – 3:30pm, FOX USC at California – 4pm, P12N Washington at Stanford – 7pm, FS1 Colorado at UCLA – 7:30pm, ABC Washington St. at Arizona St. – 8pm, P12N Oregon St. at Arizona – 10:30pm, ESPN Off: None SEC Saturday, Oct. 28 South Carolina at Texas A&M – 12pm, ESPN Georgia vs. Florida (in Jax) – 3:30pm, CBS Mississippi St. at Auburn – 3:30pm, SECN Tennessee at Kentucky – 7pm, ESPN Vanderbilt at Ole Miss – 7:30pm, SECN Off: Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Missouri SUN BELT Thursday, Oct. 26 Georgia St. at Georgia Southern – 7:30pm, ESPN2 Saturday, Oct. 28 Southern Miss at App State – 3:30pm, ESPN+ Arkansas State at ULM – 5pm, ESPN+ Louisiana at South Alabama – 5pm, ESPN+ Marshall at Coastal Carolina – 6pm, NFLN Troy at Texas State – 7pm, ESPN+ Old Dominion at James Madison – 8pm, ESPNU

Ohio State vs Penn State Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Take a look at these two articles from OSU vs PSU. Ver good reads! Five things we think we learned from Ohio State’s win over Penn State By: Phil Harrison Well that was a donnybrook if I’ve ever seen one. Both defenses made life extremely difficult for the opposing offense, and it was a razor thin margin (despite the junk time score) that was the difference in Ohio State outlasting the Nittany Lions, 20-12, Saturday afternoon in the ‘Shoe. At the end of the day, it’s another close loss to the Buckeyes by a James Franklin led team, and another massive win in this matchup from the Scarlet and Gray sideline. It was a pretty ugly game, but all you want in these types of games is to get out of it with a win, and that’s where we are … thankfully. After every OSU game we try to take stock in what we saw and pull out some observations. Here are five things we think we learned after Ohio State’s big win against Penn State as the Buckeyes stay on the path to what they hope is a fantastic journey in 2023. Is it too early to be thinking about Michigan? The defense is championship level What we observed Well, the observations are what everyone, including those on their couches saw. This Ohio State defense is a championship-caliber defense. This Penn State defense is really good, too, and the offense has been able to move the ball — even against Iowa. But not Saturday. Not against this Buckeye defense. Time and again, the OSU defense made the plays to get Penn State’s offense off the field and back to Kyle McCord and company. When things are a little clunky on offense, it’s nice to have that side of the ball to rely on. That travels to every corner of the country, including we here, Ann Arbor. Kyle McCord wasn't spectacular but ... What we observed If you watched this game, there’s no doubt Kyle McCord struggled placing the ball from time-to-time and missed open receivers. But, you have to give the kid credit for making plays when he needed to against a really good defense. In fact, looking back on the stats, it looks like a really good day. McCord finished 22-of-35 for 286 yards and one touchdown. By the way, he had zero interceptions. Against the caliber of defense and team OSU played Saturday, I think you take that stat line. Ohio State was more disciplined than Penn State What we observed There were some huge penalties from the Penn State sideline in this one, none of them bigger than the hold on Marvin Harrison Jr. that negated a scoop and score by the Nittany Lions. There were a couple of other penalties on that drive that helped Ohio State cap it with the first touchdown of the day. A quick look at the scoreboard shows that play alone as 14-point swing that is the difference in the game. There were other situations that contributed to things stalling out on offense and keeping things on the field for Ohio State. The Buckeyes had their questionable moments too, but not as glaring with discipline as the visitors. About some of those situational decisions by Ryan Day What we observed OK. we have to mention it in all the positivity of winning this one. The game really shouldn’t have even been this close. Can we get a quarterback sneak down on the goal line instead of a hand off in the backfield or throwing a stretch pass? We continue to wonder what Day has against quarterback sneaks. And, hey, there’s nothing wrong with kicking a field goal if it makes sense, especially in a game like this. You love the aggressiveness of Day at times, but do the simple thing when it calls for it. This game was closer because of the refusal to line up and just do what you have to do to put the game in a better position. But hey, at least this one is in the win column, so we’ll let it go for now. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the cheat code to winning a "matchup" game What we observed It was impressive enough that Marvin Harrison Jr. had the breakout season he had last season when he became the No. 1 option when Jaxon Smith-Njigba went down. However, it might be more impressive what he’s doing in year two. Why you say? Ryan Day said it perfectly in the postgame when he said teams go into the game putting in a game plan to not let Harrison Jr. beat them, yet he still goes out and beats them. In this one, the future first rounder hauled in 11 receptions for 162 yards and a score — all while being bracketed and mauled. He would probably be one of the best receivers in the NFL today, and just enjoy what you’re seeing from him the rest of the season. All things being equal, Harrison is the tie-breaker when going against teams with similar talent like today.

FIVE THINGS: OSU vs PSU By Chris Lauderback Ohio State made it seven wins in a row against Penn State and improved to 7-0 on the season by way of a 20-12 score Saturday afternoon in Ohio Stadium. Jim Knowles' defense took another step forward, keeping Penn State from reaching the end zone for the game's first 59 minutes. The Silver Bullets simply suffocated an overmatched Penn State offensive line and first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar, holding them to 240 total yards with 73 of those coming on a last-gasp touchdown drive with Ohio State content to run some clock to salt away the W. With the defense recording eight tackles for loss, four sacks, six pass breakups and four quarterback hurries, fits and starts from the Ohio State offense wasn't a huge issue. The Buckeyes once again couldn't run the ball with any consistency and while Kyle McCord, Ohio State's own first-year starting quarterback, struggled at times with accuracy, locating the open man and pocket presence, he made some big-time throws finishing with 286 passing yards and a touchdown. Ohio State's second win this season against a top-10 opponent coupled with Michigan's blowout of Michigan State leaves the Buckeyes and Wolverines as the lone unbeatens in the Big Ten East. The Buckeyes' tough schedule doesn't take a break next week as they head to Camp Randall to face the 5-2 Badgers in a primetime banger. But before we shift focus to Luke Fickell's squad, here are Five Things from Ohio State's big win over the Nittany Lions. GOT TO GIVE IT UP In a contest where both teams featured elite defenses, struggled to run the ball and were depending on first-year starting quarterbacks, Ohio State benefitted greatly from having the lone unicorn on the field in the form of Marvin Harrison Jr. A year after recording career-highs with 10 receptions, all going for first downs, for 185 yards iin a win over the Nittany Lions, Harrison was even better yesterday as he recorded 11 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown with nine of those 11 grabs moving the chains or finding the end zone. With Ohio State nursing a 13-6 lead and facing 3rd-and-11 with just over four minutes to play, Harrison delivered the knockout punch as he hauled in a yoss on a shallow cross, raced toward the sideline and cut upfield for an 18-yard touchdown with 4:07 left in regulation. Among his other clutch catches, he fought off defensive pass interference to snag a 12-yard strike from McCord on 3rd-and-10 from the Penn State 16 to set up 1st-and-Goal. Miyan Williams found the end zone two plays later to put Ohio State in front, 10-3, midway through the second quarter. Marvin's 162 yards marked the 12th 100-yard receiving game of his Buckeye career putting him just two behind David Boston's school-record. Across two games against Penn State, Harrison tallied 21 catches for 347 yards and a score with 19 of his 21 grabs going for first downs or a touchdown. There's a strong argument to be made that yesterday's performance was the most impactful of his Buckeye career to date. NO BURKE, NO PROBLEM Even with Penn State's passing game failing to generate many explosive plays against inferior opponents coming into the matchup with Ohio State, plenty of fans were still nervous about the fact No. 1 corner Denzel Burke was out due to injury. Burke's absence forced Knowles to lean heavily on Jordan Hancock and Jermaine Mathews Jr. and the duo stood tall versus Allar and company. Hancock recorded five tackles and broke up an Allar pass on the second play of the game. Penn State punted two snaps later. Late in the fourth quarter, Hancock gave up a completion but tackled KeAndre Lambert-Smith for no gain on a 3rd-and-1 snap from the OSU 36. Mathews continued his fearless play logging three stops and a pass breakup of his own. The PBU came on a 3rd-and-8 play with Ohio State nursing a 10-6 third quarter lead. In the fourth quarter, Mathews played a 3rd-and-15 snap perfectly, giving up a check down to Theo Johnson and immediately bringing him to the ground for a useless 5-yard gain to force a punt again as OSU clung to the 10-6 advantage. Starting cornerback Davison Igbinosun also added five stops and a tackle for loss as the Buckeyes held Allar to a dismal 18-of-42 performance (43%) for 191 yards and the late touchdown. Ohio State obviously needs Burke back to make a run at a conference title and CFP bid but Hancock came up big against Penn State and Mathews has the tools to be a future star. STARCADE At programs like Ohio State where the standard is perfection, it's sometimes easy to focus too heavily on what a player isn't versus what he is. Tight end Cade Stover is a bit of a lightning rod in this regard considering his blocking is inconsistent but as a pass catcher, this dude is doing major work. In recent weeks it seems the braintrust has minimized exposure to his blocking opportunities while continuing to utilize his top-tier talent as a receiver. With starting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka out with an injury, Stover stepped up as Harrison's top sidekick recording four catches on four targets for 70 yards against the Nittany Lions. He caught a modest 2-yard pass on Ohio State's first scoring drive to make it 3-0 and his 9-yard catch on 2nd-and-10 helped keep the Buckeyes on schedule during a touchdown drive putting OSU in front, 10-3, with 7:31 left in the second quarter. His longest catch of the day came on a 2nd-and-1 snap as he mossed Penn State's Kobe King for a 30-yard gain to the PSU 9-yard line with OSU leading 10-6 late in the third quarter. Just excellent concentration and hand-eye coordination in traffic to haul in the big gainer. The Buckeyes would fail to generate points on the drive after a McCord pass fell incomplete in the direction of Carnell Tate on 4th-and-Goal from the 2-yard line but Stover's catch helped ensure Penn State would have poor field position following the turnover on downs. Still leading 10-6 on the ensuing OSU possession, Stover went back to work, corralling a McCord throw and running upfield for a 29-yard gain. The catch and run gave the Buckeyes 1st-and-10 at the PSU 36 and they would cash in with a field goal six plays later to make it 13-6 with 8:59 left in the game. Stover's key performance pushed his season totals to 27 catches for 429 yards and three touchdowns, all of which rank second on the squad behind Harrison. The converted linebacker from Lexington, Ohio (not Mansfield) could threaten Ohio State's single-season receptions and yards records for tight ends as he sits just 243 yards from breaking Billy Anders' record of 671 set back in 1966. Stover needs another 29 catches to eclipse Anders' mark of 55, also set back in '66. THIRD DOWN DOMINANCE Along with Harrison's greatness, another major factor helping Ohio State to the winner's circle came as the Buckeyes dominated on third down. Day's offense converted a modest 6-of-16 third down conversion attempts (38%) including 4-of-7 on 3rd-and-short and 2-of-5 on 3rd-and-long but that was still well above the 27% rate Penn State allowed coming into the contest and most of OSU's conversions were impactful. An 8-yard pass from McCord to Harrison on 3rd-and-3 helped keep a drive alive as Ohio State went on to take an early 3-0 lead. On the touchdown possession putting OSU in front 10-3, Miyan Williams moved the chains with a 3-yard run on 3rd-and-1, a Penn State defensive hold wiped out a strip-sack touchdown on 3rd-and-11 and a 3rd-and-10 snap saw McCord hit Harrison for the previously noted 12-yard gain the PSU 4. Williams scored two plays later. On the touchdown drive to make it 20-6 that essentially ended the game, Williams gained two yards on a 3rd-and-2 before Marv's 18-yard catch and run touchdown on 3rd-and-11. Conversely, Penn State's offense converted only 1-of-16 third down tries (6%) marking the worst third down conversion rate by an AP top-10 team over the last 10 seasons (min. 15 attempts). The Nittany Lions went 0-for-6 on 3rd-and-short. Overall, Franklin's offense averaged 1.1 yards per third down play, Allar completed just 3-of-12 passes for 12 yards and the run game logged five yards on three rushes. Penn State's lone third down conversion came with 46 seconds left in regulation on a 3rd-and-6 pass that gained seven yards. Congrats on avoiding the donut. DAY AND NIGHT The win over Penn State improved Ryan Day to 18-6 against ranked opponents and pushed him to 10-5 versus the AP top-10. He's also now 5-1 at home versus the AP top-10. I'm still not sure Ohio State will ever be able to run the ball effectively against a legit defense this season after averaging a sack-adjusted 2.3 yards per pop against Penn State with two of its 41 carries going for at least 10 yards (10, 12). I'm also scared to death of Parker Fleming's special teams units and these ongoing injuries are out of control. That said, props to Day for leading Ohio State to a significant win. Unfortunately, there's little time to get Henderson, Egbuka and Burke healthy for another possible stiff test as Ohio State heads to Madison for a primetime contest against the 5-2 Badgers next weekend. Regardless of who is available, job one for Day will be to ensure his team doesn't suffer a hangover from the big win over the Nittany Lions. You can bet Luke Fickell will have his guys amped up to face his alma mater and while the Buckeyes are riding a nine-game winning streak over Wisconsin, Camp Randall should be a tough atmosphere for Ohio State and Day can ill afford for his team to come out flat.

Ohio State vs Penn State Preview Saturday October 21, 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:35:00 +0000

Ohio State vs. Penn State complete preview and prediction Take a minute and read this article by Mark. Great read. By: Mark Russell It’s time. Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes have their next big test scheduled for this Saturday when Penn State comes to town. The Buckeyes have gotten the better of this rivalry in recent years, but the game is almost never a blowout. Two undefeated teams. Two marquee names. Huge conference implications on the line. Who could ask for anything more? Well, maybe a primetime start under the lights … but other than that, this one has everything. A conference championship still runs through Michigan but the next step in that journey for both teams happens this weekend. We’re here to get you ready for what should be a clash of the titans with the winner gaining a slight advantage in the Big Ten East. Records and Broadcast Information Records Ohio State (6-0), Penn State (6-0) Broadcast, TV, Game Time Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 Game Time: Noon ET Network: Fox Venue: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio), Capacity: 102,780 All-Time Series: Ohio State leads, 23-14 Last Meeting: Ohio State defeated Penn State, 44-31, in 2022 Ohio State Potential Game Plan for Victory The Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions really match up well for this clash of Big Ten East powers. Both teams have had outstanding play from the defense, both teams are breaking in new starting quarterbacks, and both teams have struggled at the offensive line from time to time this season. So who has the advantage? Let’s start on the defensive side of the ball. Both teams are giving up less than 10 points per game. Both are also very stingy when it comes to giving up yards per game. Penn State only gives up 194 yards per game while the Buckeyes give up just 264 yards per game. The Nittany Lion’s edge rushers might get a little more pressure than OSU’s but the Buckeyes have the superior defensive tackles. Nittany Lions quarterback, Drew Allar, started off the season on fire, but he has seemed to regress just a bit as the season has gotten longer in the tooth. Allar doesn’t like to throw the deep ball, only attempting 12 all season, with five of those caming Saturday against UMass. That’s the lowest number in the Big Ten, even below Iowa which is saying something. However, Allar does make the easy throws and doesn’t force things as shown by his zero interceptions on the year. The offense is very methodical, taking what the defense gives and relying on a heavy dose of rushing attack led by Allen Kaytron and Nick Singleton, both of whom are averaging over four yards per carry. The Buckeye defense will need to stay disciplined. The Penn State offensive line is weakest in the middle at guard, center, guard whereas Ohio State’s strength is with Michael Hall and Tyleik Williams. However, those running backs can bounce it outside which means the defensive ends are going to have to stay home and set the edge. Oh and just because Allar hasn’t thrown the deep ball much, the Buckeyes would be wise not to test him. He’s more than capable and the last time OSU dared a QB to throw deep, J.J, McCarthy torched the secondary. Offensively, the offensive line has to figure out a way to open up running lanes against a defense that is only allowing 70 yards per game on the ground. And when it’s time to throw, Kyle McCord better be willing to step up into the pocket because Penn State has two outstanding edge rushers in Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac. The duo has combined for eight sacks. Points will be hard to come by in this game, and ultimately, it’s going to come down to which lines can step up and win in the trenches. Key Offensive Player for Ohio State Cade Stover – Tight End With all the weapons that Ohio State has on offense, Cade Stover might be the key to a Buckeye victory. Stover does an outstanding job of finding openings to keep the defense honest. Getting Stover some operating room in the flats and over the middle could be just what OSU needs to pull out a win over Penn State. Key Defensive Player for Ohio State Michael Hall Jr. – Defensive Tackle Penn State will get some yards on the ground. The Nittany Lions running backs are just too talented not to. However, Drew Allar is young and hasn’t faced a defensive line like the one he’ll see on Saturday. Michael Hall has been in the opposing team’s backfield all year causing disruptions. When Allar drops back to pass, a heavy dose of No. 51 in his face should keep him off balance. The Prediction These are the kind of games college football fans live for. Two heavyweights going toe to toe. And this game should be an absolute slugfest. Both teams have the talent to win this game in what I expect to be a back-and-forth, albeit low-scoring affair. At least low scoring by each team’s standards. I do believe that this game will come down to who can win in the trenches. While the Buckeye line hasn’t been up to par much of the season, it has shown improvement over the year. Penn State’s interior line is susceptible to allowing pressure in the backfield. I think that gives Ohio State the edge. There will be some tense moments, but the Buckeyes come out on top in the end. Final Score Ohio State 24, Penn State 20 Line Ohio State minus-3.5

Ohio State’s biggest game of the season thus far awaits this Saturday. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS 6 - 0 ROSTER | SCHEDULE OCT. 21, 2023 - NOON OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OHIO FOXOSU -4.5 5 Things penn State By Andy Anders Yes, Notre Dame was a top-10 opponent on the road, but this is a top-10 opponent in OSU’s conference. If the No. 3 Buckeyes fall to No. 7 Penn State in the Horseshoe this weekend, they no longer control their own destiny for the Big Ten Championship Game or, by proxy, the College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions are an undefeated team that features a talented quarterback with Ohio ties and an elite defense. They’ll put the Buckeyes’ strengths and flaws to the test in FOX’s Big Noon game this Saturday, so let’s take a closer look at what Ohio State is up against. A KID FROM MEDINA Star Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has a small bit of history with Ohio State that predates his collegiate career. With a laser focus on Quinn Ewers, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the class of 2022, the Buckeyes largely left Allar to be charmed by other schools despite what was then a four-star rating in the 247Sports composite. They didn’t so much as extend an offer to him at that time. He committed to Penn State in March 2021, four months after Ewers pledged his services to Ohio State. When Ewers reclassified to the class of 2021 and came to Columbus a year early, the Buckeyes went knocking on Allar’s door with an offer, but there was no longer any interest from the Medina, Ohio native. His recruiting stock had risen in the meantime and he finished as a five-star prospect ranked the No. 32 player and No. 4 quarterback in the country. The Buckeyes instead brought in Devin Brown, the No. 44 player and No. 5 quarterback in the class of 2022. Allar has already flashed his potential in his first season as Penn State’s starter. He’s completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 1,254 yards and 12 touchdowns with no interceptions in six games. Wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith has been his top target, with 31 receptions for 402 yards and three scores. Tight end Tyler Warren has provided a red zone threat as well, with five touchdowns to go along with 16 catches for 129 yards. Ohio State will hope to counter Allar and those weapons with the nation’s No. 4 passing defense, which allows 154.3 passing yards per game. Denzel Burke’s health could be key. RELATED Notebook: Chip Trayanum, Denzel Burke Exit with Injuries Against Purdue SMOTHERING DEFENSE Penn State possesses the No. 1 total defense and No. 2 scoring defense in all of college football this year. The team has stymied all of its opponents with impressive consistency, having yet to surrender more than 15 points or 4.8 yards per play in a game. The Nittany Lions have allowed only 72.5 yards per game on the ground and 121.2 yards per game through the air, totals that rank third and first nationally. Outside linebacker Curtis Jacobs is their top sweeper in the box with a team-high 23 tackles and three tackles for loss, adding one sack and two fumble recoveries. He, Dominic DeLuca, Kobe King and Abdul Carter form a ferocious quartet at linebacker that has combined for 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Defensive end Adisa Isaac has been Penn State’s go-to man for generating pressure with a team-high five sacks on the year. The Nittany Lions can get after the quarterback from many positions, however, with 27 sacks in 2023 to rank No. 2 in the country for that statistic. Fifteen different Nittany Lions have at least one quarterback takedown. Penn State’s secondary has held opposing passers to a 49.1 completion percentage, the best mark in the country by 2.6 percent. The gap from the blue and white to second-place Florida State in that stat is greater than the gap from Florida State to Marshall, who ranks 15th by allowing a 54.2 percent completion rate. An Ohio State offensive line with documented ups and downs and the first-year starting quarterback behind them might have their biggest challenge so far this season on tap. That said, it’s also true that Ohio State’s offense will be the best Penn State has faced so far this season. None of PSU’s five FBS opponents so far this season rank better than 70th nationally in scoring offense or 79th nationally in total offense (both West Virginia). THE BEEFIEST UNBEATEN YET This is the sixth undefeated opponent Ohio State will face in seven games to open its 2022 season, but each of those other six teams has lost a game outside their defeat by the Buckeyes since. With Allar and a bona fide defense in tow, Penn State has yet to win a contest by fewer than 17 points this year, including a 31-0 trouncing of No. 24 Iowa on Sept. 16. It is safe to say Ohio Stadium will present the most hostile road environment Allar has faced in his first year under center, however, with the Nittany Lions’ only road tests to date being at Illinois and at Northwestern. SITUATIONAL SHOWSTOPPERS Turnovers, third-down conversions and red zone efficiency are some of the biggest metrics when it comes to plays that swing games. Penn State is top 20 in most of those areas. The Nittany Lions are second in the country in turnover margin at +10, with six fumble recoveries and seven interceptions against just three total giveaways, all lost fumbles. Their defense is fourth in opposing third-down conversion rate at 26.5 percent and the offense is 19th in converting third downs at 48.2 percent. The offense has also converted 27 of its 33 red zone trips into touchdowns, an 83.3 percent clip that ranks No. 3 nationally, and has added another four field goals inside the 20-yard line for a scoring percentage of 93.9, which ranks 15th. The lone exception to Penn State’s situational excellence is, shockingly, its red zone defense. Opponents have converted each of their trips to the last fifth of the field into a score of some kind against the Nittany Lions, with all but one being a touchdown. That’s, obviously, last in the country for scoring percentage and 113th in touchdown percentage. What’s left out of those rate statistics is that offenses have only been inside the 20-yard line against Penn State’s vaunted defense seven times. That’s the fewest red-zone trips allowed in the country. So, get into the red zone, you’re likely coming away with points. Good luck getting there, though. RECENT RUN OF SERIES SUCCESS Ohio State holds a 23-14 edge all-time over Penn State, and much of that has to do with a six-game winning streak over the Nittany Lions and head coach James Franklin. OSU has won each of its matchups against Penn State since 2016, when PSU won a 24-21 showdown in State College that gave the Buckeyes their only regular-season loss of the campaign. The Buckeyes haven’t lost at home to Penn State since 2011, also the only season this century in which OSU had a losing record after head coach Jim Tressel resigned amid the “Tattoo-Gate” scandal. Joe Paterno’s squad beat the scarlet and gray 14-13 in that tilt during the longtime head coach’s final year. A seventh straight win over Penn State will be crucial for Ohio State to stay on track to achieve its goals this season. With a loss, the Buckeyes would likely need a Michigan win when the Wolverines play Penn State on Nov. 11 to have a shot to get into the Big Ten Championship Game.