Tag: buckeyes football

This Ryan Day guy has been pretty good at coaching American football so far

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has had one fantastic season by all accounts and measures. Buckeye fans should feel lucky to have him.

So far Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has thoroughly impressed Buckeye Nation with an unblemished coaching record. And with the College Football Playoff looming in the near future, it gives Buckeye fans a unique opportunity to reflect back on the season to date, and to see just how truly blessed Ohio State is to have had such a seamless transition from Urban Meyer to the man wearing the headset today.

In the months before the start of this year’s season, so many speculated about an Ohio State slide. Instead, we saw quite the opposite. In Columbus, the expectations are incredibly high, and rightfully so due to the lineage of great coaches and players in the history of the program.

But Day has taken the baton (and whistle) handed to him by Meyer and somehow exceeded those lofty expectations by racing out to a unblemished record in truly dominating fashion.

Most analysts and experts outside the program believed Ohio State would be about a ten-win team with a couple of blemishes during the season. Some in the media didn’t even list Ohio State as one of the top three teams to win the Big Ten.

Undaunted, all the Buckeye program did under Day’s guidance is finish the season in the top five in total offense and defense. The dominance and superlatives are numerous. Ohio State leads the country in sacks and in third-down conversion percentage. The defense is 2nd in the nation in yards given up per game, and third in scoring.

Perhaps most important for many fans, Day prolonged the misery of That Team Up North by stomping the living maize and blue out of it — something every OSU coach is judged by.

While we don’t know how this season will end, we do know that Day has picked up where Meyer left off, and is sprinting ahead with a real shot at hanging another banner in the ‘Shoe.

I’d say so far he’s passed the test with flying scarlet and gray colors.

 

Can Ryan Day carry over the success with Ohio State in an underdog role?

Ohio State has been favored in every single matchup this year, but that’s not the case in the Fiesta Bowl. How will Ryan Day handle it?

With the regular season and another Big Ten Trophy in the trophy case at The Woody, Ohio State now turns its eyes towards preparing for the matchup in the desert against the reigning champs Clemson Tigers.

With the recent history against Clemson, it’s an intriguing matchup. Ohio State is 0-3 against the Tigers, and fans would love to get a sour taste out of their mouth after the 31-0 dominating game Clemson pitched against Ohio State in 2016. Could it be that this year will change the narrative against Clemson?

For the first time this year, Ohio State is an underdog in the Fiesta Bowl despite being the higher seed. In just a short week, it went from being the College Football Playoff’s No. 1 team, to now nearly everyone picking the Tigers to beat the Buckeyes and move on to the national title game. While it may be disappointing to many, it could also be just the extra motivation that the team needs to elbow its own way to a national title.

But let’s be clear here. While there are several players that were part of that 2016 team this one is very, very different. Whether it be coaches, players, or schemes, Ohio State is far different than when it got trounced in the desert last time out.

Some might remember that Urban Meyer was incredible as an underdog with a crazy and somewhat unbelievable 7-0 record.  Could Day be just as great with Urban in that category? Day has this calm presence and has faced adversity this year.

While the conference championship game was too close in the first half for comfort, it tested Day and his staff’s resolve, resiliency, and game-management on the biggest stage yet in his young coaching career. When it’s all said and done, all eyes will be eagerly awaiting the matchup in the desert in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl to see how he does.

Maybe he’ll show he can go from underdog to top dog?

 

After not getting a carry in the Big Ten Championship Game, will we see Master Teage in the Fiesta Bowl plans?

Ohio State backup RB Master Teague didn’t get a carry in the Big Ten Championship Game. What’s in store for him in the Fiesta Bowl?

Master Teague was named third-team all big ten this year despite not getting any carries against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin. That certainly makes one wonder how much part Teague will play with Ohio State’s gameplan in the College Football Playoff.

While some may say that Teague is being underutilized, it’s more likely that the dominance of starting running back J.K. Dobbins has taken away snaps from Teague as the Ohio State coaching staff goes with the hot hand and known commodity.

But now, not only does OSU have a fresh Teague, it has a starting running back that’s nearing 2,000 yards on the season.

To this point in the season, Teague has almost 800 yards rushing and has proven to be a dynamic complement to Dobbins in the running game. It makes some reminisce about the days of Boom and Zoom which was the combination of Boom Herron and Jordan Hall in 2009.

Dobbins and Teague though have better eye-popping stats, with the duo looking at the possibility of rushing for over 2,800 yards on the season once the curtain falls on the 2019 postseason.

So what does all of this mean for the Fiesta Bowl and hopefully beyond?

Of course we’re still going to see a ton of J.K. Dobbins, but look for Teague to be used in short yards situations, or as Dobbins gets gassed from the pounding he is likely to take against Clemson’s defensive front.

No matter what happens, with Dobbins expected to exit the college stage to the NFL after this season, it will most likely be Teague as the featured back next year. He looks to be the next one in the long lineage of great running backs in Ohio Stae history. Buckeye fans can certainly be excited about the future of Master Teague.

But first, I have a feeling we’ll see him a bit more on December 28 when Ohio State tries to slay the defending national champions and earn a spot in the New Orleans for a chance to win a national championship of its own.

 

Can JK Dobbins hit 2000 rushing yards on the season?

Ohio State RB J.K. Dobbins has had one whale of a year. There’s one milestone that’s still attainable that would put him in rare company.

Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins has had himself one whale of a year. As of right now, he is second on the all-time career list for total career yards, and yards in a single year. But is it a legitimate reality that Dobbins could break the 2,000-yard threshold this season?

Let’s dive into the numbers.

As of right now, JK Dobbins has 1,829 yards on the season, which means he could hit the mark in one game if he has a game for the ages in the Fiesta Bowl. But if Ohio State was to make it to the national championship game, he would be almost a shoe-in.

The mind-blowing reality is that Dobbins has done all this without rushing in the second half of four games. Imagine if he played four quarters of every game. He would have likely already eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark for the year.

If Dobbins were to break the 2,000 yard mark he would be the first player in Ohio State history to rush for that many yards in a season. It is noted he would also have played in more games in a season to attain that mark.

No matter what happens though, Dobbins will forever leave a great legacy at Ohio State, it just might be a little sweeter with a win over Clemson in the desert night on December 28.

Fiesta Bowl tickets for Ohio State vs Clemson are officially sold out

The Fiesta Bowl, one of two College Football Semifinals, will showcase Ohio State vs. Clemson. The matchup is officially sold out..

The Fiesta Bowl, one of two College Football Semifinals, will showcase Ohio State vs. Clemson. And now, the matchup is officially sold out, the Bowl’s Twitter account noted.

The game will be played on December 28, 2019, and kickoff is set for 8 pm EST. The 2 pm tweet came just a few days following the announcement of the matchup.

Two of the three remaining undefeated programs, this will certainly be the more notable of the two semifinal games.

For Ohio State, it’s about re-writing history. The last time these two teams met, Clemson destroyed Ohio State, beating the Buckeyes 31-0. The Buckeyes also lost to the Tigers in the 2014 Orange Bowl 40-35.

A 31-point beatdown is certainly still felt, and a senior like KJ Hill should have a little extra motivation heading into the late-December matchup.

Ohio State, one of the nation’s most prestigious football programs, has created a fanbase that travels well. That said, expect the game, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, to have a good amount of Ohio State and Clemson fans in attendance.

Ohio Against The World: Buckeye hoops joins football on exclusive list

The Ohio State Buckeyes made history Monday, with both football and basketball ranked nationally in the Top 3

Monday, it was announced that the Ohio State men’s basketball team moved up to No. 2 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, after blowing past then No. 7 North Carolina in Chapel Hill and a feisty Penn State squad in Columbus.

At 9-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play, Christ Holtmann’s bunch has joined Ryan Day’s football team in the Top 2, just six weeks into the rankings.

The Buckeyes began the season ranked No. 16 in the nation with just 280 votes, but quickly climbed their way into the Top 10, then the Top 6 and now the Top 2 at 717 votes.

Not only is Ohio State the top-ranked team in the Big Ten for football and basketball, but also the most impressive program since 2015. What are we referring to here you may ask?

Michigan State was the last program to hold a Top 5 spot in both the AP and USA TODAY polls at the same time for each sport, all the way back in 2015.

For reference, the Buckeyes are No. 2 in football and No. 3 in this week’s basketball AP Poll. Meanwhile, the Spartans were ranked No. 3, fresh off a conference championship win over Iowa on the gridiron and ranked No. 1 on the court by December 7th, 2015.

As impressive as Michigan State’s feat was, the Buckeyes have already upped it, winning a conference championship of their own, while going undefeated and ranking in the Top 3 for both sports in each poll.

Now, we know what you’re probably thinking. The last time the Buckeyes were this good in their highest revenue sports, they lost two national championship games to Florida in the same athletic year.

No need to worry, every other program in the College Football Playoff is unranked in basketball at the moment and far from a championship contender right now. In addition, the Buckeyes are the fourth team to win two games over AP Top 10 teams by 20+ points in a regular season. The previous three went on to cut down the nets, and oh by the way, it’s only December.

That 2006-07 Florida program we mentioned above? The Gators were ranked No. 2 in football and No. 7 in basketball after the 2006 SEC Championship Game. So yeah, one could say the Buckeyes are on pace to do big things.

Even whackier? Florida and Ohio State’s next football game in 2006-07 was in Phoenix at the Fiesta Bowl (Championship) and the basketball Final Four was in Atlanta.

You might want to go ahead and book those flights and hotels for New Orleans and Atlanta, but remember, you didn’t hear it from us.

As great as it is in Columbus right now, the future looks even brighter.

(Ok, we’re probably getting ahead of ourselves here, but…. No. 2 in football, No. 2/3 in hoops, reigning Big Ten Tournament Champions in baseball, No. 7 in wrestling, No. 6 in hockey… Geesh) 

What a time to be a Buckeye.

J.K. Dobbins and Jeff Okudah agree, this Ohio State team is special

After come-from-behind win to seal the Big Ten Title Game, both Jeff Okudah and J.K. Dobbins agree; this may be the best buckeyes team yet.

When looking at all-time great teams in Ohio State history, it’s hard to look past this 2019 squad. While there were tremendously talented teams back earlier in the decade, this team’s resume speaks for itself.

A dominant win over Michigan in Ann Arbor, a come-from-behind victory to clinch the Big Ten Title, and a perfect 13-0 record are what they’ll take into the College Football Playoff.

But, the resounding theme is that this journey is far from over.

However, there’s no denying the talent on this team, and a few upperclassmen think this team could be the best one they’ve been on.

“For me, yeah, it is. It’s a really big part of this journey,” said Jeff Okudah following the team’s 34-21 victory over Wisconsin. The junior is the team’s best cornerback and easily the most-coveted NFL prospect among secondary players in the country.

He’s been a leader on this roster for three years and has turned in performances that have allowed it to maintain that unblemished record. But, he wasn’t the only one that had something to say on this Buckeye team.

J.K. Dobbins, who arguably should have received both the conference’s best running back award and the title game MVP, also believes this may be the best team he’s been on in his three years in Columbus.

“Yeah, definitely,” Dobbins said when asked if this was the best Buckeyes’ team he’s played on. But, there’s still one central theme, and it’s that this is just the beginning.

But to be the best, the Buckeyes will need to beat the best. With a place in the December 28th Fiesta Bowl against the undefeated defending champion Clemson Tigers, they’ll have a shot to show everyone else what those on the team believe.

Then, if Ohio State can down LSU or Oklahoma, we’ll be talking about whether or not this is the best Buckeyes team in the program’s history.

Ohio State Football: Game time, date released for Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State Football, after being relegated to the No. 2 seed despite being undefeated, will play in the Fiesta Bowl. Here’s the start time.

The Fiesta Bowl, which tag teams with the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl as the two College Football Semifinals, will be taking place in Glendale, Arizona. This season, it will be Ohio State and Clemson, two conference champions, battling it out in the hot southwest, but on an air conditioned venue.

Ohio State is coming off a victory over Wisconsin in which they were down 21-7 at the half. They looked flawed, but the Buckeyes still found a way to win the game after finding themselves in the second half, scoring 27 unanswered.

Clemson has just the opposite. The Tigers blew through Virginia. It’s 13-0, but it’s partially because the ACC is such a weak conference that the Tigers were given no respect as a top-two team in the nation.

That said, Ohio State Football, after being relegated to the No. 2 seed despite being undefeated, will play in the Fiesta Bowl. The game, which will take place on December 28, just released its start time.

Let’s hope this game ends better than the last time these two teams met.

WR KJ Hill becomes Ohio State’s all-time reception leader

Ohio State’s KJ Hill, with a ten-yard reception in the third quarter, became Ohio State’s all-time receptions leader.

Ohio State came out of the gate scorching hot in the third quarter, and KJ Hill certainly helped.

On a drive where the Buckeyes eventually took the lead 24-21, Justin Fields completed a ten-yard pass to KJ Hill. That reception gave him 192 receptions which later taken up to 193 with the go-ahead touchdown.

Hill, who has been playing since he’s a freshman, took over David Boston’s record, who played just three seasons in Columbus in the late 1990s.

While Hill has had a relatively quiet career with Ohio State, he’s slowly become one of their most consistent threats. With that catch, Hill now has five receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown on the day.

Here’s the catch that gave him the record.

With over a quarter left to play, Hill will be looking to widen his lead as Ohio State’s receptions leader. He’s one reception, which will likely come in the fourth quarter, away from three straight seasons of 50-plus receptions.

WATCH: Ohio State’s Jeremy Ruckert makes one-handed touchdown catch

The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off the second half with a bang as Jeremy Ruckert pulled down a game-changing one-handed touchdown.

The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off the second half with a bang as Jeremy Ruckert pulled down a game-changing one-handed touchdown.

He did it just when Ohio State was in need of a huge play as well. Ruckert, a seldom-used option for a dynamic offense, found himself wide open down the middle of the field.

Fields, who had missed a couple similar throws on the day, threw it a bit high, but it was catchable. And catch Ruckert did just that as he hauled down arguably one of the best catches of the year.

Here’s a look at Buckeyes’ second touchdown of the game.

Ruckert came into the game with just 12 catches and 120 yards on the season. This one will be one for the highlight reels for years to come if Ohio State can come back in this one and hoist a the Big Ten Championship trophy.