Can Ohio State still make the College Football Playoff without winning the Big Ten?

If you were a fan who laughed at Michigan when its punt got returned for a touchdown in a last-second loss to Michigan State last year, remember this: That play kept Ohio State out of the College Football Playoff. That may have just happened again. Ohio State's path to the Big Ten Championship took a huge hit late on Saturday night when Michigan shockingly lost to Iowa. Now Penn State goes conference title game if the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes win out. But can an Ohio State team that doesn't win its conference still make the playoff? Yes, but there's no guarantee now like there would have been if the Buckeyes were one-loss Big Ten champions. A few thoughts... No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Washington all lost on Saturday, so there's a good chance that Ohio State will be ranked as high as No. 2 when the playoff committee puts out its rankings on Tuesday. So that ranking may make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside with thoughts like: "There's no way Ohio State could fall three spots if it wins out without playing in its conference championship." You have to understand that it isn't about falling. This isn't the Associated Press Poll. This is about teams continuing to build their own resumes, and conference championships are clearly of great value to the playoff committee. 

If Ohio State doesn't have that conference championship, it's possible it gets hopped over by a one-loss team who does have one. If Wisconsin and Penn State meet in the Big Ten title game and both have two losses before that game, it's possible that one of those teams could get playoff consideration. It's unprecedented what the committee may do because no two-loss team has ever made the final four, but it's a discussion. This is another example of why I feel that we need an 8 team playoff system so that we can have all the best teams playing it out rather than a couple voters who seem to be very fund of Bama and Texas A&M for some reason.

https://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/11/can_ohio_state_still_make_the.html

References

Wasserman, A. (2016). https://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/11/can_ohio_state_still_make_the.html. Cleveland.com, 1.

College Football Playoff picture disrupted after Clemson, Michigan, Washington all lose

   The College Football Playoff picture was turned upside down on Saturday as three of the top four teams in the rankings suffered losses. First, the No. 2 Clemson Tigers lost 43-42 to the Pittsburgh Panthers in South Carolina. Then in Seattle, the No. 4 Washington Huskies fell to the 20th-ranked USC Trojans 24-13. Finally, the Iowa Hawkeyes upset the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines 14-13 in Iowa City on a last-second field goal. It was the first time in 31 years that Nos. 2, 3 and 4 in college football lost on the same day. The same thing happened on Oct. 19, 1985, when No. 2 Michigan lost to No. 1 Iowa, No. 3 Oklahoma lost to Miami and No. 4 Arkansas lost to Texas. So who's now poised to move up into the top four of the playoff rankings? Lurking just behind the top four last week were No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Louisville and No. 7 Wisconsin.

   This past Saturday sent waves across the college football world as everyone struggled to piece together how the committee is going to evaluate these loses. How far will those teams move down and who moves up. One clear beneficiary from this is Louisville who now have a stronger case for the playoff top 4 spot. Surprisingly Penn State and Wisconsin both find themselves in the hunt for the Big Ten championship while Michigan still controls their own destiny. However it doesn't look so well for Ohio State since Michigan fell to Iowa we need Penn State to lose but with the soft schedule remaining for them its not looking too good. We all know how the committee overvalues conference champions and without the chance to play for it we might end up with a repeat of last year when teams that were not the top 4 in the country got embarrassed in the first round of the playoffs because they lucked up and won the conference. Time will tell just how everything will play out and this definitely adds more excitement and hope for all.

http://www.oregonlive.com/collegefootball/index.ssf/2016/11/college_football_playoff_pictu.html

References

Odom, J. (2016). Upsets galore: College Football Playoff picture disrupted after Clemson, Michigan, Washington all lose. The Oregonian, 1.

College football rankings: Alabama, Michigan, Clemson top Week 11 AP Poll; Texas A&M tumbles

   Ohio State thrashed Nebraska by 59 points on Saturday evening, yet the Buckeyes remain at No. 6 in the AP Poll. Perhaps the Week 11 rankings tell us more about what the voters thought of the Cornhuskers than the team that blew them out of The Horseshoe. Nebraska fell a whopping 12 spots in the college football rankings after no-showing against Ohio State. As the weeks go by, Ohio State-Michigan on Nov. 26 is looking more and more like a CFP play-in game. Buckeye fans should be ecstatic that their squad looked like a Playoff team again. The Ohio State team that sputtered against Penn State and Northwestern was not beating Michigan; the Ohio State team that showed up against Nebraska probably was. Also, the Wolverines have to travel to Columbus the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Buckeyes are sitting in a prime position.

   Elsewhere around the country, the story of Week 10 was Texas A&M falling against Mississippi State. It raised more than a few eyebrows when the College Football Playoff committee ranked the Aggies fourth in its first 2016 poll (Texas A&M was ranked seventh in last week’s AP Poll).
That won’t last long. Texas A&M fell to No. 10 this week, and it could drop even further in the next CFP rankings. With LSU’s loss and the Iron Bowl still looming, the Aggies likely squandered any chance the SEC had to punch two tickets the Playoff. It was fun while it lasted. With that said, one conference’s doom and gloom is another’s gain. Washington is the obvious beneficiary of Texas A&M’s loss, but is Oklahoma rising from the dead right before our eyes?

Obviously its clear the committee was wrong in not moving Ohio State up after the schedule they have played this year and the impressive win over Nebraska. Lucky for us, the standing isn't going to matter because if we keep winning we will eventually be where we want to be. Washington doesn't seem to have any real threat remaining on the remainder of a soft schedule for them. Bama seems to be a lock for the SEC and if Clemson falters then expect Louisville to claim that other playoff spot. That's how its looking so far and soon enough we will see how things play out this season.

http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2016-11-07/college-football-rankings-alabama-michigan-clemson-top-week-11-ap

References

Boozell, J. (2016). College football rankings: Alabama, Michigan, Clemson top Week 11 AP Poll; Texas A&M tumbles. NCAA.COM, 1.

Recap: Ohio State embarrasses Nebraska in a display of greatness

Playing its first home night game this season, No. 6 Ohio State hammered No. 10 Nebraska, 62-3. Somehow, the game may not have been as close as the score would indicate. The Buckeyes beat them up and down the field in the first half and then did it again in the second. In the process, they showed that they might have a national championship ceiling when playing at their best. The sky was falling after the loss to Penn State and struggles against Northwestern. Maybe — just maybe — that was an overreaction. Ohio State played maybe its best game of the season at the time it needed it most. The Buckeyes looked great on offense, ferocious on defense and made a top-10 team quit. Their resume now includes wins against THREE teams that were in the top-15 of the initial College Football Playoff ranking. Two of those victories were by three or more touchdowns, and two were on the road. Pretty good.

When Ohio State is clicking there isn't a team in the country that could stopped them. The defense is explosive and JT Barrett and company when playing their best can easily outscore the best offenses. With Texas A&M losing it makes way for Ohio State to jump up in the rankings. With only one lose to an underrated rested Penn State team on the road I have no question Ohio State is without doubt a top 4 team at the minimum. Its looking like a showdown with Michigan at the end of the season is going to be for all the chips.

https://www.landof10.com/ohio-state/ohio-state-nebraska-2016-recap-score-stats

References

Ginn, R. (2016). Recap: Ohio State embarrasses Nebraska in a display of greatness. Land of 10, 1.

Nebraska at Ohio State prediction

   The Huskers proved a lot against Wisconsin, but still, Ohio State is just a bad matchup for Nebraska. The Buckeyes’ defense is a little worse than the Badgers’, but don’t expect Nebraska to miraculously move the ball better against Ohio State. On the other side of the ball, Ohio State’s offense has the edge on Nebraska’s defense. The Blackshirtsich played very well Saturday, but J.T. Barrett is much better than the combination of Alex Hornibrook and Bart Houston. If Nebraska wants to have any chance of winning, Armstrong is going to need to outplay Barrett. I don’t see that happening. Overall, Ohio State, which ranks No. 10 in scoring offense and No. 6 in scoring defense nationwide, has too much talent for Nebraska to win this game on the road.
   I believe that its going to be a good game especially until late in the game. I expect to see Ohio State come out victorious and find their offense in the process. My prediction is a 34-17 victory Ohio State favor. This will be the turning point for the offense and prove to the rest of the country Ohio State belongs in the playoffs.

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/football-score-predictions-nebraska-at-ohio-state/article_6859030a-9f22-11e6-b6a2-5fae16c87044.html

References

DN staff. (2016). Football score predictions: Nebraska at Ohio State . The Daily Nebraskan, 1.

Ohio State vs. Northwestern recap

   The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes looked shaky again Saturday against the Northwestern Wildcats, but they pulled out a 24-20 win. Quarterback J.T. Barrett was given more time than last week to throw, and the run game had decent chunk gains. The run defense continued to look unstoppable. The Ohio State offensive line struggled to open holes between the tackles, but the Buckeyes did a decent job running the ball despite only having 210 yards on the ground. Mike Weber had a 23-yard touchdown run early in the game that was fueled by a gorgeous lead block on the outside by Pat Elflein. Curtis Samuel didn’t have many carries, but his runs were effective. Samuel had seven carries for 31 yards and a touchdown. Barrett and the Ohio State offense looked a little better than last week, but that isn’t saying a lot. Barrett was 20-of-29 passing for 207 yards. Nine different Buckeyes caught passes, but the majority were hauled in by Samuel and Noah Brown. Samuel had a respectable day catching the ball with seven receptions for 68 yards. Brown caught five passes for 51 yards.

   Watching Ohio State win was good as we couldn't afford a second lost especially to a Northwestern squad we were favored to beat in the first place. Its discouraging to see the team struggle after coming out strong to open the season. All hope is not lost but against a good Nebraska team we are going to need to play way better to be victorious next week. Its going to be a big game so I'm hoping it sparks the Offense and gives us that much needed momentum that I have been waiting to see return. Barrett will have to lead the offense more effectively if we plan on bringing the trophy home this season.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2672741-ohio-state-game-grades-vs-northwestern/page/3

References

Holbrook, S. (2016). Ohio State Game Grades vs. Northwestern. Bleecher Report, 7.

Ohio State falls to No. 6 in AP college football poll

   Ohio State was going to fall in the Associated Press college football poll after losing to Penn State on Saturday night. The question was how far? Four spots. The Buckeyes fell from No. 2 to No. 6 this week. Michigan is now the No. 2 team in the country behind No. 1 Alabama. The Big Ten has three teams in the top 10 with Ohio State, Michigan and No. 7 Nebraska. The Buckeyes host Nebraska at Ohio Stadium in two weeks. Penn State made its first appearance in the top 25 after beating the Buckeyes.

   Its painful to see Michigan ranked higher than Ohio State this week but that was to be expected for the moment. Ohio State will be presented with multiple opportunities to redeem themselves this season. I expect to see Ohio State fully rebound and make their way into the playoffs. The offense will find its way very soon and be hitting on all cylinders as we will need to see that high powered offense at full strength to finish the season.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/10/ohio_state_ranked_ap_college_f.html#incart_river_index#incart_big-photo

References

Landis, Bill. "Ohio State falls to No. 6 in AP college football poll, Michigan jumps up to No. 2." Cleveland.com (2016).

Penn State Topples Ohio State After Blocked Field-Goal Attempt

   

   Grant Haley returned a blocked field goal 60 yards for a touchdown with 4 minutes 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and host Penn State upset No. 2 Ohio State, 24-21, on Saturday night for the Nittany Lions’ biggest win in the post-Joe Paterno era. Penn State (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) took its first lead when Marcus Allen leapt high to block Tyler Durbin’s 45-yard field-goal attempt and Haley scooped it up and sprinted to the end zone. A crowd of 107,280 at Beaver Stadium roared, and Penn State’s defense closed out the Nittany Lions’ first victory over the Buckeyes since 2011 with two sacks of quarterback J. T. Barrett. The Buckeyes (6-1, 4-1 Big Ten) had won 20 straight road games.

   It was heartbreaking to see Ohio State lose a game especially to a team like Penn State. Coming off of a previous night game back to back weeks with both Wisconsin and Penn State having a week off prior to us was a challenge that was tougher than what meets the eyes on paper. I still believe Ohio State still can and will make the playoffs although it may require a little assistance but over the past two seasons after a lost we come out the gates fired up. I mean lets be real now Alabama can't be the only team every year to lose one game and still be the 1 seed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/sports/ncaafootball/penn-state-topples-ohio-state-after-blocked-field-goal-attempt.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FOhio%20State%20University&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection&_r=0

References

The Associated Press. "Penn State Topples Ohio State After Blocked Field-Goal Attempt." The New York Times (2016).

Ohio State vs. Penn State Game Preview

   Ohio State passed its first true sign of adversity with flying colors. Not only did the Buckeyes go on the road to Wisconsin and beat the Badgers, they did so overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit, not scoring their first touchdown until less than three minutes remained in the third quarter and making a huge stop in overtime to secure the victory. Ohio State now gets a chance to improve to 21-0 in true road games under coach Urban Meyer this coming Saturday night. Penn State likely won’t be able to stop that from happening. It’s had an extra week to prepare for the Buckeyes and will have the home crowd behind it under the lights, but how the Big Ten’s 12th-ranked rushing defense is going to stop an Ohio State running game that averages 300 yards per game is a mystery.
   You should never underestimate an opponent that has the tradition of winning that Penn State has had over its history. Rivalry games are always tough to win especially on a night game in your opponents stadium after they've had an extra week to prepare. My prediction is that Ohio State will win 34-16 as they as just too talented and too motivated to be stopped by Penn State. 

https://campusinsiders.com/news/ohio-state-vs-penn-state-prediction-game-preview-10-17-2016/

References

Bartl, Jeff. "Ohio State vs. Penn State Game Preview." Campus Insider (2016).

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State keep playoff path intact with OT win over Wisconsin

   Saturday night’s clash between the Buckeyes and Badgers lived up to the hype. Thanks to J.T. Barrett’s escape artistry, OSU emerged from Camp Randall with a hard-fought win. It was clear that Ohio State would not have an easy night when its head coach meandered too close to a sideline official, who promptly whacked him in the head while signaling for the clock to wind. And for this, Urban Meyer got tagged with a 15-yard sideline interference penalty, a slap in the face after the slap in the face. It was clear that Wisconsin was juiced to the gills for this showdown, perhaps best reflected by a Camp Randall Stadium press box that was swaying with fans dancing. 

   Wisconsin truly was a worthy opponent coming off wins against big opponents like LSU and Michigan State. After losing there last top ten mashup against Michigan there was no doubt that the Badgers would be fired up for a night game against OSU. Anytime you give a team of that stature a week in advance to prepare you can expect one heck of a game. J.T Barrett definitely came up in the clutch win a tremendous second half and Noah Brown catch in the end-zone in OT was another milestone in his list of accomplishments this season.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/10/16/ohio-state-buckeyes-beat-wisconsin-badgers-overtime

References

HAMILTON, BRIAN. "J.T. Barrett, Ohio State keep playoff path intact with OT win over Wisconsin." Sports Illustrated (2016).

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Game Preview

The beginning of Wisconsin’s Big Ten slate couldn’t be any more difficult. At Michigan State, at Michigan, Ohio State, at Iowa, Nebraska. After splitting the first two, they had a week off to prepare for the Buckeyes, who are big favorites to remain unbeaten. Barrett showed his dual-threat skills by rushing for 137 yards to help the Buckeyes win vs Indiana, 38-17. He’s going to test a solid Wisconsin defense, and the weapons he possesses offensively could be the difference in this one. The Buckeyes are 5-0 with their smallest margin of victory being 21 points. Barrett is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender and Curtis Samuel is making a quiet case as well. Ohio State’s defense stands as one of the best in the country having held majority of opponents to under 300 yards of total offense all but one time this season.
For me I believe that Ohio State will have little to no problem pulling away from Wisconsin by the 4th quarter. My prediction is that Ohio State will win 42-21 and Barrett will throw for two touchdown passes and run for one. The defense will produce multiple turnovers and we will leave no doubt to the rest of the country that the Buckeyes are for real.

https://campusinsiders.com/news/ohio-state-vs-wisconsin-prediction-game-preview-10-09-2016/

References

Bartl, Jeff. "Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Prediction, Game Preview ." CampusInsider (2016).

J.T. Barrett secures top spot with another win

The candidates for the best players in the Big Ten have become fairly well established as we near the halfway pole. There is sure to be some movement throughout the rest of October and November, but it's safe to say a couple of these mainstays have earned a permanent spot on these lists as long as they remain active for the remainder of the season. Barret currently sits atop the Graham-George Offensive Player Of The Year award thus far and that is well deserved. The Buckeyes offense didn't throw much against Indiana, but Barrett still found a way to be a game-changer with the ball in his hands. He ran 26 times for a team-high 137 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the first half. He's the most dynamic quarterback on the league's most dynamic offense, so he stands alone at the top of this list right now.
Personally if it wasn't for the play of Lamar Jackson and the return of runner up Deshaun Watson I would say Barret would be first up for the Heisman. Its great to see Barret bounce back this season with a strong 2016 campaign so for after a rather disappointing 2015 performance. He has accepted the role of leader and his team feeds off of his energy. He is guiding Ohio State towards something special that I'm positive will end in a playoff appearance and championship trophy at the end of the season.

http://www.espn.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/137430/b1g-awards-race-tracker-barrett-secures-his-top-spot-with-another-buckeye-win

References

Murphy, Dan. ESPN. 2016. october 2016.

Ohio State’s domination of Rutgers shows why recruiting is so dang important

   It isn’t uncommon for teams, even highly talented, well-regarded teams, to come out flat on a noon kick, even when facing overmatched opponents. Any concerns that group would include Ohio State were summarily dismissed by the mid-second quarter. Ohio State didn’t just beat Rutgers. They crushed them. They held the hapless Scarlet Knights to three completed passes. Three. They rung up over 660 total yards, and rushed for over 400. There was barely a damn thing Rutgers did well over the course of the game, even though cosmetically, it didn’t even look they played that poorly, or at least, not until it was far too late. Urban Meyer showed about as much mercy on former pupil Chris Ash as the NPR News Team did during the Anchorman fight scene. None.
   When it comes to difference in talent there's no doubt having a team full of 4-5 stars helps at the college level. Urban Meyer has developed a culture that will continue to keep Ohio State in the running for years to come. Competition doesn't allow for starters to become comfortable to where they overlook an opponent because they must be on their A game to hold on to their starting job. Talent plus excellent coaching equals the success that replicates in a few lopsided victories but we don't apologize for being great!

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2016/10/2/13134570/ohio-state-football-rutgers-power-rankings-urban-meyer

References

Brown, Matt. "Ohio State’s domination of Rutgers shows why recruiting is so dang important." SB Nation (2016).

Ohio State Buckeyes remain No. 2 in AP college football poll, pick up more first-place votes

The Buckeyes received six first-place votes this week, two more than last week. But Alabama, once again the No. 1 team in the poll, received 53 first-place votes. The gap between the Crimson Tide and the Buckeyes actually widened this week. Clemson, Michigan and Washington make up the rest of the top five. Wisconsin came in at No. 11 after losing to Michigan, and Nebraska is No. 12 -- giving the Big Ten four teams in the top 12. Louisville, which received six first-place votes last week, fell to No. 7 after losing to Clemson on Saturday night. Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Michigan and Houston were the top five teams in the Amway coaches poll this week.

Personally I think Alabama is ranked over Ohio State only because the voters are always so high on Bama. Yes they are a powerhouse but Ohio State arguably has had the bigger win of the two and according to my eye test they are a better team. It seems as if everyone wants to overlook how the Big Ten has so many highly competitive teams in the conference and they the SEC is getting softer as we all know that outside of Bama there really isn't another team contenting for a title (sorry Bulldog fans). In my opinion at the end of the season Ohio State will be crowned champs. Then next year they will vote Bama #1 again..

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/10/ohio_state_football_ranked_ap_1.html

References

Landis, Bill. "Ohio State Buckeyes remain No. 2 in AP college football poll, pick up more first-place votes." Cleveland.com (2016).

What Les Miles' firing and the coaching carousel means for Ohio State

   We’re not even to October yet, and for most college football programs, this season is still in the early stages. But a few programs have already started to look to next year. The biggest, of course, was LSU, who made the somewhat surprising decision to move on from the Les Miles era. Florida International also fired Ron Turner Sunday, so there are officially two open FBS head coaching positions (besides Baylor). More will likely open up in the coming weeks. Ohio State isn’t scheduled to face either team in the near future, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t potential ramifications for the Buckeyes. As far as personnel is concerned, LSU’s search doesn’t look like it will directly impact Ohio State. Urban Meyer isn’t going to leave for the Tigers, and while the Buckeyes have plenty of assistants that could potentially be hired as head coaches this offseason (Luke Fickell, Ed Warinner, and of course, Greg Schiano), the odds that any of them would be considered LSU coaching candidates is exceptionally low. one of LSU’s top candidates will almost assuredly be former Ohio State assistant and current Houston head coach Tom Herman. Whether Herman will be interested remains to be seen, but coaching prowess coupled with LSU’s talent and recruiting advantages could be formidable. Ohio State doesn’t really recruit against Tom Herman now, but if he took the LSU job, Meyer and Herman might be butting heads more regularly on the recruiting trail.
   If there is one thing that teams that sustain success over the years fear at the end of every season is which assistant coaches will be leaving and what school will they be joining. Last college football season the lost of Tom Herman without question cost Ohio State vs Michigan State. Alabama lost its assistant this offseason to a division foe Georgia so this scare is definitely something that you take into consideration everytime a top tear school releases a coach and your team has excellent coordinators. Its bitter sweet because your losing a coach but your happy to see him advance in his career and wish him success. That is until his new team squares off against your team.

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2016/9/25/13052182/ohio-state-football-lsu-fiu-head-coaching-search-impact

References

Brown, Matt. "What Les Miles' firing and the coaching carousel means for Ohio State." SB Nation (2016).

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott shines on Sunday Night Football stage: Ohio State NFL Roundup

   The Chicago Bears defense was the cure for Ezekiel Elliott's early-season rookie struggles. Elliott had not been playing poorly, but he wasn't quite living up to the expectations that come with being the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft. A night against a short-handed Chicago defense was what Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys needed. Elliott finished with 140 rushing yards on 30 carries, helping Dallas to a 31-17 win on Sunday night. Elliott's 140 rushing yards are the second most for an NFL running back this season. Perhaps Sunday night's game was the beginning of a turnaround for Elliott. Or maybe it was just a game against a bad team. Either way the Elliott running on Sunday night would have looked familiar to Ohio State fans.
   Those of us who have watched Ezekiel over the last few years knew it was only a matter of time until he would have that breakout game that we all know he is capable of. It surely was frustrating hearing the comparisons made to Trent Richardson especially since the season was so young. It was indeed refreshing to Zek signally to the cowboys to continue to feed him the rock and there's no doubt to me this is only the beginning to a great career for him. As a true fan of Ohio State I enjoy seeing our former players excel in the NFL as well.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/09/cowboys_rb_ezekiel_elliott_shi.html

References

Landis, Bill. "Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott shines on Sunday Night Football stage: Ohio State NFL Roundup." cleveland.com (2016).

College Football Playoff mock committee

   A week of big games led to some big shakeup in the mock College Football Playoff rankings. It made things fun, and difficult. Our mock selection committee -- made up of Doug Lesmerises, Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis of cleveland.com -- met again this week to come up with College Football Playoff pairings, plus the first two teams on the outside, after a loaded Week 3 schedule. The Buckeyes are making their first appearance in this committee mock top four after a convincing win over Oklahoma. The only question consist of where do they rank when compared to other teams like Alabama or Louisville.
   Finally some shakeup at the top after two week's of Alabama at No. 1. Louisville, after its 63-20 win over Florida State is now at the top of their mock playoff rankings. Florida State is a team they had in the top four in the first two weeks, so they put a ton of value on that convincing Cardinals win. Alabama is 2nd while Ohio State is above Houston holding the 3rd ranking. Other teams in consideration is Michigan State, Michigan, Texas A&M and Stanford.
   Things are definitely going to continue to change as we are very early in the season. I feel that Oklahoma would have to play perfect football from here on out and hope for a little luck if they have any chance at returning to the playoffs. The Big Ten to me is looking as good as advertised with so many tough teams and I wouldn't be surprised that if Houston stumbles and another conference produces a 2-3 lost division champion that perhaps the Big ten will have two representatives in the playoffs. The only question would be who will be the second team aside from Ohio State of course.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/09/college_football_playoff_mock_14.html

Reference

"College Football Playoff mock committee: Ohio State is in, but where should Buckeyes be ranked?" Cleveland.com (2016).

Ohio State vs. Oklahoma 2016 final score, with 3 things to know from OSU’s 45-24 win

   The Buckeyes didn’t start until an hour and a half later than its original start time, but that wouldn’t stop Urban Meyer’s squad. The Sooners would start things off on offense, coming out swinging by attacking the Buckeyes through the air early and often with play action. In the redzone, Ohio State’s defense would tighten up to hold Oklahoma to a field goal attempt, which would clang off the right goalpost. Buckeyes wouldn’t do much better on their first drive as the Sooners would force a punt after a false start penalty sent them back. On its next possession, facing a fourth and one, the Buckeyes would hand it to Curtis Samuel who would turn the corner past the defense for a touchdown. Ohio State would get on the board first, 7-0.
   Just as it looked like the Sooners were building some momentum for a comeback, the Buckeye defense stood strong and sacked Baker Mayfield on fourth down to take over on offense. Ohio State would take advantage of the turnover on downs, answering with a field goal by Tyler Durbin to put the Buckeyes up 45-24. With Oklahoma pressing for a score, the Buckeyes defense would again stand tall, forcing another turnover on downs to essentially put the game on ice.
   As I predicted on my postgame blog Ohio State was simply to talented and too determined on making a statement nationally to be denied. Oklahoma couldn't beat Houston so I expected that we would definitely come out victorious as even the rain delay couldn't slow our offense down. Noah Brown had touchdown after touchdown including an amazing catch in the end zone where he pinned the ball against the back of the defender for the score. One can only wonder just how good Ohio State truly is as we haven't played our best football this season yet. Ohio State enters this week ranked #2 in the nation.

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2016/9/18/12952786/oklahoma-ohio-state-2016-final-score-recap

Reference

Cuevas, Ian. "Ohio State vs. Oklahoma 2016 final score, with 3 things to know from OSU’s 45-24 win." SB Nation (2016).

Ohio State community involvement waterproofing

   Ohio State Waterproofing understands the impact that being involved with the community can have on the quality of life of our people. Whether it be through charitable organizations or community oriented events, they are always looking for ways to improve. It is through children, health and heroic people that Ohio State Waterproofing has opened its heart to giving. Those children are paving the road to our future. Knowing that a child can never have too much in the way of safety, love and support has encouraged Ohio State Waterproofing to wholeheartedly participate and initiate events that nurture our youth.
   Effort is continually being made by medical professionals to find cures for illness and to preserve the health of our people. They proudly donate to organizations funding these efforts. That is part of their commitment to making every tomorrow even more promising than today. Ohio State Waterproofing openly gives to those people and organizations that protect and serve our nation. Ohio State Waterproofing takes time to give to the causes that touch our hearts every day. Whether it be through existing charities and organizations that are important to our people, or through programs they create in-house, they are constantly looking for new ways to contribute to communities.
   I feel that this is a great thing that Ohio State is doing to help people in the community. It goes back to building a family that extends further than the football field. Its inspiring how they reach out to assist those in need of assistance and strive to make tomorrow better than today. This is what every organization should strive for each and everyday. I expect nothing less from a first class organization that does things the right way.


http://ohiostatewaterproofing.com/community-involvement/




References

OSU. Ohio State waterproofing. 2016. september 2016.

Ohio State vs Oklahoma preview

   Ohio State football burst out of the gate this season at a pace that defies its youth.
With only six returning starters from last season, the Buckeyes have shown no signs of a drop-off from coach Urban Meyers previous teams with a 2-0 start against overmatched opponents. Ohio State climbed to No. 3 in this week's Associated Press poll after a 48-3 victory over Tulsa on Saturday at a rain-soaked Ohio Stadium after destroying Bowling Green 77-10 in its opener.
Now comes the first big test this week when the Buckeyes travel to Norman, Okla., to face No. 14 Oklahoma (1-1) in a matchup of storied college football programs on Saturday night.
   Ohio State's defense was the story in the win over Tulsa. The Buckeyes forced six turnovers and completely throttled a team that finished 13th in the country in total offense a year ago.
The defense returned only three starters from last season, but playmakers are emerging all over the field for the Buckeyes, who have given up 13 points in two games and seven of those came on an interception return for a touchdown. Safety Malik Hooker is leading FBS in interceptions with three through two games and cornerback Marshon Lattimore had two picks against Tulsa. They're looking forward to more of a challenge and for improvement this week.
   To me one of the biggest advantages Ohio State has going into this game comes from the assistance of former offensive coordinator Tom Herm who lead the Houston Cougars to an upset win against Oklahoma in week one. Urban Meyer and Tom Herm have already discussed the game and this is definitely an advantage to Ohio State. Meanwhile Oklahoma is fighting to salvage a season that is already on the brinks of potentially failing to reach there post season goals. Another lost is surely to prevent Oklahoma from receiving any love by the college football committee when teams are view very critically. My game prediction is Ohio State wins 38-20.


http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/College-Football/2016/09/15/Ohio-State-at-Oklahoma-College-football-game-preview/9901473943723/

References

Bean, Doug. "Ohio State at Oklahoma: College football game preview." UPI (2016).

Ohio State football | Scholarship for walk-on Joe Burger a family tradition

   

  One of Ohio State’s seven football captains is not like the others. Joe Burger is not a starter. Until this year, the senior linebacker wasn’t even on scholarship. Burger, along with fellow senior and roommate Craig Fada, was put on scholarship this year. He becomes the latest in a long line of Burgers who have earned scholarships the hard way. His dad and a brother were walk-ons who earned football scholarships at Notre Dame. Two other brothers followed the same route in golf at Xavier. 

   Burger earned the scholarship and the captaincy with an unrelenting work ethic and an unflagging spirit. Burger is expected to play on the punt and kickoff teams this year, so he does contribute on the field. He was talented enough at Cincinnati LaSalle High School to earn scholarship offers, including one from Bowling Green, Ohio State’s opponent Saturday. But his greatest impact is the effect he has on others.

   These are the kind of players that have heart which is something every coach loves having on his/her team. Skill is amazing but in the end of the day when you have heart and that's something special. His hard work is finally paying off and he is recognized by his peers as someone who is the ideal example of what a captain should be. He is the very definition of a blue collar athlete who makes everyone around him better and he has earned this scholarship. This is certainly an amazing thing Ohio State has done in rewarding him for his hard work.

http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2016/08/31/joe-burger-family-tradition.html

References

Rabinowitz, Bill. "Ohio State football | Scholarship for walk-on Joe Burger a family tradition." Buckeyextra (2016): 1.

This year's Ohio State football team will be the most talented overall team in years

Urban Meyer has produced top-ten F/+ finishes at Ohio State since the 4-year straight rolling talent average hit 89.32 -- which means that the average player on the Ohio State roster was a borderline four-star recruit. The overall talent level has only increased since then, where the average player is now at 90.24 -- a firm four-star recruit.

The total point averages confirm the depth of talent at Ohio State and is really shows a more dramatic uptick in talent. While the four-year average point totals have been constant at around 289 points, the weighted rolling average point totals show that the talent in the system is getting more experienced. Now those former blue chip recruits are veterans -- players like Raekwon McMillan, J.T. Barrett, and Sam Hubbard. Barrett played tremendous in the opening game against Bowling Green accounting for 7 touchdowns after a poor start throwing a pick six.

As the overall talent base improves, consistency becomes easier to predict -- which is why anything less than a top-ten F/+ finish would be a surprise, despite heavy personnel losses to the NFL.The conference has shown early signs that Big Ten victories will be challenging with Wisconsin upsetting LSU while Michigan continues to look like its going to be in it until the very end again. This team is extremely young but that only means the future is very bright for Ohio State as we continue to improve game by game. The first true test for Ohio State will come very soon against Oklahoma who made the playoffs last season and will be looking to prove something after that lost to Houston in week one. 


http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2016/7/10/12089224/ohio-state-football-recruiting-2016-season-projection-nice

References

Peltier, Chad. "This year's Ohio State football team will be the most talented overall team in years." SB Nation (2016): 1.

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