According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, former Nebraska and Washington running back/wide receiver Will Nixon will join Syracuse before the 2024 season. Nixon has almost 30 games under his belt across four seasons in college football.

The Waco, Texas, native will have the opportunity to play for his father Jeff Nixon, who was named next offensive coordinator of the Orange in January and has built over 27 years of coaching experience across both college football and the NFL.

READ: NCAA, Power 5 announce settlement agreement, plan to pay student-athletes

Will Nixon ran for 201 rushing yards last season and scored a touchdown in his second year with the Huskies. While Washington advanced to its first College Football Playoff National Championship appearance, Will Nixon played an important role as the team’s second-leading rusher.

The 5-foot-11, 202-pound running back also is a threat in the backfield having averaged more than six yards per carry and catch in 2023. Will Nixon posted career highs in many categories, though in the receiving game he caught 84 yards along with 13 receptions.

Will Nixon was sidelined the first year of his college career at Nebraska after suffering a torn ACL in summer 2020.

READ: College Football Playoff, TNT Sports reach 5-year sublicensing agreement; TNT Sports to begin broadcasting 2 first-round games in 2024

The rising fifth-year is also accomplished in the classroom. Will Nixon earned a spot on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team and won Washington’s 101 Club Academic Award in the postseason.

Will Nixon was a three-star recruit according to Rivals playing at Midway High School in Texas. He earned district MVP after totaling 2,087 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns as a senior.

Syracuse is heading a new direction with former Georgia secondary coach Fran Brown as head coach and incoming quarterback transfer Kyle McCord from Ohio State. Will Nixon will join the Orange and junior running back LeQuint Allen, who led Syracuse with 1,118 rushing yards and nine touchdowns last season.

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According to Pete Thamel, former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard told ESPN that he intends to transfer to Ohio State.

READ: Reports: Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins enters transfer portal

Howard posted on X on Thursday evening his commitment to Ohio State.

The Buckeyes coaching staff “evaluated all of the top portal quarterbacks and arrived with conviction that Howard was the best among them, as they valued his arm strength, experience and dual-threat ability,” according to Thamel.

Howard transfers to Ohio State after four seasons with the Wildcats. He led them to a Big 12 Championship over national runner-up TCU during the 2022 season.

Howard’s passing and running combination reportedly won over the Ohio State coaching staff. In four seasons, Howard has 5,786 passing yards and 921 rushing yards.

READ: Georgia TE Brock Bowers declares for 2024 NFL Draft

This season, Howard had a career-high 2,643 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. He had 10 interceptions, but he also finished with a 61% completion.

Howard will be the second transfer quarterback at Ohio State under head coach Ryan Day. Day and the Buckeyes brought in Justin Fields during the 2019-20 seasons, and Fields led them to a College Football Playoff National Championship appearance.

Howard will arrive at Ohio State after former Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse in December 2023.

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The New Year’s Six bowl games kicked off beginning Friday with the Cotton Bowl Classic between No. 7 Ohio State and No. 9 Missouri. The Tigers have 11 wins for the first time since 2014 after beating the Buckeyes 14-3.

READ: No. 6 Georgia claims Orange Bowl victory over No. 5 Florida State

Friday night meant the start for the New Year’s Six, and it continued Saturday with the Peach Bowl and Orange Bowl games.

No. 11 Ole Miss contested No. 10 Penn State in the Peach Bowl, beating the Nittany Lions 38-25, and No. 6 Georgia blew out No. 5 Florida State 63-3 later Saturday afternoon.

Finally, New Year’s Day will present three New Year’s Six bowl games with two being College Football Playoff semifinal games. The Fiesta Bowl will start the day between No. 23 Liberty and No. 8 Oregon, and the CFP matchups are Michigan-Alabama and Washington-Texas. 

Here are three questions entering the CFP semifinals.

Can Michigan, Washington maintain their higher seeded positions?

Both the Wolverines and Huskies achieved their highest rankings in the CFP era going into the Playoff.

And now, they’re expected to advance and play one another in the CFP National Championship.

But that won’t be an easy task for either team. Both Michigan, going against 11-1 Alabama, and Washington, which plays Big 12 Conference champion Texas, have their hands full.

Michigan will have to keep up with the Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, and the Wolverines will have to battle a decorated program for a chance at their first win in the CFP.

READ: Jaxson Dart throws 3 TDs, No. 11 Ole Miss routs No. 10 Penn State 38-25 in Peach Bowl

Perhaps the most intriguing game of the CFP this season will be in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Washington is making its second trip to the CFP while Texas made its first. Both teams won their conference championships, and the Longhorns enter with one loss coming Week 6 to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.

Both Washington and Texas will compete in the Sugar Bowl with stellar quarterback play. Michael Penix Jr. was a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing runner-up to LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and Quinn Ewers owns a win over CFP rival Alabama and leads the Big 12 Conference with a 70.7% completion.

Penix and Ewers both have taken different paths to get where they are today. Both began in the Big Ten as members of Indiana and Ohio State, respectively, and transferred out for greater opportunity.

It turned into trips to the CFP for Penix and Ewers. Now, both will have a chance at ultimate achievement with a trip to the national championship on the line.

If Washington wins, it’ll compete for its first national title since 1991, and a Texas win would give the Longhorns their first shot at a national championship since 2009.

Can No. 4 Alabama use Saban magic and get past No. 1 Michigan?

The Crimson Tide pulled off the unthinkable and won the SEC Championship following their 27-24 win over No. 6 Georgia, ending the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak.

It rewarded Alabama with the No. 4 spot in the CFP over No. 5 Florida State, which became the first Power Five program to go unbeaten as a conference champion and miss the Playoff.

Saban and the Crimson Tide won the CFP National Championship the last time they played in the semifinal at the Rose Bowl.

Saban and Alabama also hold a 3-2 edge over Michigan in their all-time series having won the past two meetings, including a 35-16 win in the Citrus Bowl at the end of the 2019 season.

But Michigan is different this time around. The Wolverines have navigated a season of adversity seeing their head coach suspended for six games during the regular season due to recruiting violations and for the in-person scouting operation which resulted in a suspension from the Big Ten Conference.

The Wolverines enter the Rose Bowl with the No. 1 scoring defense in college football. They’ve held opponents to 9.46 points per game this season; Alabama has scored at least 17 points in every game this year.

READ: No. 9 Missouri prevails 14-3 over No. 7 Ohio State in Cotton Bowl defensive slugfest

Alabama also will enter with Jalen Milroe riding his hot hand. Milroe has thrown 10 touchdowns over the past four games, and he averages 226.5 passing yards per game.

Where the test will remain is in the trenches. Michigan running back Blake Corum leads the NCAA with 24 rushing touchdowns, and Alabama holds the No. 46 rushing offense averaging 172.7 yards per game.

So in Alabama and Michigan’s latest meeting, a trip to the CFP National Championship is on the line. The Crimson Tide last made it in 2021, and Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines are looking to make their first appearance in the title game behind their first CFP win.

Which team makes the biggest statement?

Bowl season can be impacted by plater opt outs and the transfer portal, and this time around that case still stands.

Players such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Caleb Williams and Jared Verse haven’t played in their teams’ bowl games to preserve their health and focus toward the 2024 NFL Draft. Others, such as Ohio State’s Kyle McCord and Texas’ Maalik Murphy, have already transferred out of their previous programs.

READ: Reports: Buffalo to hire Dave Patenaude as next offensive coordinator

So that leaves teams to turn toward younger players to flex the depth of their rosters. Freshmen who haven’t gotten full games’ worth of playing time or third- and fourth-string players sliding up the depth chart are among the groups that could see increased playing time.

Not only is bowl season about building momentum toward the next season but it’s also about ending the current one on a high note. Teams such as Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon all had disappointing ends to their regular seasons — and in the case of the Seminoles, they missed the CFP.

But those teams still had a chance to end their seasons on a high note. In the case of the teams involved in the CFP, they can still add hardware to their mantles, and it all begins Monday in the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. between Alabama and Michigan.

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According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord will transfer to Syracuse ahead of the 2024 season.

McCord was the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback last season, emerging from a quarterback competition in the preseason.

He started all 12 games and went 11-1 with his only loss coming at Michigan.

McCord totaled 3,170 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to six interceptions last season.

In his Ohio State career, McCord played in 24 games and threw for 3,776 yards and 27 touchdowns.

McCord will join a Syracuse team led by Fran Brown, who was hired to succeed former Orange head coach Dino Babers in November.

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The Wolverines’ head coach has been suspended for six of the 12 regular-season games this season. The team competed in what many considered a weaker nonconference schedule and emerged undefeated entering Saturday when No. 2 Ohio State stepped up to the challenge in “The Game.” 

Interim head coach Sherrone Moore has handled the critics and outside noise, managing the Wolverines to a 3-0 record in his time at the helm and through a 30-24 victory over the Buckeyes. 

“The biggest thing is we just try to focus on what we’re working on, keeping the main thing the main thing that as our guys say, not looking too far into the future, not looking at the past and doing what we can every single day just to get better and attack that moment,” Moore said. “So not trying to look at the outside world and what people were saying. We know what we have in that building, and staying together as a group is the most important thing for us.” 

PODCAST: Week 13 Preview: Rivalry Week is here

Michigan dominated the trenches and kept Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord off balance. McCord went 18-of-30 for 271 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Moore credited the Wolverines for beating the Buckeyes for a third-staight season. He said this year is much different than the past two. 

“The players, the way they practice, the way they did in this game, is something we prepare for 365,” Moore said. “It’s not a one-week affair. It’s not something we just dropped that week. So it’s something that’s planned out very strategically.” 

Junior defensive back Rod Moore had the game-sealing interception with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter. 

McCord dropped back to pass and ranged a throw over the middle, and Rod Moore came down with the pick and later said the game was “personal” to him. 

“Just being from Ohio, just in a sense, like, the whole game is personal every year,” Rod Moore said. “It’s so personal to me, and I’ll say before the defense went out there, I told myself, you’re either going to make the play or somebody else is to seal the game and I told them upfront, they got to get to the quarterback for us.” 

Michigan receiver Roman Wilson caught three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. 

After the game, Wilson questioned Ohio State’s toughness and whether the Buckeyes had more of it than the Wolverines. 

“No, definitely not,” Wilson said. “I mean like I told our receivers this whole week, like, you got guys back there, like, there’s the thing that I thought too like guys who you want to put on like the Louis V, like the $1,000 outfit, like you want to act hard but when you’re out there like they’re not hard. Like I see the film, like, you’re not tough. Like I don’t think I’m the toughest guy in the world. But you know, I’m out there, I’m getting physical like I don’t think they wanted it like I wanted it.” 

READ: Moore’s INT seals No. 3 Michigan’s 30-24 win over No. 2 Ohio State 

Michigan is on its way back to Indianapolis to play in the Big Ten Championship game for the third-straight year. 

The Wolverines will get head coach Jim Harbaugh back on the sidelines in time for the postseason, and Sherrone Moore said they talked with their head coach postgame. He served a three-game suspension as a result of the Big Ten’s investigation into in-person scouting. 

Now, Michigan controls its destiny, and just might get the job finished this season. 

“The big thing he said to me was he loved me and do me, and I told him the same thing,” Sherrone Moore said. “I love him, and we got his back. So like I said in interviews, we got his back. We’ll do anything for him. Players will run through a wall for him, so would the coaches so we were just prepared to go win this game for him.” 

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The Wolverines led 27-24 after Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught his first touchdown of the game on a 14-yard pass thrown by quarterback Kyle McCord. 

PODCAST: Week 13 Preview: Rivalry Week is here

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was then tasked with earning Michigan some insurance points. 

McCarthy led the Wolverines on a 13-play, seven-minute drive that ended with kicker James Turner making a 37-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 30-24 with 1:00 left. 

McCord made two completions to receivers Harrison and Julian Fleming, and the latter fumbled the ball before Emeka Egbuka dove for the recovery. 

One play later, McCord dropped back and looked over the middle, only for his pass attempt to fall into the arms of Moore, his second interception of the season. 

The interception sealed Michigan’s third-consecutive win over Ohio State, earning the Wolverines their third-straight trip to Indianapolis to compete in the Big Ten Championship game against No. 17 Iowa next week. 

Michigan defensive back Will Johnson picked off McCord with 7:32 left in the first quarter, and the Wolverines cashed in their takeaway as running back Blake Corum scored on 4th and goal to go up 7-0.  

McCarthy threaded the needle on the very next drive. He found receiver Roman Wilson in a window between Ohio State defensive backs Denzel Burke and Malik Hartford for a 24-yard touchdown.  

The score capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive. Michigan led 14-3.  

The Buckeyes responded with their first touchdown of the game. McCord connected with Egbuka on a 3-yard touchdown to bring the game to 14-10 in the middle of the second quarter. 

READ: Michigan State hires Jonathan Smith as head coach

Ohio State missed a field goal to try and bring itself closer before halftime. The Buckeyes outgained Michigan 378 yards to 338, but lost the turnover battle 2-0 and allowed the Wolverines to go 4-for-4 on fourth down. 

McCarthy finished 16-of-20 for 148 yards and a touchdown. Corum had 88 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 

McCord went 18-for-30 for 271 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Harrison had a game-high 118 receiving yards. 

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“The Game” on Saturday will pit No. 2 Ohio State in Ann Arbor to face No. 3 Michigan in a top-10 bout for a third-consecutive year. 

Over the years, rivalry moments have taken place between the Buckeyes and Wolverines, and the distaste for one another is there. This year, both teams are 11-0, both teams are atop the Big Ten East Division and both teams are fighting for a spot in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game. 

“I respect them,” Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord said. “It’s hard to stand up here and say I don’t respect the team who’s 11-0, who’s done some really good things in the past few years and they’re a really good team so I think there’s definitely a respect level there. I think we know that they’re a good team, and I would say vice versa so I think there’s definitely a respect level there.” 

PODCAST: Despite chalk at the top, week 12 had intrigue

Two seasons ago, Michigan topped Ohio State for the first time in 10 years. Fans stormed the field at Michigan Stadium and celebrated like a new era had begun, and so it did. 

The Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 42-27 in 2021, when Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy was a true freshman. McCarthy recalled that game two years ago, and said it was like a turning point in the rivalry. 

“It’s kind of like the meme, it was cinema. It really was,” McCarthy said. “It was just a movie. With the snow falling with the just crowd. It felt like the crowd, it was really one heartbeat that was matched with the team and just everything about it was just magical. And I don’t expect anything less this weekend.” 

Last season, McCarthy got his chance to take part in “The Game” and came out on the winning end. He went 12-for-24 with 263 passing yards and three touchdowns, as the Wolverines knocked off Ohio State 45-23 for a second-straight season. 

Michigan has been through some turmoil since the last rivalry meeting with the Buckeyes. The Wolverines suffered a 52-45 loss to No. 3 TCU in the College Football Playoff, and head coach Jim Harbaugh has been suspended for five regular season games this year as a result of alleged NCAA violations and in-person scouting. 

McCarthy is no longer a rookie or young player. He’s a veteran, and his experience has led him to lead the Big Ten in completion percentage with 73.8% and passing efficiency with a rating of 178.3. 

“I think experience is one of the greatest edges you can have as a player,” McCarthy said. “Going into last year that first drive just all those emotions that were creeping in, it was something I’ve never felt before. So now it’s predictable, therefore manageable, and I’ll know how to handle my emotions and get them down to where they need to be.”

READ: Big Board: Week 13

McCarthy and McCord know one another. They both graduated as part of the class of 2021, and both were four-star recruits according to Rivals. 

McCarthy said he talks with McCord every now and then, and since both teams are in the thick of the season in a playoff race, he said he hasn’t spoken to the Buckeye quarterback this week. 

But that doesn’t mean McCarthy isn’t looking forward to going against someone from his recruiting class. 

“It’s going to be really surreal to see him out there in this environment, this game, and just going out there and (I) wish him safety and make sure he stays healthy,” McCarthy said. “But he’s going to give our defense a little bit of some trouble at times, and we got to respond and be able to attack him in any way possible.” 

McCord said he remembers going to recruiting camps that McCarthy also attended, and McCord said he has respect for the Wolverines quarterback. 

“I’ve known J.J. since I think my sophomore year of high school really when we started to go to kind of those national camps,” McCord said. “We got recruited by a lot of the same schools and so just getting to know him as one of the kids in my class who I got pretty close with.” 

READ: Washington rises to No. 4 in 4th CFP rankings

Ohio State is seeking to right its rivalry wrongs of the past two seasons while Michigan hopes to silence critics amid a series of scandals over the past year. 

McCarthy and McCord are the guys tasked with taking on those lofty goals for Michigan and Ohio State, respectively. McCarthy said the Wolverines work “the hardest in the entire country,” and McCord said he’s ready to embrace the challenge. 

“I think that’s when you’re a little kid, you dream of moments like this,” McCord said. “Two undefeated teams in the biggest rivalry in sports, you can’t draw it up any better than that. But I think at the same time, like I said earlier, it’s all about the preparation during the week. It’s all about putting the work in and giving yourself an opportunity to go out and succeed.” 

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The Buckeyes defense had just forced their second-straight and fourth three-and-out of the day, and the Nittany Lions lined up to punt at their own 11-yard line. 

PODCAST: The Shane Beamer Story Isn’t That Serious

Penn State punter Riley Thompson punted 40 yards down the field, but the football kicked off Ohio State’s Lorenzo Styles Jr. and into the arms of the Nittany Lions, setting up their new possession at their 48-yard line in a 10-6 game. 

Ohio State’s defense went out and stopped the Nittany Lions on a three-and-out again. 

“Probably where I’m most proud of them is we got to stop in their end and then we turned it over on the punt return and we came right back out and stopped them again,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “I think that shows a lot of confidence and a lot of want to, ‘Hey, OK, that’s fine.’ You don’t flinch in that situation because that’s easy to hang your head, and they went out there and got to stop so I think that sequence right there kind of shows where we’re at right now.” 

Ohio State’s defense stole the show during Saturday’s top-10 bout with Penn State, snapping the Nittany Lions’ 13-game streak of at least 30 points and holding them to a season-low 240 total yards. 

Penn State had trouble converting and sustaining drives, going 1-for-16 on third down and 1-for-3 on fourth down. 

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said he felt the Buckeyes fed off of one another on defense, and he said Ohio Stadium was “as loud as I’ve heard in a long time.” 

“I just felt the toughness, the physicality on defense,” Day said. “We started off with really stopping the run and then forcing to throw the ball, and there’s a lot of people who did a lot of great things on defense, but I got to give Jim Knowles a lot of credit and his staff for the adjustments they’ve made. That was two top-10 wins now in the first seven games where our defense played really well, and now I’m happy for our guys.” 

This season has brought a significant change to the Buckeyes defense, which has faced challenges allowing explosive plays and teams the ability to beat them with big yardage plays. 

Penn State nearly had Ohio State’s number in 2022 when they had the Buckeyes within 30-24 with less than six minutes remaining before scoring two touchdowns. This year, Ohio State dominated on defense. 

“They now have confidence that they can win the game on defense,” Knowles said. “I don’t look at stats, but I guess Penn State had a pretty good defense, so we talked to them before the game about, ‘Hey, you’re not just playing Penn State’s offense — you’re playing Penn State’s defense.’ If they make one play, we got to make two. If they make two, we got to make three so it’s a sense of maturity, leadership, yeah, maybe a little chip on your shoulder, and we’ve done a lot of work to have everyone have faith in us for sure.” 

READ: Report: Michigan being investigated into alleged sign stealing 

Through seven games Ohio State has a defense that ranks inside the top 10 in the country in total defense and third in the Big Ten Conference in scoring defense. 

It’s a change that Knowles attributes to knowing the scheme and applying it the best they can. 

“They know the scheme, and when I make adjustments during the week and the things you talked about that we had to get the stops, we had to get them off schedule and we make little adjustments in the scheme. They pick up on it, and that’s a big deal because winning those downs in a game like that is huge and that only comes with preparation and with guys who are knowledgeable about the scheme.” 

Day highlighted the play of freshman cornerback Jermaine Matthews Jr. for stepping up in his performance especially in the absence of junior Denzel Burke who missed the game with injury. 

Ohio State linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers topped the tackles totaled for the Buckeyes on Saturday collecting a combined 14 tackles. The linebacker corps was an area that stood out to Knowles. 

“That intermediate passing game combined with really strong running attack; we knew that they were going to be a real focus in terms of making plays,” Knowles said. “I’ve always had faith in them and they’re doing the right things. And then it’s that competitive excellence. It’s showing up when we need them the most and those guys are veterans and they showed that we can count on them.” 

Saturday served as sort of a high point of this season for Ohio State’s defense, which now has two top-10 wins under its belt and allowed 14 points or fewer in each game. 

“I thought that was the most confident and energetic group that I’ve been around probably since ’19 out there on the field today,” Day said. “The whole group was just, they had that look in their eye and they were getting the crowd involved.” 

READ: No. 3 Ohio State pulls away from No. 7 Penn State 20-12 

Day reiterated that the expectation at Ohio State “is to be the best in the country,” and he thinks the Buckeyes defense “has a chance to do that.” 

Another top-10 win with a clunky offense that got going when it needed to paired with a defense that made the stops is something that makes the Buckeyes and Day proud, and he said Knowles is “taking the next step with our personnel and the guys are playing with confidence.” 

“I’ll forget some guys because there was just a lot of great play on defense but if we can play like this, then that’s championship level defense,” Day said. “And if we can keep growing as a team, then we’ll be tough to beat here down the road.” 

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Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord threw for 286 yards and had a touchdown pass to receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who finished with 162 yards and eclipsed 100 receiving yards for a third-consecutive game. 

PODCAST: The Shane Beamer Story Isn’t That Serious

Both teams matched each other with field goals after the first quarter. 

Penn State had a defensive touchdown wiped off the board after a holding penalty midway through the second quarter following a fumble by McCord. Nittany Lions linebacker Curtis Jacobs scooped the football and returned it for what would’ve been a 60-yard score before it was called back. 

Ohio State running back Miyan Williams had a 2-yard rushing touchdown on that same drive in the second quarter. It was his first touchdown since Week 1, and Williams played on Saturday for the first time in two games after missing Week 7. 

The Buckeyes held Penn State to just six total yards throughout much of the second half. While quarterback Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions offense sputtered, it allowed Ohio State to keep them at bay. 

Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding made a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to draw the Buckeyes’ lead to 13-6, then Harrison later scored on an 18-yard pass. 

Penn State’s final drive of 12 plays and 73 yards was its most on the day. Allar went 8-of-12 on the last series for 73 yards, and he found receiver Kaden Saunders on an 8-yard score with 50 seconds left. 

READ: Report: Michigan being investigated into alleged sign stealing

Ohio State outgained the Nittany Lions 365 yards to 240, including a total of 178 yards in the second half to Penn State’s 79. 

The Nittany Lions went 1-for-16 on third down and they converted for the first time on their final series. Allar had 191 passing yards and a touchdown while Penn State rushed for a season-low 49 yards. 

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Allar will return to his home state of Ohio to play the No. 3 Buckeyes in a top-10 showdown with No. 7 Penn State, and it’s a challenge he said he looks forward to.

“I don’t know how many ticket request I have. I delivered that to my parents,” Allar said. “I don’t worry about the tickets because I got to be focused on the game. I can’t be more focused on anything extra other than that, but I mean, it’s just a great opportunity to go back home. Obviously, we’re going to be facing a top team in the country on both sides of the ball and it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

PODCAST: The Shane Beamer Story Isn’t That Serious

An Ohio quarterback playing for Penn State and a Pennsylvania native playing for Ohio State will be the premier matchup of Week 8 when the Nittany Lions travel to face the Buckeyes.

Allar will represent Medina, Ohio, while playing for the Nittany Lions and Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord will represent St. Joseph’s Prep High School based in Pennsylvania.

Allar said “going out and executing our jobs” and “being sound in our assignments” will be key to playing in a raucous environment at Ohio Stadium, a place where he and his friends spent plenty of time growing up.

“I did grow up going to Ohio State games like a lot of a lot of us did in Ohio,” Allar said. “They got a great fan base, a great atmosphere. It’s going to be a very challenging atmosphere. They’re a very passionate fan base. But I think it’s nothing we’re not prepared for. We practice in very loud environments all the time.”

Penn State enters the game Saturday atop the Big Ten Conference and NCAA in a number of categories, notably on the defensive side of the ball.

The Nittany Lions own the top total defense in the country allowing 193.7 yards per game — almost 40 yards fewer than the next closest team.

Offensively, Penn State has the top scoring offense in the Big Ten behind an average of 44.3 points per game.

“I think we’re playing really good complementary football, offense, defense and special teams,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “I think that’s been really important for us.”

READ: Report: Michigan being investigated into alleged sign stealing

When Penn State and Ohio State matched up a year ago in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions had a loss and ranked No. 13 while the Buckeyes were unbeaten, the No. 2 team in the country and playing on the road.

The Nittany Lions drew within 30-24 with less than six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and they seemed to be within striking distance of a home upset.

But Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau had other plans, as he recorded two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

“I think last year’s experience was a learning tool for our entire team, for all of our coordinators and all of our coaches,” Franklin said. “I think we played really well for three quarters and didn’t finish. I think that’s a combination of a lot of things. But yeah, there are opportunities to grow and get better as long as you approach them that way.”

READ: Preview Thursday: Week 8

This year, Penn State and Ohio State will have new starting quarterbacks in Allar and McCord. Both have started all six games this season.

Both Allar and McCord are in the top-three in the Big Ten in completion percentage, and both have at least 11 touchdown passes. McCord leads the conference with 275.2 passing yards per game while Allar is seventh at 209 yards per game.

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 242 pounds, Allar said the biggest area he’d like to improve is consistency in his footwork.

“I think I still have a lot of room to grow in all areas of playing quarterback,” Allar said. “I feel like the times I have missed throws that I shouldn’t be missing is because of footwork that I just, staying a little bit calmer in the pocket and not burning clean pockets, and I’ve been focusing on that the past two or three weeks, so I feel like it’s paying off so far, but just got to keep hammering that down to make sure it doesn’t cost us in the game.”

The quarterback competitions took place in the preseason for the two respective programs, and McCord won the job over redshirt freshman Devin Brown.

Franklin said he sees similarities between how Ohio State handles its quarterback room with Penn State. Plus, there is familiarity between Franklin, McCord and the Nittany Lions.

“They do a really good job of I think they’re approaching it a little bit like we’ve approached it with Drew with a first-year starting quarterback. And he’s doing what he needs to do for them to be successful offensively and win games,” Franklin said “We recruited him. We know a lot about him. We had a ton of respect for him out of high school and continue to, and think he’s going to be a challenge for us on Saturday as well.”

READ: Big Board: Week 8

Penn State will meet Ohio State in a top-10 battle for the fourth time in the past seven seasons and for the first time since 2019.

The Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day have lost only to Michigan in conference play since Day took the helm prior to the 2019 season, but this could be the most stout Penn State program yet.

“We’re trying to find a way to get a win this week against a really good team, against a program that we got a tremendous respect for, coaching staff we got a ton of respect for, the talent that they have,” Franklin said. “But we approach it the same every single week. Everybody on the outside is talking. We’re approaching it the way we do every single week. This is a really important game. Why? Because of how we’ve handled the previous six.”

The post Allar, No. 7 Penn State ‘playing really good complementary football’ ahead of top-10 game at No. 3 Ohio State appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The Sooners, after a 34-30 win over then-No. 3 Texas on the road, jumped up to No. 5 in the rankings. It’s their highest ranking this season.

PODCAST: Which Big Ten Rivalries Should and Shouldn’t Be Protected?

Ohio State also climbed up to No. 3 in wake of the Longhorns’ loss. The Buckeyes defeated an unbeaten Maryland team 37-17 behind more than 300 passing yards from quarterback Kyle McCord. 

Here is the full AP Top 25. 

Georgia 

Michigan 

Ohio State 

Florida State 

Oklahoma 

Penn State 

Washington 

Oregon 

Texas 

USC 

Alabama 

North Carolina 

Ole Miss 

Louisville 

Oregon State 

Utah 

Duke 

UCLA 

Washington State 

Tennessee 

Notre Dame 

LSU 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Miami 

The post Oklahoma vaults to No. 5 after Red River Rivalry in latest AP Top 25 Poll  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

It’s still early to sort out the pretenders from the contenders, especially since the calendar has yet to flip to October, but it’s still worthwhile to take stock in the first four games for many teams around the country.

PODCAST: What’s the Perception of Marcus Freeman After Notre Dame’s Loss to Ohio State?

Missouri, Kansas and Fresno State entered the Associated Press Top 25 Poll this week, and all three programs are off to 4-0 starts. 

The Bulldogs are on a 12-game winning streak, behind only the Georgia Bulldogs for longest in the country. Quarterback Mikey Keene is completing 67.5% of his passes and averaging over 301 passing yards per game. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Are Ryan Day and the No. 4 Buckeyes for real? 

Ryan Day made his statement known after the game last Saturday in South Bend, Indiana. 

Day emphasized Ohio State’s “toughness” and its will to gain one more yard in order to come up on the winning side of a 17-14 tilt with then-No. 9 Notre Dame. 

But after a top-10 win of this magnitude, can the Buckeyes maintain it and build from it? 

Through the first three games of the season, Ohio State’s offense didn’t exactly resemble the explosive offenses of years past. It’s worth noting that Kyle McCord, who won the starting quarterback competition over Devin Brown, was settling into his role as starter. 

The Buckeyes averaged 474.7 yards per game through their first three games, and their defense captured most of the early talking points shown in the strides taken over the offseason. 

Explosive plays have cost Ohio State in recent years, notably in its two losses to Michigan and its College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia. It seems the Buckeyes are being rather stingy on defense, and they have the No. 2 scoring defense holding opponents to 8.5 points per game.

READ: Quotables: Week 4

After a bye week this week the Buckeyes will face 4-0 Maryland which hung around in last season’s meeting trailing 33-30 with as few as six minutes left in the fourth quarter before Ohio State pulled away 43-30. 

This version of Ohio State is different, yet, it is out to a 4-0 start with a top-10 victory under its belt. We’ll see how the Buckeyes fare in October when they host the Terrapins and No. 6 Penn State and travel to Purdue and Wisconsin. 

No. 1 Georgia holds top spot firmly, but has more to be desired 

The Bulldogs have held firm at the top of each week’s Top 25. They’ve yet to lose a game this season and are riding a 21-game winning streak, the longest in the country. 

Georgia has the No. 11 passing offense in the country, its run game is No. 64 and its total defense is No. 17. Those are notable positions when jockeying with other programs, but let’s take a look at which teams are ahead of the Bulldogs in those categories. 

No. 7 Washington holds the top spot in passing offense. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has made an early Heisman Trophy campaign leading the Huskies behind an average of 467.2 yards per game. 

Air Force far and away has the rushing offense that is most productive. The Falcons average 340.5 yards per game on the ground — almost 70 more yards than the No. 2 rushing offense — and does so behind Emmanuel Michel and mobile quarterback Zac Larrier. 

The top total defense goes to Penn State, which is holding opponents to 219.5 yards per game. The Nittany Lions are giving up 81.5 rushing yards and 138 passing yards per game, which is rather stout, and have 11 players with at least one sack.

READ: Stat Pack: Week 4

The Bulldogs have yet to face stiff competition compared to their competitors. Their opposition this season has a combined record of 7-9. 

That should change on Saturday when Georgia travels to Auburn for its first road game of the year, and the Bulldogs haven’t lost away from home in a true road game since falling at Alabama in 2020. Head coach Kirby Smart will have greater tasks ahead of him in order to hold the top spot in college football. 

Bo Nix, Oregon 

Bo Nix is a returner to the Big Board. 

And he and No. 9 Ducks made a statement victory last weekend over Colorado. 

Oregon trounced the Buffaloes, handing Deion Sanders and Colorado their first loss of the season. Nix largely played catalyst for an explosive Oregon offense that put up 35 points in the first half. 

Nix himself is getting into position to be among the country’s premier quarterbacks, and a possible Heisman contender. He’s completing passes at a 79.4% rate, good for second in the NCAA. 

Nix also stacks up with other quarterbacks in other statistical categories. He’s averaging about 26 completions per game, seventh-most in the country, and he’s No. 13 in passing efficiency with a rating of 180.53.

PODCAST: Calculated Risk: Week Four delivered

He’s no stranger to college football. The fifth-year quarterback has played in big games at Auburn where he spent the 2019-21 seasons and is settling in well in Year 2 with the Ducks. 

Nix’s Heisman odds are +1000 according to FanDuel Sportsbook, and his odds are better than his +2000 position a week ago. He’s an interesting contender on a CFP-caliber team, and it’ll remain interesting to see how Nix and Oregon can build on their momentum. 

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