Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State to open season against Oakland first week of November
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Ohio State to open season against Oakland first week of November
Ohio State will open next season against Oakland on Nov. 6, according to CBS Sports Insider Jon Rothstein. The Buckeyes will host Texas A&M four days later on Nov. 10.
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Oakland, 3-0. The teams first met the night Value City Arena opened in 1998, and Ohio State took care of business, 89-61. They then faced off again the following season. The Buckeyes won that matchup, 76-50. Eleven years later, in 2010, Ohio State and Oakland played each other. Once again, though, Ohio State won handily, this time as the No. 2 team in the country and by a score of 93-62. Interestingly enough, Oakland made the second round of the NCAA Tournament that season. It was actually the Grizzlies’ second straight appearance in The Dance.
Oakland hasn’t been back the last 12 years, 10 of which the program has spent in the Horizon League. The Grizzlies are coming off a 13-19 season, the fourth losing campaign in the last five years under longtime head coach Greg Kampe.
In addition to squaring off against Texas A&M on Nov. 10, Ohio State has another marquee non-conference game on the books. The Buckeyes will play West Virginia in Cleveland on Dec. 30. They will also take part in the Emerald Coast Classic over Thanksgiving weekend. The early-season non-conference event in Niceville, Florida, features Alabama, Oregon and Santa Clara, along with Ohio State. As was the case last year, the Buckeyes will participate in the CBS Sports Classic, which includes Ohio State, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA.
The Big Ten released the Buckeyes’ conference home and away opponents in April. You can check those out here.
Handing out superlatives for Buckeyes 2023 NFL Draft picks
Ohio State had six players picked in the NFL Draft for the second year in a row: five on offense and one on defense. It’s a Buckeyes draft class that’s headlined by a trio of top-20 picks, namely C.J. Stroud, who is the highest-drafted quarterback in program history.
Stroud accounts for one of a handful of superlatives Lettermen Row is dishing out to Ohio State players embarking on their NFL careers. Which former Buckeyes standout is heading into the best situation? Who was the biggest late-round steal from Ohio State?
Those questions, and more, are answered here.
Mel Kiper Jr. believes Marvin Harrison Jr. could be top-three pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Ohio State could have a collection of 2024 first-round draft picks. Regardless of the final number, that group will likely be led by wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., a Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2022 who is already drawing significant praise from NFL brass.
During the final day of ESPN’s draft coverage this past weekend, longtime draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. noted that he believes Harrison could be the second or third overall pick in next year’s draft.
If that were to happen, Harrison would be the first wide receiver drafted in the top three since Calvin Johnson Jr. went No. 2 overall to the Detroit Lions in 2007.
Here’s what Kiper said about Harrison’s prospects.
Counting down
Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 124 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 208 days
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