Buckeye Talk: Ohio State Podcast By Cleveland.com

The Game has finally arrived in what is yet another matchup between Ohio State and Michigan where both teams are undefeated. Once again, this game will decide who heads to the Big Ten Championship Game next weekend and most likely locks up a spot in the College Football Playoff. It's also the final version of the rivalry game that will ever mean as much as it does this year. Plus some of the off-the-field drama only adds to the magnitude of the moment. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview The Game from a football perspective. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Plus some of the Texters give their best idea for what GameDay signs they would make. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This might be the biggest version of The Game that Ohio State and Michigan have ever been a part of. Part of the reason for that is what is at stake on both sides with a win or a loss. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, Andrew Gillis and the Texters get into every bit of it on this almost 2.5-hour episode of Buckeye Talk. Ryan Day is trying to avoid losing three straight games to the Wolverines, even if there might one day be an asterisk next to the first two. His first full recruiting class in 2021 is trying to live up to the hype it arrived with while also trying to get their first pair of gold pants finally. Then there’s the Kyle McCord element of this in how much this can impact his legacy as OSU’s latest starting quarterback. This episode is all about being hyperbolic leaving no room for middle ground. It’s a chance to find out where you stand even if you aren’t the most extreme version of that stance. As Ohio State heads into the biggest game it’s played in during the Day era, it’s time to see how a fanbase f

Numerous members of the Ohio State football program spoke on Tuesday ahead of an all-important game against Michigan. Head coach Ryan Day discusses how the Buckeyes are managing a week filled with a ton of emotions. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles discussed how much what happened last season is impacting how he’s planning for this season’s game. Then Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr., Cody Simon, Emeka Egbuka and Denzel Burke gave their thoughts on the rivalry game. Burke was the only person amongst that group to show any level of emotion toward what’s coming on Saturday while everyone else tried their best to keep things vanilla. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the vibes around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and much more heading into The Game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Harbaugh spoke with the media on Monday to discuss the Ohio State-Michigan game and now it's time to talk about it. Cleveland.com sent its rivalry reporter Jimmy Watkins up to Ann Arbor and afterward, Jimmy joined the rest of the Buckeye Talk crew to discuss the game from Michigan's perspective. That meant determining how healthy the Wolverines are heading into The Game and what the vibe is around a program that is trying to get ready for a rivalry game while also dealing with a scandal. There are numerous reasons why this game matters to the Buckeyes and we will spend all week talking about it. But this might be the end of the line for the Harbaugh era and everything that's led up to it has made it just as significant for that side. In what in many ways feels like the last dance, Jimmy joins Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis to discuss everything that's on the line for Michigan on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State closed out the home portion of its 2023 schedule with a 37-3 win over Minnesota and we spent almost no time talking about it. The word 'Minnesota' was sad 10 times on this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk as Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis elected instead to start talking about Michigan and the most important game on the schedule. How big of a deal is it that OSU could be close to full strength heading into Ann Arbor? Is Ohio State peaking at the right time while the Wolverines may be trending in the wrong direction? Which quarterback would you rather have: J.J. McCarthy or Kyle McCord? These are the things the trio used a postgame pod to discuss to jumpstart a week filled with plenty of talking points surrounding the 2023 edition of The Game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State wraps up the home portion of its schedule with a game against Minnesota which on paper is expected to be as lopsided as last week's win over Michigan State. One team is trying to pull off an upset by potentially catching the other looking ahead to bigger things. The other side is trying to get through the game as seamlessly as possible without any hiccups. Those hiccups are mostly focused on a special teams unit that has made a habit out of making a noticeable mistake that eventually the right team will capitalize on. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview The Buckeyes' Week 12 opponent while also discussing what special teams coordinator Parker Fleming had to say about the unit's problems. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Finally, before closing things out, the crew ta

Marvin Harrison Jr.'s time as an Ohio State football player isn't over quite yet and how much longer it goes will be decided next weekend in Ann Arbor. But his accomplishments so far have made it abundantly clear that he deserves the right to be called one the best wide receivers in program history. Maybe even the best. That's why on this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, we've decided to update OSU's wide receiver Mount Rushmore. It's an exercise we did two years ago across multiple positions, but so much has happened in the wide receiver room that it's fair to see how much has changed from a list that didn't feature anyone whose career takes place during the Ryan Day era. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day and Jim Knowles spoke ahead of Ohio State's final home game of the 2023 season as it prepares to face Minnesota. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to the various news that came out of the Tuesday press conference starting with the status of various players dealing with injuries. Then after the break, the trio discuss whether they think OSU is planning to make some changes to its offensive line personnel 10 days out from its biggest game of the season against Michigan. Then they wrap things up by discussing how they think Day will handle the various questions about the Wolverines he will get next Tuesday now that The Game has finally arrived. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis answer questions from texters on Ohio State recruiting. The discussion points: Would a third-straight Michigan loss impact OSU on the recruiting trail? Is Ohio State in danger of losing five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith? Thoughts on five-star quarterback commit Air Noland and the future of the quarterback room. What players are the Buckeyes looking to flip between now and Signing Day? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most important game of the season awaits Ohio State on Nov. 25 when it travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan and everything leading up to that date is viewed through those eyes. While the Buckeyes took care of business beating a below-average Michigan State team on Saturday the Wolverines finally played a top-tier opponent walking away with a road win over Penn State. But what did that game teach us about The Game? Stephen Means and Nathan Baird use a Monday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss what they learned about Michigan on Friday and whether it impacts how we view Ohio State’s chances of ending its two-game losing streak against its rival. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State finally summoned the fast start it had been looking for, scoring touchdowns on five of six first-half possessions and rolling to a 38-3 victory. Nathan and Andrew recap the most significant takeaways, catch up on the injury issues and delve into another dominant performance by the defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has suspended Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh from being on the sideline for the final three regular-season games. The punishment had been looming for three weeks in the wake of the NCAA opening an investigation of Michigan's illegal in-person scouting operation. Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis jumped on Buckeye Talk shortly after the news broke to share their first impressions and discuss this through the eyes of Ohio State fans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has dominated Michigan State during the Ryan Day era winning by an average margin of 35.5 points. Given the way both teams have looked this season, there is good reason to believe that Saturday will be no different when the Spartans come to Columbus to face the Buckeyes. One side will be looking to continue its march towards returning to the Big Ten Championship Game. The other just trying to get its second Big Ten win. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview OSU’s Week 11 opponent. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Plus they spend a few minutes giving their thoughts on Ohio State’s new alternate grey jersey which will debut Saturday night. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is two weeks away from the most important game on its schedule when it travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. Games against Michigan State and Minnesota until then are simply steps on that journey where the main goal should be walking away without any scares and not adding to its list of players already dealing with injuries. For the Wolverines, the goal is leaving Penn State with a win potentially setting up yet another edition the rivalry where both sides are undefeated. All eyes are on that Nov. 25 matchup, including the guys at Buckeye Talk who will spend this Thursday episode looking at OSU’s roster. Which positions are ready for The Game and which still have reasons for concern with less than 14 days until kickoff? The Texters give their answers in a survey with Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis providing their reactions and commentary. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day spoke with the media ahead of Ohio State's primetime game against Michigan State and the topic of discussion came down to three issues: Day provided insight — well, sort of — into the numerous injuries OSU is dealing with most of which are in its secondary; Kyle McCord's growth and the need for this passing offense to take the next step and; Why can't the Buckeyes special teams unit stop having negative plays that could one day cost them a game or even their season? That's practically what every question asked to Day was about on Tuesday. So that's practically all that will be discussed on this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are two weeks away from Ohio State's matchup with Michigan which will be the deciding factor for a lot of things in the Big Ten. But for right now Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis will use a Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss the future of the two programs by looking at their efforts on the recruiting trail. The two look at the difference in standards in class quality but also what a successful cycle looks like. Then after the break they look at the quarterback commits on both sides and how the two are inadvertently linked together. For OSU that’s five-star commit Air Noland and for the Wolverines, four-star Jaydn Davis who was a five-star recruit at one point in his career. Wrapping things up, Andrew reveals which commits on both sides he thinks have a chance to have an impact on the rivalry the earliest in their careers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Buckeye Talk which means taking a look back at Ohio State's most recent performance in a 35-16 win over Rutgers. Stephen Means and Nathan Baird first look back on yet another impressive day for running back TreVeyon Henderson along with an offensive line that may have figured things out in the run game. We've become accustomed to OSU relying on its passing attack to move the ball down the field but that could change in 2023 as long as Henderson is healthy. Then after the break, Stephen and Nathan discuss a defensive line that's been at a quality level all season. But there's maybe an argument that the unit could benefit from a deeper rotation in the name of getting its best guys to the games that matter most. Wrapping things up is yet another discussion about a special teams unit that keeps finding ways to make significant mistakes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State improved to 9-0 following a 35-16 win over Rutgers that had a little bit of everything in it. There was some good and bad on both the offense and defense while the special teams unit continued its streak of finding a way to have at least one thing go wrong each week. On this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a back seat to the Texters allowing them to guide the conversation on how they feel about a team whose still undefeated despite having plenty of flaws. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State looks to extend its winning streak over Rutgers on Saturday even if its offense isn't on par with what it has been in recent years. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview OSU's Week 10 opponent. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to the Buckeyes and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle McCord is eight games into being Ohio State's starting quarterback this season and his performance may have some mixed reviews among fans. He’s had his fair share of quality moments on his way to 2,163 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 9.4 yards per attempt. Those numbers are paired with an 8-0 record which features two wins over top 15 opponents while leading a team that debuted at No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings. But he’s also had some no-so-good moments that have often directly led to points not being on the board and resulting in a 64.1 completion percentage which has become uncharacteristic for OSU quarterbacks. Eight games in, how should fans feel about their new quarterback? On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a step back while allowing the Texters to carry the podcast with their thoughts on McCord. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices