Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com

On this Wednesday rants Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises gets stuck on one topic longer than usual. But it's a pretty important one -- the play-calling tendencies of Ohio State coach Ryan Day the last two weeks, especially in the run game. Maybe 60 percent of the 100-plus rants sent in were on this topic, so the pod breaks down this way: Segment 1: Doug mostly lays the groundwork for the discussion with some stats and comparisons to other college offenses. Segment 2: Rants from every angle about the play-calling. Segment 3: A look at the initial College Football Playoff rankings for the season that have Ohio State at No. 2 behind Tennessee. It's a different rant episode than usual, but thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back for the usual discussion. That means a deep dive into an aspect of Ohio State, a look at the national college football scene, and then a list of what's on their mind outside football. First, (4:50), they talk about the bubble screens Ohio State ran against Penn State and why they didn't work. Then (18:24) the discussion moves to the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season coming out on Tuesday night. Doug and Nathan predict where they think the Buckeyes will be and break down all the conflicting into for the committee. Then (38:54) it's back to the run game, and what happened with scheme, the blocking and the running backs on the 19 primary run calls against the Nittany Lions. Finally (1:15:38) the guys do Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin', which includes a healthy dose of the Ohio Renaissance Festival that Doug attended Sunday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the postgame Buckeye Talk from Ohio State's win over Penn State. But Doug is worried he's going to get locked in Beaver Stadium. So he has to hurry: Part 1: Offense good or bad? Part 2: JT Tuimoloau, Marvin Harrison Jr, C.J. Stroud and Cade Stover shine Part 3: Run game ... what do you think? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday episode of Betting the Buckeyes, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are, as always, looking at Ohio State football and college football from a gambling perspective. First, Tyler suggests an Ohio State bet for this week and it may be a change from the old reliable Ohio State angle that had been cashing. Then (13:37), Doug and Tyler each make a betting suggestion in each of the Power 5 conferences. Look out Illinois and Bret Bielema? Finally (31:42), Tyler offers another upset special after hitting last week, gives his three best bets, and offers a tip about betting trends. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down Saturday's game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions. First, they start with the most interesting things they heard from Ryan Day and Ohio State players on Wednesday and Thursday. That includes more discussion at Jaxon Smith-Njigba's health, Julian Fleming's return home for this game, and how C.J. Stroud views the Penn State defense. Then (39:16) there's a crossover discussion with the Penn State podcast Blue-White Breakdown as Doug includes some segments of his visit there with Penn State reporters Bob Flounders and Dave Jones. Finally (51:37), Doug, Nathan and Stephen return to make their picks for the game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rants are late this week, and for that Doug Lesmerises apologizes. But they are here, with Ohio State text subscribers sending in great thoughts to ponder. The topics: The importance of the Ohio State offensive line and sticking with the run game An Ohio State fan at a Penn State Halloween party Letting a kid pick his or her favorite team, and will Bama still be good in 10 years? Was Ohio State slow to change the offensive game plan against Iowa? How great was the Jim Knowles hire? Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt Rapid rants, including standing at games and souffles C.J. Stroud Corey Dennis Kirk Ferentz and what Doug thought of his multi-day arc with the Iowa coach Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode, we're switching it up. Instead of Ohio State rants (which will come your way Thursday), this is a rapid fire Q&A with Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means taking questions from text subscribers. In order: (0:30) The 2023 OSU schedule (7:30) Julian Fleming and his role this season (18:05) OSU players that could get hot down the stretch (23:43) How the coaching staff could improve (32:16) Backing in to parking spaces (41:13) How much the idea of the brotherhood affects Ohio State's performance on the field That last one went long, so it wasn't very rapid. But thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Rants back tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back to break it down. First, a look at the opposing pass defenses that the Ohio State Buckeyes could face in their quest for a national title. How might Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Clemson and Michigan fare in trying to slow down C.J. Stroud? Plus, a second look at how Iowa defended the Buckeyes, and an answer to whether the Ohio State offense is the best unit in the nation. Then (47:53), based off Doug's column on Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, the discussion turns to when head coaches have too much power in college football and what can be done about it. Finally (1:03:11), it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin', covering, among other things, an inaugural visit to The Cheesecake Factory and Doug's evolution as an athlete. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk from Ohio State's 54-10 win over Iowa in Ohio Stadium, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down how the OSU passing game got it rolling late and how the OSU defense smothered Iowa's desultory offense all game. First, the guys look at C.J. Stroud and how he played almost two different games. The Iowa defense provided a real test early, but the passing game broke it open late. What part of the game told you more? Then (28:41), the guys talk about the return of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, which didn't last all that long. Also, the Ohio State running game never got going against the Hawkeyes -- does that matter? Finally (57:10), it's a look at the dominating day for the Ohio State defense against the stumbling Iowa offense. Can the defense carry the Buckeyes when needed? And could Penn State next week be a version of Iowa, but tougher? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker start with a discussion of the gap between the offensive outputs of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Iowa Hawkeyes this season, and what that means for the gambling perspective of Saturday’s Ohio State-Iowa matchup. TSHoe, as always, has a suggested Ohio State bet for that one. Then it’s onto five picks from each of them, one each in the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and Big Ten. Doug is working out a theory this week -- nervous team unders. He picks out some overachieving teams playing big games and finds some bets to make on the under. Tyler, meanwhile, is letting the math lead his picks, including some more first-quarter bets where he’s been digging in to find more of an edge lately. Then it’s the Underdog Pick of the Week, plus Tyler’s three best bets. And finally, the weekly tidbit of sports betting advice. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are previewing Ohio State vs. Iowa on Saturday. First, Doug is joined by John Steppe of the Cedar Rapids Gazette to break down what Iowa does pretty well and what Iowa does very poorly. Then (25:47), Doug, Nathan and Stephen talk about the most interesting things learned from Buckeyes like C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr. and J.T. Tuimoloau this week. Then (54:58), the guys make their picks for the game, with Ohio State favored by 29.5. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are answering questions about Ohio State football recruiting from text subscribers. Among the topics covered: Is there any chance Tennessee flips OSU receiver commit Carnell Tate? Which defensive line recruits from Damon Wilson, Matayo Uiagalelei and Keon Keeley might the Buckeyes land? Could Ohio State flip safety recruit Caleb Downs back from Alabama? What are the prospects for OSU 2023 QB recruit Brock Glenn? How might the increasing success of teams like USC, Texas and Tennessee affect Ohio State recruiting? Is there a personal relationship that might help safeties coach Perry Eliano land a 5-star? And much more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is again taking rants from Ohio State text subscribers. Topics covered, in order: Iowa scars and what the Buckeyes should expect vs. the Hawkeyes Ohio State's history of successful revenge How wins over ranked teams should be counted Giving Emeka Egbuka credit Why passing is the way to win Comparing Ohio State's history of NFL QBs to other programs How Ohio State should view Tennessee, and what Jim Knowles thinks of the Vols' offense Rapid rants, from cold baseball to nugget sauce C.J. Stroud and the Heisman race Is Michigan overrated or should the Wolverines be respected? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are celebrating a wild weekend of college football that didn't include the Ohio State Buckeyes, who were off. After several unbeaten teams lost, including Alabama, Doug and Nathan each give their projected four-team playoff bracket for the first time this season. Could both Ohio State and Michigan make the playoff if they're 11-0 when they meet? Doug and Nathan outline all the possibilities there. At 27:45, they start to reveal their playoff brackets. At 42:20, they discuss the offenses that impressed Saturday and whether they could give the OSU defense trouble. Then there's a Heisman Troop discussion around C.J. Stroud. In the final segment (59:46), it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eaten', Whatcha Thinking'? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this weekend Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking another look at the Ohio State football roster while the Buckeyes are off and splitting their regular season in half. They have six regular-season games to go, and they have collected six wins, thanks in large part to the skills of these 25 players. In the preseason, Doug, Nathan and Stephen did a ranking of the OSU roster. Each of them assigned a value between 1 and 20 points for a player’s value to the team and another value of between 1 and 20 points for the player’s rare talent. Then the text subscribers (sign up for a two-week free trial at 614-350-3315) rated all the players on a 1 to 10 scale for a Q rating -- how good they think the player is and how much they like him. The result was a 50-point rating for each player, and a top 25 list of the Ohio State football players with the most influence. And six games in, everyone did it again. Four players dropped out of the top 25 and four players moved in. Several players moved up or down by more than 10 spots. All of that is detailed on Buckeye Talk to get you through the weekend until the preview of Ohio State-Iowa begins next week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode of Betting the Buckeyes, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are diving in even without an Ohio State game this week. In the first segment, they discuss TShoe's evolving strategy of betting the first quarter, as he continues to dig into the numbers on that. He's 5-1 on OSU bets like that this season, and even without the Buckeyes, he has a team to hit with a first-quarter bet. Then Doug and TShoe look at the odds for Ohio State and other teams to both make the playoff and win it all this season, and they discuss futures bets and how you should think about them. In the second segment (18:19), the guys make their picks for five major games this week. They disagree head-to-head on the Penn State-Michigan game, so that battle is on. Finally, (37:15) Tyler gives his upset pick and his three best bets for the week. The best bets have been consistent winners lately, and an old favorite team pops up again. At the end, they discuss how to read the market late in the week and how that should influence your betting. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk Podcast, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are joined by Richie Kyburz, a Buckeye Talk listener who won the Buckeye Talk NCAA Tournament bracket contest six months ago. A spot on the pod was one of the prizes and it took this long for Buckeye Talk to get itself together and get Richie on the show. With Ohio State halfway through the regular season and off this week, this episode is handing out midseason awards and making a few predictions for the rest of the season. The rundown: Offensive Player of the Year so far (6:53) Defensive Player of the Year (15:28) Offensive surprise (29:12) Defensive surprise (38:12) Best position coach (43:38) Player you now think is a future star (54:45) Biggest worry rest of the way (1:07:00) Predicting first-team All-Big Ten players (1:19:25) Outrageous Predictions for the second half of the season (1:28:02) Richie's view on the 12-team playoff (1:37:55) Thanks to Richie for joining the show, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is back with rants about college football and Ohio State football that he had saved up from test subscribers. Topics covered in order: Snakebitten Ohio State football stars through the years, like Jaxon Smith-Njigba Is college football in a bad spot? Ohio State's offensive line the best in years Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Ohio State Plural or singular sports usage Ohio State's WR room among the best ever Getting Dawand Jones to stay for next season Playing young cornerbacks How does the Big Ten's depth compare to other conferences? SEC bias -- where it's earned and not earned Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird start with a conversation about backups quarterbacks around the country. Alabama almost lost with backup Jalen Milroe on Saturday and Kansas almost won with backup quarterback Jason Bean. Would the Buckeyes be able to win with backup Kyle McCord this season? And what makes the perfect backup QB? Plus, a look at how much all the best teams this season have played their No. 2 quarterback. Then, (27:46) Nathan and Doug look more specifically at Ohio State and the offensive infrastructure that would aid a backup QB. That means receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, the offensive line, and the play calling of Ryan Day. Would all that make most backups look good? Doug and Nathan then (46:10) look at how Baron Browning is succeeding in the NFL and once again lament how Ohio State didn't use him correctly. Finally, (57:46) it's Whatcha Watchin', Eatin' and Thinkin', with thoughts on squeezing in movies, Abbott Elementary, wings places, driverless cars and TV spoilers on social media. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk after Ohio State's 49-20 win over Michigan State, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means take postgame questions from text subscribers. As a reminder, those questions usually aren't "Why is Ohio State so good?" So the Buckeyes are 6-0 heading into their off week and very possibly playing like the best team in the country. But the majority of questions were centered around three topics: With Miyan Williams out Saturday and TreVeyon Henderson leaving the game after hitting 100 yards with a minor injury, should OSU fans worry about the running back health? And how important are the running backs to a championship OSU season? Why doesn't Ryan Day let the second-team offense, specifically backup QB Kyle McCord, do more? Why are the cornerbacks continuing to struggle at times, what can be fixed there, and which opponents could take advantage of what looks like the weak spot in the defense? Other topics covered include Mike Hall Jr, the explanation for Ohio State's pick-six, and kickoffs going out of bounds. Again, Ohio State played very well and should inspire a lot of confidence in fans, but this is what was on the minds of the Buckeye Talk faithful halfway through the regular season. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday episode of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Tyler Shoemaker (the official bookmaker of Buckeye Talk) and Doug Lesmerises break down Ohio State vs. Michigan State from a gambling perspective and make picks around college football. First, TShoe and Doug discuss whether oddsmakers are late to the party on Ohio State's first-half and first-quarter offensive success, and what that means for betting Ohio State. Plus Doug tells a gambling story from college that involves baseball cards. Then, (20:33) Doug and TShoe slide into their national picks, where they have a particular angle on Alabama this week. And Doug also has thoughts on Quinn Ewers and Texas. The pod wraps up (33:03) with Tyler's best best and upset special, and if his upset pick hits, it'll change the College Football Playoff race. Tyler also coins the phrase Bet Peeves. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means preview Saturday's matchup in East Lansing between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan State Spartans. The guys drive right into a deep breakdown on both sides of the ball, first asking how Michigan State's still leaky pass defense can slow Ohio State, then looking at Michigan State's problems running the ball this season. Then, (26:52) Nathan and Stephen divulge the most interesting conversations they had with OSU players this week, talking Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, Marvin Harrison Jr. and his cleats, and Luke Wypler. Finally, (46:55) Doug, Nathan and Stephen make their picks, and discuss some good news for a loyal Buckeye Talk listener. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug, Nathan and Stephen try something new on this Thursday Buckeye Talk. In the wake of the firing of Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, it's time to spin the Big Ten coaching wheel. Doug, Nathan and Stephen had to decide whether current Big Ten coaches kept their jobs based on the rules of this game: 3 coaches had to stay in the current jobs. 3 coaches had to move from one Big Ten job to another. 3 people associated with Ohio State (mostly current or former assistants) had to take over a Big Ten program. 3 other new hires had to be picked. And the final 2 spots were wild cards that could be done in any of the four categories. The result was a discussion of every Big Ten coaching job and whether the right person is currently in the job, but with a twist. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's rant time again on this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, and here's what Doug Lesmerises and the Ohio State text subscribers covered about Ohio State football and a few other topics: Injuries and load management Punt return strategy A better Ryan Day nickname C.J. Stroud rhythm OSU QBs in the NFL Rapid fire rants, including on spoiled milk Leading questions in news conferences Don't worry about Paul Chryst Could Ohio State be this season's super team? A vote on Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Monday on Buckeye Talk, which means Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are hitting three big areas: Looking back on Ohio State's Saturday game, a larger view of college football, and Whatcha Watchin', Eatin' and Thinkin'. First up, a deep dive into Miyan Williams and his huge rushing game Saturday in Ohio State's win over Rutgers. How he did it, what his role should continue to be and how he's made his mark on the Buckeyes. Then (34:15) it's the Sunday night firing of Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst. Were the Badgers right to do it, who might replace him and what's wrong and can be fixed with the entire Big Ten West? Finally, (59:25), Whatcha Watchin', Eatin' and Thinkin', which ranges from The Godfather to pancake advice. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk after Ohio State's 49-10 win over Rutgers on Saturday, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are diving into three main areas, with a long discussion of Miyan Williams' big game coming on the Monday pod. First on this one, a look at one of the best games of Zach Harrison's career and what his presence on the defensive line might mean in the second half of the season. Then (24:03), a look at C.J. Stroud's night and how opponents are trying to focus on the OSU passing game and how the Buckeyes are handling it. Finally (40:48), the on-field finger-pointing confrontation between Ryan Day and Greg Schiano and what it told us about Day. Plus, why it happened. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, and Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are here to talk Ohio State-Rutgers and national college football through a gambling lens and to offer some best bets for the week. First, Doug and TShoe discuss Ohio State as a 39.5-point favorite over Rutgers and look at the history of the series, where the number is almost always big. Last year, Ohio State was only favored by 15 and Doug remembers how odd that was. TShoe has a particular bet he likes for Ohio State that fits with a fast start by the Buckeyes. Then (19:09), it's time to make picks from every power conference, as Doug tries to bounce back from another week of struggles. Maybe LSU's Brian Kelly will save him. At the end (40:17) Tyler offers his three best bets and a HUGE upset pick of the week. He's feeling good after hitting his upset special last week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk game preview of Ohio State vs. Rutgers, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means do their best to make the Scarlet Knights seem interesting. At the start, Doug mostly complains about how hard that is. At 9:19, the game breakdown gets into Ohio State's current injury status and whether Jaxon Smith-Njigba might play; the few players on Rutgers to watch; and how OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles may attack Rutgers' third-string quarterback. Then at 37:02, it's time for the game predictions, plus a look back at a preseason Mark It Down Monday and how Doug, Nathan and Stephen did with those predictions. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back with rapid fire questions from text subscribers. Topics covered include: Ohio State football's cultural relevance The Keon Keeley recruitment What if there's a three-way tie in the Big Ten East? Are there any threats to Ohio State before the Michigan game? What national teams should OSU fans be rooting for and against? Could we ever cover Michigan? Which OSU game next year will be streaming on Peacock? A reset of the Heisman Trophy race, and is C.J. Stroud viewed as the front runner or not? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and the text subscribers are offering rants and takes on the Ohio State Buckeyes. The topics covered: How backup QB Kyle McCord is used Tommy Eichenberg as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year The success of offensive line coach Justin Frye Rutgers stinks Wisconsin stinks LeBron James Rapid fire rants The future of Jaxon Smith-Njigba C.J. Stroud in the Heisman race This is the best Ohio State team since the Super Sophs in 1968 As usual, a lot of ground is covered and a lot of takes offered. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back to put Ohio State in the national context, reexamine Ohio State's win Saturday, and do Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin'. First, for the opening 45 minutes, the national conversation: Should Ohio State be No. 1 ahead of Georgia? How did Nathan vote in the AP poll? Discussing the 19 undefeated power conference teams and how many are good How are Michigan and QB JJ McCarthy looking? Is Minnesota the best team in the Big Ten West? Then, at 45:02, the OSU discussion: How Ohio State handled Nick Herbig, Wisconsin's best defensive player Snap counts for the Ohio State defense against the Badgers C.J Stroud's ranking among the national leaders in passing stats Then, at 1:08:32, Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin': Bo Burham, Keegan-Michael Key and gentle humor Fast food bagels and air fried chicken A smelly pooch mystery, and memories from the 1998 McGwire-Sosa home run race Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means run through No. 3 Ohio State's 52-21 win over Wisconsin in Ohio Stadium on Saturday night. First up, the Ohio State defense, which proved that Graham Mertz isn't good and gang-tackled Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen all night. The Buckeyes held down the Badgers while missing their top three cornerbacks. Then at 24:41, the talk turns to the Ohio State offense -- the two running backs, the offensive line, tight end Cade Stover, and the receiver play without Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Also discussed is Ryan Day's play-calling, which may have been as good as it has ever been. Finally, at 1:00:08, the focus turns to quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw five touchdown passes but admitted he has to make sure he doesn't get bored handing the ball off. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's the preview for Ohio State vs. Wisconsin on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium, as the 3-0 Buckeyes will host the 2-1 Badgers. In the first part of this pod, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means look at Ohio State's defense vs. Wisconsin's offense and theorize about how much the Badgers might need to throw the ball. Then it's Part 2 (27:02) and the Ohio State offense vs. the Wisconsin defense. This is the usual question -- Can Wisconsin handle the Buckeyes' passing game? In the third part of the episode (37:39), Doug, Nathan and Stephen make their picks, and then discuss the Wednesday practice absence of cornerback Denzel Burke. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are talking about the possible live betting opportunity on Ohio State on Saturday night. TShoe's ratings have Wisconsin as a top-15 team, so the fact that Ohio State is favored by 18.5 points might be a bit high. Might it take a quarter for Buckeyes' defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to adjust to Wisconsin? If so, a first-quarter Wisconsin score could set up a live betting chance on Ohio State, and Doug and TShoe discuss what that means. Then, it's time for picks, with love of a Pac-12 team, belief in a Big Ten team, and expected mercy from an SEC team. Finally, Tyler gives out his upset special and his three best bets of the week. Then there's a tip about betting over/unders, even as Doug messes up the advice by falling for a quarterback. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back to rapid fire topics presented by Ohio State text subscribers. The topics covered in order are: Is Ohio State's better chance at a title next season, or is 2022 the best collection of talent for a title? What are the thoughts on the I-formation and new offensive looks? Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba sometimes be a decoy? How should the Will linebacker snaps by divvied up between Steele Chambers and Cody Simon? Do the Buckeyes look like they're having fun? They should be How is Ohio State on third-and-short this season? That leads into a look at how the Buckeyes stack up on third down in a lot of areas Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises one again entertains rants, takes and strong opinions on the Buckeyes from the cleveland.com Ohio State text subscribers. The topics covered, in order: A bad take heard at a bar The OSU standard vs the Browns Taking a grandpa to an OSU game Alex Grinch Night games Feedback on Ryan Day or Urban Meyer Ohio State puts out a wrong injury report Are the defensive ends wrecking plays? Michigan's quarterback revenge Cornerback concerns Sonny Styles The defense isn't bend, don't break How C.J. Stroud handles himself compared to past OSU QBs Ryan Day vs. Kirby Smart How should TreVeyon Henderson be viewed, used and counted on That's a whole lot of rants and takes. Thanks for listening to them on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are breaking the pod into three segements. First, from the start to 23:35, Ohio State football: A rewatch of how the defense played vs. Toledo A big-play breakdown for the OSU offense and defense Snap counts for the linebackers, defensive ends and receivers And more Then, from 23:25 to 1:04:27, national college football and how the Buckeyes fit in there: How Garrett Wilson played in his second NFL game Sunday Where Ohio State's defense ranks compared to other top teams The Michigan-Maryland matchup coming Saturday Penn State's win over Auburn What Nebraska should learn from Ohio State and whether Urban Meyer, Tom Herman or Brian Hartline could make sense for the Cornhuskers Then from 1:04:27 until the end, it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin': TV shows that are good and/or annoying us Squash Job interviews and what happened to Craig Kilborn? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to talk about Ohio State's 77-21 win over Toledo. First, a discussion of C.J. Stroud and the passing game, which continues until the 41:33 mark,. Then, it's onto the injury to TreVeyon Henderson and the OSU run game until the 1:00:11 mark. And finally, it's the Ohio State defense and how it handled Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn until the end of the pod. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Betting the Buckeyes again on Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are back to talk Ohio State and college football from a gambling standpoint. To start this episode, they run through the lines on Ohio State-Toledo and TShoe offers the bet he likes best around the Buckeyes. Then they talk about trying to get in a coach's head in the second half of a blowout. Then, Mr. Math and Mr. Emotion each make a pick in each of the Power 5 conferences. The bets run from Iowa to Maryland, from LSU to North Carolina State, from USC to Baylor. And then the pod ends with TShoe giving his Upset Pick of the Week and three best bets. Tyler is rolling with his bets so far this season, so get on board. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means preview Ohio State's home game with Toledo at 7 p.m. Saturday night. First, they run through the news and insight on Ohio State, including the latest on what Ryan Day said about the health of star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then they look at Toledo's best players, Ohio State's history against Ohio teams, and how often Toledo has given a game to ranked opponents. Then they make their picks, with the Buckeyes favored by 31.5. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking a cue from text subscribers and discussing how they try to evaluate the Ohio State Buckeyes early in a season like this. Ohio State owns a 21-10 win over Notre Dame and a 45-12 win over Arkansas State, and what do those wins tell us about how good the Buckeyes are? What should it mean that star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba missed most of the first game and all of the second? How about the fact that Notre Dame was upset in Week 2 by Marshall? Doug, Nathan and Stephen discuss comparing the Buckeyes to their own high standard and to the best teams in the country, discuss what past seasons tell us about early-season evals, and pick out the individual player matchups and scheme successes that they think translate vs. all competition. Also, do the Buckeyes play down to their competition or not? It's all on this Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, the Ohio State text subscribers and Doug Lesmerises are ready to rant again about the Buckeyes. The topics covered, in order: Where Toledo coach Jason Candle is wrong about Ryan Day Ohio State football is playing too many night games At The Shoe, there aren't enough bathrooms and the music is too loud What the Notre Dame and Wisconsin losses do to Ohio State's schedule Good Tommy Eichenberg When C.J. Stroud will run it Michigan should be ranked higher than Ohio State Big non-conference games don't help the Buckeyes Jaxon Smith-Njigba being out is helping Ohio State Leaving Stroud in blowouts is driving some fans nuts Ryan Day's niceness makes some people miss Urban Meyer That's a lot. Hope you like it. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has been on the playoff bubble more than any other national power during the eight years of that version of the postseason. How differently would the recent history have looked had the powers that be implemented a 12-team playoff in 2014? Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means went year-by-year through the actual brackets to see who the Buckeyes would have played. Did limiting the playoff to four teams cost OSU another national championship along the way? Or more than one? Up front, Nathan recaps some highlights from taking a second look at the 45-12 victory over Arkansas State on Saturday. If this is a bend-don't-break defense, is that a positive at this stage considering the opponents? On the other hand, some components of this defense are playing very well, and the potential ceiling remains much higher than what the Buckeyes were working with a year ago. In the final segment, Nathan looks at some national results with OSU interest. That includes Michigan's volcanic eruption against Hawaii and J.J. McCarthy's newly minted status as the Wolverines' starting quarterback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State did not really pull away from Arkansas State until early in the third quarter. Yet as we saw around college football on Saturday, that was not the worst possible outcome for the Buckeyes. Nathan and Stephen give some context to the 45-12 victory through questions from our Buckeye Talk Subtext subscribers. How good will this offense be when Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Julian Fleming return, or will the production stay the same when the names change? What is going on with cornerback Denzel Burke? Has this receiving corps taken a step back in terms of speed, and does it matter? Also, we react to Notre Dame's loss to Marshall and discuss where Ohio State should be ranked going into Week 3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Betting the Buckeyes is back for Week 2 after last week's debut, as Tyler Shoemaker and Doug Lesmerises return to discuss the weekend in college football from a gambling standpoint. First up on this episode, Ohio State is favored by 44.5 over Arkansas State and the total is 68.5. TShoe has a clear angle on one of those bets, and Doug and Tyler discuss getting inside the mind of a head coach in a blowout. Then it's time for Doug and TShoe to each make one bet from each Power 5 conference. Last week, both went 3-2 on these picks, and this week, there's a direct disagreement on Michigan's big number vs. Hawaii. Plus, the USC-Stanford game feels a little fishy, and Doug forgets what conference Texas A&M is in. Then, TShoe finishes the pod with his picks in the weeds, where he really hopes to make you some money. Ohio State will play Toledo next week. This week, the Rockets are part of one of his best bets. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are previewing Saturday's game in Ohio Stadium, when Ohio State will host Arkansas State. But they're also discussing something Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said on Thursday. On this episode: From the start to 25:49, a discussion of Day saying ego can't get in the way of the run game and that starts with him From 25:40 to 44:01, breaking down Arkansas State and their major players From 44:01 to the end, making game picks and picking the Buckeyes that everyone should be most curious about on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, it's rapid fire once again, and then the latest practice update at the end. But to start off, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are answering text subscriber questions and talking Ryan Day and chowder. Topics covered were, in order: Ranking what bothered the offense most Saturday Tyleik Williams and defensive line snap breakdowns What would getting Bronny James mean for the OSU basketball team and the football team? Best game day traditions at Ohio State and what must you do if you attend a game What should you watch for vs. Arkansas State on Saturday How did Paris Johnson play in his first start at left tackle? What if the Buckeyes had made two more plays and won 31-10 vs. Notre Dame? Could Marvin Harrison Jr. still break the OSU touchdown record? Advice for parents Why does it seem like reporters on the Ohio State beat have changed jobs lately? Then, Nathan and Stephen offer the latest updates from interviews after practice on Wednesday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, it's time for more rants and takes on the Buckeyes as Doug Lesmerises welcomes 10 strong opinions from the OSU text subscribers (sign up for a free trial at 614-350-3315) and comments on all of them. In order, the topics are: C.J. Stroud Band noise on broadcasts Miyan Williams Josh Proctor-Lathan Ransom OSU vs. Notre Dame compared to Georgia vs. Clemson last year Stroud running Were we cranky on the postgame pod? When to say Buckeye Talk jokes Being an OSU fan can be exhausting Ryan Day's play calling Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the in-season Monday episode on Buckeye Talk and this is the plan this season as Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird will bring you this pod each Monday. Part 1 is Ohio State; Part 2 is national college football, Michigan and OSU in context; and Part 3 is Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin'? Part 1 in this episode looks at how many explosive plays Ohio State made compared to last year and discusses the Buckeyes defending their Kings of The North title. Part 2 looks a bit at Georgia and Alabama, how Nathan will vote the Buckeyes compared to those two teams on his AP ballot, and what's up with Michigan. Part 3 is bean fields, Urkel, sisters and keys in electric sockets. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the first Ohio State football postgame pod of the 2022 season, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down the Buckeyes' 21-10 win over Notre Dame on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium. It's late. You know how postgame pods work, right? They talk about what happened in the game and what it means? You get it. Enjoy this weekend Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices