Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com

Ohio State player and parent-led initiatives to convince the Big Ten to reconsider its cancellation of the fall football season began as soon as the announcement came down a week ago last Tuesday. Prior to early Wednesday evening, the Big Ten had not responded to those concerns. When Commissioner Kevin Warren broke his silence with an open letter the Big Ten Community, he emphasized that the decision of the presidents an chancellors was final and "would not be revisited." So we finally have closure on the fall, or do we? Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises discuss what else the Big Ten can do to repair its image right now and how much blame for this rollout that Warren deserves. Rather than spend the whole podcast rehashing the past week, your cleveland,com crew looks ahead to the other big decisions that will follow this one. First up: will the Big Ten go for Ohio State coach Ryan Day's plan for a season beginning in January? Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back for the big Wednesday Buckeye Talk as the Big Ten and Ohio State continue to attempt to figure out the next step for football. The guys talked about: Randy Wade's planned visit to Chicago, as the father of OSU cornerback Shaun Wade hopes to organize a Friday protest Ohio allowing high school football to continue while the Buckeyes aren't playing The future of Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren Whether any other schools would consider a January schedule The long-term ramifications for Ohio State The correct way to eat onion rings And there was news on the recruiting front, as the Buckeyes landed a top-100 player at linebacker in the Class of 2022. Thanks for listening to the latest Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen offered some advice and asked for some help. First, the guys addressed how the Big Ten and commissioner Kevin Warren have handled the last week since the announcement that fall football was canceled for this conference. It ... hasn't been great. But what should Warren do about it now? They had answers. But they didn't have great answers on where to go next with the podcast as uncertainty continues. So the call went on the text subscribers for what they wanted, and the guys went through some of their answers. The Big Ten is in limbo right now, but Buckeye Talk marches on. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barring a reversal from the Big Ten Conference, we can no longer predict whether Ohio State would have won a national championship in fall 2020. However, we can debate what would have happened if the season had been allowed to play out without the influence of the coronavirus pandemic. So that's what Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means did on their usual Monday edition of the daily podcast. All three Cleveland.com staffers gave their four seeds for the College Football Playoff, their national championship matchup and the eventual national champion. They also asked their Buckeye Talk text subscribers to do the same, and you would probably not be surprised to hear they overwhelmingly expected a special season for Ohio State. We also talked about whether a championship means more for the Buckeyes right now if it goes through Clemson or Alabama, why a six-team playoff seems like an increasingly sensible reform and much more. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An unexpected bonus episode of Buckeye Talk, as a planned interview with the parents of two highly-rated Ohio State freshmen about what's happening in the OSU football program after the cancellation of fall football in the Big Ten, turned into a pod opportunity. On this Sunday episode, Doug Lesmerises talks with Monica Johnson, the mother of offensive tackle Paris Johnson, and Gee Scott Sr., the father of receiver Gee Scott Jr. Among the topics: What they would like to see the Big Ten do Any concerns they have about their sons' futures Their belief in how Ohio State has handled things Why they supported the Buckeye Pledge and didn't see it as a waiver What they think of a January football season Their thoughts on the idea of a players' union or association What they think the outcome of this will be Enjoy the extra episode and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The plan for this Saturday pod was to finally get out to listeners a great interview with film breakdown analyst Diante Lee, a California high school coach who last month offered a great view of Ohio State's single-high safety defensive plan from last year. Lee's breakdown caught the eye of Doug Lesmerises, and their interview was ready to go -- and then the Big Ten football season started to crumble. So the interview was pushed back but it still matters because Ohio State football will take the field again at some point, and whenever the Buckeyes are out there, their defensive strategy will be important. But first, Doug opens the pod with the news of the letter that Ohio State football parents sent to the Big Ten. What did it say? Why was it sent? Could it possibly bring back fall football for the Buckeyes? Doug talks all about that before it's time for some film study. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a live Buckeye Talk episode for this Friday, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means try something new. Instead of taking questions from their text subscribers over text, the guys welcomed those subscribers onto a live Zoom call and let them fire away with questions. It'll give you a break from only hearing the voices of Doug, Nathan and Stephen; give you a look at what other Ohio State fans are thinking about; and dive into the continuing saga of what no fall football will mean for the Buckeyes in the short-term and the long-term. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Ten canceled fall football on Aug. 11 and may try to play in the winter or spring. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there reason to hope that Ohio State football could still have a meaningful football season that includes it's best, NFL-bound players? Ohio State coach Ryan Day thinks so. On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means run through the plan that Day unveiled on a Zoom call with reporters Wednesday. What does it entail? Would Justin Fields be a part of it? Would the Big Ten go for it? Could Ohio State still win a national title doing it? The Buckeyes seem to be throwing their weight behind this plan, so you need to know what it entails. It's been a crazy week, so thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Ten Conference on Tuesday canceled football for the fall. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss the historic decision and what it means for Ohio State football, and they read the texts of anguished subscribers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com on this day no one will forget. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, that was something. On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means run through the entire crazy Monday in Big Ten football, which started with thinking the season was over, and which ended with what coaches and players want maybe affecting the decisions of conference presidents. You lived it. It was nuts. So buckle up and let Nathan, Doug and Stephen take you through it. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back for another Mark It Down Monday, as cleveland.com's Buckeye Talk crew debates how many Big Ten games Ohio State will win this season and which opponent is most likely to spring an upset. But first -- will there be a season at all? That question never seems to go away due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means discuss the events of the weekend, when the Big Ten slowed down its preseason football practice schedule and a meeting of university Presidents led to speculation the season might be in jeopardy. The gang debates how soon the Big Ten needs to make a decision and what factors could affect the decision. Then comes Mark It Down Monday, where all three predict the Buckeyes' record during the coming 10-game Big Ten-only schedule. How will COVID-19 affect and potentially interrupt the process? Which teams are most likely to beat Ohio State and why? All three cleveland.com staffers go on the record with their predictions -- and tally up the votes from our Buckeye Talk text subscribers as well. As always, thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk -- now five days per week! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird continue to react to what's happening in college football and how it affects the Ohio State Buckeyes. At some point soon, they'll get back to episodes with specific themes, but for now, the news come fast and furious. First, Doug and Nathan dive into the three major Big Ten opt-outs. The three best non-Buckeyes in the league aren't playing in 2020, so what does that mean for Ohio State's schedule, and are the Buckeyes looking at the kind of easy stroll through the season that Clemson usually has in the ACC? Then, Ohio State captains released a letter in support of Ohio State's handling of the coronavirus and the school's safety precautions around COVID-19. What does that mean for the program and the possibility of any OSU opt-outs? Then, a final quick look at the Ryan Day-Jim Harbaugh kerfuffle and how it's viewed in Michigan. Thanks for joining another busy Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football gets a new schedule and opens preseason practice See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk Thursday episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird discuss a report from Bucknuts about what happened between Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh on a Big Ten coaches call, what Day told the Buckeyes about it, and what it might mean for the Ohio State-Michigan game on Oct. 24. Just listen to understand what they're talking about. Plus, Ohio State held its first preseason practice on Thursday morning. Who are some players to watch? How are precautions about COVID-19 affecting practice? And what has Day told his players about opting-out? Lots to discuss, so thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the big Wednesday episode, and there's a lot of news to discuss after a barren offseason. The Big Ten announced the new 10-game schedule for conference teams on Wednesday, and Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird went through every aspect of it. First, Doug grilled Nathan on the Ohio State-Michigan game moving to Oct. 24, and whether that's a good thing or not. Then, Doug and Nathan welcomed in Purdue beat writer Mike Carmin to discuss the Boilermakers, who were the one new team added to the schedule as a Week 3 opponent. Then, Doug and Nathan talked about the new unity message from the Big Ten players, and how it differs from demands made by Pac-12 players. It's a big Wednesday Buckeye Talk, with a new season to analyze. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this extra Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird talk about Ohio State football's seven new captains, and what the Buckeyes had to say about the 2020 football season. On Tuesday, reporters spoke to OSU players for the first time in 11 weeks, as Justin Fields, Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers, Shaun Wade, Tuf Borland, Jonathon Cooper and Justin Hilliard were elected by their teammates and put on a conference call. Doug and Nathan talk about the vibe from the players about how a fall season might work, what they think of the Michigan game, and their reaction to Pac-12 players trying to unite. It's actual player talk! And it's Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises do football for half the podcast and food for half the podcast. Football: Could the Big Ten move the season up to Aug. 29? Could Jameson Williams emerge as a major threat at receiver? Who are true freshmen who could potentially break out? When should the Ohio State-Michigan game be scheduled? Food: Discontinued fast food items we miss. Thoughts on BBQ in Ohio. Explaining the new bracket of 32 chain restaurants created by Doug for text subscribers to vote upon. Football and food -- it's just another Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On another Mark It Down Monday we begin our big-picture previews of the 2020 college football season. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means make their predictions on what will stand up as one of the season-long topics of conversation for the Buckeyes. Will Justin Fields win the 2020 Heisman Trophy? To answer that, the Buckeye Talk crew breaks down the full list of contenders and what dynamics are in play for helping a player win the Heisman Trophy. What players could break through the quarterback bias to earn support at other positions? Finally, will Justin Fields be able to overtake co-favorite Trevor Lawrence of Clemson to win the trophy, or will Lawrence bounce back after not being a finalist in 2019 to claim the hardward? Also always, we also polled our Subtext subscribers for their three-man ballot and shared the results of the fan vote. We appreciate you listening to Buckeye Talk, coming at you five days a week throughout the offseason. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preseason voting conducted by cleveland.com reveals Buckeyes as Big Ten favorite See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for the 10th annual Big Ten preseason poll from cleveland.com, where conference writers from around the league are gathered and asked to vote on predicted preseason standings, the league champ and the preseason offensive and defensive players of the year. There were 34 voters this year, and on this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird analyze all the results. Was Ohio State a unanimous pick in the East? Who won a close race in the West? Is there a darkhorse pick to watch that emerged in the voting? Who got votes in the player of the year balloting? It's a pleasure for cleveland.com to conduct this balloting, and then bring you the breakdown of a poll that the rest of the Big Ten will be talking about. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another rapid fire Buckeye Talk episode, although there is some news to deal with off the top. On this Thursday episode, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird address the first major college football star to announce that he won't play this season, no matter what. That's Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, a potential first-round pick, and Doug and Nathan discuss the decision-making process for players and whether some Ohio State players could do the same. Then it's on to discussing how to handle "negative" coverage around the coronavirus; whether the Big Ten should change its mind and play the MAC this season; TV shows we have binge-watched lately; how the playoff committee will handle voting if teams play a different amount of games; and there's another Tate Martell question, which never gets old. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this big Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird imagine a reality that Ohio State fans wouldn't want to consider -- What if Justin Fields played for another team? Thanks to an idea from a text subscriber, Doug and Nathan discussed worlds in which the Buckeyes had to swap starting quarterbacks with opponents. Who would win the game then? Would Fields on Penn State or Michigan or Georgia or Wisconsin mean a loss for the Buckeyes? The question is fanciful, but it frames a discussion about just how much a starting quarterback means to Ohio State and how much the rest of the talent on the OSU roster lifts up any QB who plays for the Buckeyes. There's a history lesson about Ohio State quarterback rankings in the Big Ten, a comparison of Fields to Russell Wilson, and another discussion of OSU backup quarterbacks. Plus, Doug and Nathan go into the latest OSU plan about limiting fan capacity to 20 percent this fall and how that might be done and what text subscribers think about it. Thanks for making the big Wednesday pod part of your week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can't talk about Ohio State football without talking about quarterback Justin Fields, and you can't wonder about Ohio State football without wondering about the potential and injury history of running backs Trey Sermon, Master Teague and Marcus Crowley. On this Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means finish up the position group previews by dealing with the quarterbacks and running backs in the same podcast. Beyond the names already mentioned, there are interesting freshman quarterbacks on the roster and interesting running back recruits on the horizon. The guys have covered a lot on quarterbacks and running backs over the last three months, but this is a chance to say exactly where they stand on these two groups. Thanks for making it through all the position groups, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a quarterback question and a coronavirus question in one. On this Mark It Down Monday Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird give their answers and entertain explanations from the subscribers on a topic that can seem straight forward but might be more complicated: Who is Ohio State's next starting quarterback? If you believe the Buckeyes will play at least one game this fall, then the answer is pretty obviously Justin Fields. If you believe football will be delayed until the spring, the answer gets fuzzier. If you believe there won't be any games at all this season, and Ohio State won't take the field again until the fall of 2021, then it's fuzzier still. That's the question and plenty of OSU fans were ready to mark down their answers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Means is excited and you should be, too. On this bonus Saturday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird preview the Ohio State slot receivers and tight ends. That means a lot of talk about sophomore Garrett Wilson, who is moving from outside receiver to the slot for 2020. But there are many other interesting guys to discuss in this group -- Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Mookie Cooper in the slot, and Luke Farrell, Jeremy Ruckert, Jake Hausmann and Cade Stover at tight end. This is a fun one that the guys have been saving as they work their way through eight position group preview podcasts. This is the seventh, so thanks for going along on the ride and listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something different on Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises is joined by Seth Richardson, the senior politics writer for cleveland.com, to talk about the intersection of football and politics. The fact that former Auburn, Texas Tech and Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville won the Republican Senate primary in Alabama last week got Doug thinking about the idea of a former Buckeye doing the same kind of thing in Ohio, so Doug and Seth covered these topics: What Jim Tressel's political career in Ohio could have been and the role he still plays in Ohio politics The political future of former OSU receiver Anthony Gonzalez, now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives The way Gov. Mike DeWine and the state government tried to use football and other sports as a rallying cry to get people to wear masks before settling on Thursday's state-wide mask mandate Doug also started the podcast with two text subscriber questions, including one on whether Tressel's forced resignation was the best thing to happen to Ohio State football in the modern era. It's a different type of Buckeye Talk, but a bonus Saturday episode is coming with more hard-core football talk. Thanks for trying this one out. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State plans for preseason football practice to begin Aug. 7 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shaun Wade may have been a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft if he had turned pro after last season. Instead, he's back for a fourth year at Ohio State as one of the best cornerbacks in the nation. On this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird continue their position group previews with the cornerbacks. Wade is a sure thing, Cam Brown and Sevyn Banks are expected starters, and Tyreke Johnson and Marcus Williamson are veterans who could play roles in the secondary. And, of course, Kerry Coombs is back coaching the secondary as the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator. After this, there are only two more position group episodes left, so make sure you're catching all of them to get a full look at the 2020 Ohio State football roster. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It happened -- Buckeye Talk made it through the entire 12-game Ohio State schedule, previewing each planned opponent from Bowling Green to Michigan. As Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means finish the schedule with this big look at the The Game, the schedule has already changed, with the Big Ten moving to conference games only. So those Bowling Green, Oregon and Buffalo previews in April and May were for games that aren't going to happen. But for now, Ohio State vs. Michigan is still in the plans. On this episode, Michigan beat writer Aaron McMann kicks things off with an hour-long interview with Doug on Jim Harbaugh, defensive coordinator Don Brown, the uncertain Michigan QB battle, where the Wolverines' recruiting stands, how a young offensive line will look and how good the UM skill position players might be. There's a lot of off-field and on-field knowledge on the Wolverines dropped there. Then it's on to an hour of rapid-fire questions from text subscribers, only about Ohio State, Michigan and the rivalry, as Doug, Nathan and Stephen give more on their thoughts on how Michigan might ever make this thing competitive again. It's the opponent that matters the most to Ohio State fans, and the preview is finally here. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to preview Ohio State safeties and special teams, as Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break down Josh Proctor and Marcus Hooker on the back end of the defense, and then discuss Drue Chrisman, Blake Haubeil and a veteran special teams group that should be an edge for the Buckeyes. That's the latest in our position group preview series on Buckeye Talk, but first on this episode, Doug and Stephen go over the commitment of 2021 cornerback Jordan Hancock, a top-100 player who was once committed to Clemson. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Mark It Down Monday, predictions will be marked down. But first, a new recruiting class and strategy will be analyzed. Doug Lesmerises is hosting this one, but Stephen Means and Cameron Fields are bringing the recruiting expertise after spending the last couple months talking to the most important rising juniors that Ohio State is targeting in the Class of 2022. On this Buckeye Talk episode, while Nathan Baird is on vacation, Stephen and Cam talk about the three players committed to the Buckeyes in 2022 so far; they pick the most important player that Ohio State has to land in this class; they predict the player who will provoke the fiercest head-to-head battle with another program; they talk about what they've learned about OSU assistants from the 2022 prospects; and finally, they mark down their predictions for the next players to join the class. Ohio State is still finishing off the 2021 recruiting class, but it's already time to dive into 2022, so listen up and Mark it Down. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com part of your day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means move on to previewing the Ohio State defensive line. The Buckeyes lost Heisman Trophy finalist and No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick Chase Young off last year's line, as well as the veteran three-man tackle rotation of Davon Hamilton, Jashon Cornell and Robert Landers. But there is more talent in the pipeline. The guys run through what they expect from Zach Harrison, Tyreke Smith, Haskell Garrett, Tommy Togiai, Tyler Friday, Jonathon Cooper, Taron Vincent and the rest of the candidates for defensive line playing time. They look at the recruits coming in next on the line, talk about the influence of line coach Larry Johnson, offer their big predictions for the group and delve into the overall expectations for the entire 2018 recruiting class at the end of the pod. It's a good hour of D-line talk, so thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NCAA releases more coronavirus guidelines for college sports. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode for Thursday, it's time for Phil Steele's annual visit to preview the Buckeyes and the college football season. Phil publishes his annual college football preview magazine from his office in Northeast Ohio, and he's been putting them out for more than 20 years. Even with COVID-19 threatening the season, Phil did his usual business and his 2020 preview is getting out to fans right now. He joined Doug Lesmerises to talk about the Buckeyes and the Big Ten and to make his picks for the Heisman Trophy and the national championship. It's college football talk from an expert you'll want to hear. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our preview of Ohio State's 2020 schedule continues with a breakdown of Illinois with Bob Asmussen of the Champaign News-Gazette. But this Buckeye Tall Big Wednesday pod goes in-depth to explore big upsets. iI's a phenomenon Ohio State football rarely experiences, but when those days come around, they tend to linger in the memories of players, coaches and fans for years after. When we say upsets, we don't mean losing as a betting line favorite. We mean a ranked Ohio State team losing to an unranked team in a completely unexpected fashion. Aided by our Buckeye Talk Subtext subscribers, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means look at the various elements that set the stage for upsets and look for common denominators. Also, each of us picks which opponent on OSU's known schedule is the biggest threat to spring an upset in 2020. Baird and Asmussen, a Big Ten beat writer since 1996, discuss the uncertain future ahead due to COVID-19 and what the Big Ten might be able to do to salvage a season. They also delve into the continuing Lovie Smith rebuild -- what last season's turnaround to bowl eligibility meant, and where the Illini still must improve to make a jump. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Tuesday rapid fire podcast from cleveland.com as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means answer seven questions from our Buckeye Talk text subscribers. Most of them deal with the uncertainty of the college football season, but two questions stand out: • Could the Big Ten play a season if, for instance, the SEC does not? • Would it be better to move the Michigan game to early in the season or keep it as the regular season finale and risk not playing it at all? These are obviously uncertain times and things constantly change with the outlook about a college football season for 2020. Buckeye Talk will continue to adjust with you, and thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark. it. Down. Ryan Day is off to a 15-0 regular-season start as Ohio State football's head coach. How long will that unbeaten run continue? This week's question: When will Ryan Day lose his first regular-season game as Ohio State's head coach? The uncertainty of the 2020 schedule complicates the question. But the Buckeye Talk Crew of Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means give their pick for when OSU will need its first mid-season bounce-back under Day. They also reach out to our Subtext subscribers for their predictions. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another bonus Saturday podcast as breaking news pushed back the planned outside receiver breakdown. So on this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, it's now time to talk Chris Olave, Julian Fleming, Gee Scott Jr., Jameson Williams and the rest of the outside receivers for the Buckeyes in 2020. Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break all that down in their typical position preview format -- is the group better this year or last year? Is it better this year or next year? Biggest strength? Biggest question? Player you are most interested in seeing? Crazy prediction? Confidence level? It's a fun way to go through some of the Buckeyes' best playmakers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Ten on Thursday announced it would not play non-conference games in 2020, and on this Friday Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird is here to talk about that and Doug Lesmerises is here to yell about that. Nathan has the facts, Doug has the rage. But why is Doug yelling? He thought the Big Ten made the correct move on this, so he's yelling at the other conferences and any other people that might have a problem with it. But he also has some issues with how Ohio State is handling this as well. This is a Buckeye Talk with some anger, but that's nothing new. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State shuts down voluntary workouts over positive COVID-19 tests See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our preview of Ohio State football's 2020 opponents rolls along as we reach the Nov. 14 trip to Maryland. Emily Giambalvo of the Washington Post joins us to break down the state of Mike Locksley's program as the Terrapins try to climb out of the bottom of the Big Ten East. What is Locksley doing in recruiting to climb the national rankings, who will quarterback the Terrapins in 2020 and how soon can Maryland become more competitive within the division? But first, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means react to the breaking news Wednesday night that Ohio State is shutting down its voluntary workouts after multiple athletes tested positive for COVID-19. What do we know about the situation so far? On top of other similar shutdowns across the country, is college football less likely to return on time or at all? Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this big Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means once again take 20 rapid fire questions from text subscribers. But there's some deep discussion off the top. The first texter asked which state, other than Ohio, is the most important for the Buckeyes to recruit. Looking at the number of players Ohio State has pulled from different states since Urban Meyer's first full class in 2013, the guys found many different ways this answer could go. Later, they got into comparing Ohio State receiver recruiting to Alabama receiver recruiting; they answered why there may be a dip in top-shelf OSU linebacker play; they discussed whether there will be another defensive Heisman Trophy winner in their lifetimes; and they debated whether Brian Hartline or Larry Johnson would be more difficult for Ohio State to replace. It's another round of 20 great questions and 20 fun answers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means get back to position group previews for the first time since the middle of May. It's time to pick those up again, and the offensive line is up next. Thayer Munford, Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis are back as starters. Paris Johnson, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Harry Miller are five-star recruits fighting for jobs. And the line looks to be one of the strengths of the 2020 Buckeyes, Doug, Nathan and Stephen do a category by category breakdown, and they ponder what the gap created for OSU running backs by Myers at center and Davis at right guard should be called. Also, Doug kicks off the podcast by setting a betting line for a game between the 2014 Buckeyes and 2019 Buckeyes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football has seen only five 1,000-yard receivers its history -- all since 1986 and no more than one in any season. The 2020 Buckeyes have a Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback with a big arm, a couple of emerging stars in the receiver corps and a coach willing to take chances and go for the jugular early. So will OSU have two receivers cross the 1,000-yard mark in the coming season? Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means debate whether that number is reachable in 2020. The Buckeyes did not have even one 1,000-yard receiver in 2019. Even in 2018 with Dwayne Haskins airing it out, only one receiver crossed that threshold. On the other hand, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are poised for big seasons and there is no J.K. Dobbins in the backfield to dominate carries. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State currently trails Michigan in the rivalry 58-51-6. Unless the Buckeyes actually trail 58-52-6. Regardless, with the way the Buckeyes have been dominating Michigan lately, the idea of Ohio State taking a lead in the overall series for the very first time is on the horizon. So when will it happen? On this Friday edition of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, that's what Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dive into with the help of their text subscribers. The texters offer all kinds of years of when the Buckeyes could take the lead, and how it might happen. But first, there's a debate ... what will happen with the vacated OSU win from the 2010 season? And what could the discussion around that win -- does it count or not? -- be like as Ohio State gets closer in the series? This Buckeye Talk is a little different -- the topic is hard to wrap your arms around, and it's at least eight years, and maybe 80 years, in the future. But it does matter to OSU fans. There's no doubt about that. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continued updates on college football and COVID-19 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk is up to the ninth game on Ohio State's 2020 schedule, as the next stop in the season opponent preview is the Indiana Hoosiers. For that, Doug Lesmerises talks to Zach Osterman, the IU beat writer for the Indianapolis Star. Doug and Zach discuss whether the Hoosiers are a candidate to spring an upset of the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium, and Zach gives his take on how much greater the Hoosiers' chances would be if the game was in Bloomington. There's an analysis of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who has upside and an injury history. And OSU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was pushed out as Indiana's head coach before he was hired by the Buckeyes -- what did he do to set up Indiana before he left? Indiana is coming off its best season in 25 years, and coach Tom Allen might have the program on an upswing. So it may be time to start thinking about Indiana at least having a chance to beat Ohio State for the first time since 1988. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back for a rapid fire Wednesday podcast, taking 20 questions from text subscribers over the course of two hours. Among the topics: What if Jim Harbaugh was perfect against Ohio State instead of winless? What are the expectations for 2021 running back recruit TreVeyon Henderson? When will the Buckeyes decide on 2020 schedule adjustments? Would the Buckeyes be comfortable playing young tackle Dawand Jones this season? Is it better to have Ohio State's experienced offensive line or Clemson's experienced defensive line? What's our most embarrassing moment in sports journalism? As always, the subscribers provided great questions and the guys hope their answers lived up to them. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Buckeye Talk episode is a little different, as Doug Lesmerises interviews two guests. First up is Brett Ciancia, the founder of Pick Six Previews, who provides a look at the Buckeyes in the national context. Doug and Brett talk about Ohio State as a playoff contender, why Brett has Justin Fields as a first-team All-American, the gap between Ohio State and the rest of the Big Ten, and what Brett thinks of Ryan Day as an offensive schemer. Next is an interview with Jason Campbell, a resident in Oregon who is a graduate of Ohio State's medical school. He does dances on social media and came to Buckeye Talk's attention after a recent Twitter dance-off with Brutus Buckeye. Doug and Jason talk about his favorite Ohio State football memories, how he felt getting into Ohio State's medical school, what it's like dealing with COVID-19 on the front lines in his hospital, his view on the anti-racism movement in America, and what he expects for this college football season. Brett and Jason both were great and Buckeye Talk appreciates their time. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices