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Can Oregon be a long-term recruiting challenger to Ohio State football?

Published

2 hours ago

October 11, 2024

Can Oregon be a long-term recruiting challenger to Ohio State football?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In early August, five-star safety, and Shaker Heights product, Trey McNutt stood up and donned an Oregon hat and chain, opting to turn down his in-state Buckeyes to head thousands of miles westward to play for the Ducks.

From the outside, it looked a bit off — a five-star player from Ohio going somewhere other than Ohio State is a relatively uncommon occurrence.

But was that a one-off, or a sign of things to come? And could that be a problem for Ohio State moving forward?

“It just shows you that distance doesn’t mean anything,” McNutt told Cleveland.com at the time. “When you go to a place that makes you feel like home, and you have a good system there, and everybody’s genuine, it shows everyone that it’s OK to leave.”

Since Dan Lanning took over at Oregon, the Ducks’ recruiting has reached new heights — not even accomplished since they reached two national title games in a decade.

The Ducks, in the 2023 and 2024 classes, ranked 9th and 3rd in the 247Sports team composite rankings. And in 2025, while they currently rank 8th, they have the highest average player rating of any program in the country.

And some of those players that have made up, and make up, those classes have chosen Oregon over Ohio State.

“Really just the coaching staff,” five-star Archbishop Hoban 2026 cornerback Elbert Hill said in late September of Oregon’s impression on him. “They really go for guys that they think are some dudes. Me just knowing they’re coming after me, that just boosts my confidence even more. They’re coming after a dude.”

Notably, in the 2025 class, Ohio State was in on five-star receiver Dakorien Moore, McNutt, four-star cornerback Dorian Brew and four-star running back Jordon Davison. And in 2026, four-star quarterback Jonas Williams. All of them committed to Oregon.

So does that mean Oregon has supplanted Ohio State as the Big Ten’s preeminent program, or even recruiting operation? It does not.

But, it shows that the Ducks are always going to be in the hunt for top high school prospects — and that’s something the Buckeyes haven’t had to experience much in the Big Ten. In short, there’s a true adversary to Ohio State recruiting in the conference now.

“He has a relentless approach that is based on his success in the SEC, that goes a long way when he got here coming right off the national championship with Georgia,” said Scott Reed, who covers Oregon for Duck Sports Authority, as part of the Rivals network. “That goes a long way to selling kids on what the vision of the future looks like and that you can achieve it if we do it the right way.”

In the 2023 class, Ohio State placed fourth in the 247Sports team rankings, and the next closest Big Ten competitor was Penn State at 14th. In 2022, Ohio State also placed fourth, while Penn State and Michigan placed at sixth and ninth. In 2021, Ohio State was second, ahead of the next closest Big Ten Team, Michigan, at 13th.

The SEC, and occasionally, Clemson, Notre Dame and USC have presented some modicum of discomfort for Ohio State for individual recruits. But now with conference realignment, the threat of losing on a national recruit — for both Oregon, Ohio State, USC, Michigan and every other Big Ten school — and then seeing them on the field multiple times a season is now on the table.

“The relationship I have with their outside linebackers coach, and he’s telling me and pushing me that they don’t really recruit a lot of people,” 2026 five-star defensive end Zion Elee, from Baltimore, told Cleveland.com in August. “They keep the edges recruiting tight. If I go there, I’ll have a nice spot, is what they’re promising.”

Naturally, there’s the thought that Nike CEO Phil Knight has financed Oregon to a level where players only commit there for the money. Lanning took exception to that narrative back in July.

But even if Knight and the Ducks’ NIL collectives are handing out blank checks, that’s something Ohio State and other Big Ten schools have to combat either way.

“You think about the advertising, people are out there talking about Oregon,” Reed said. “Even if it’s untrue stuff, they’re out there talking about Oregon again. And I think that’s the kind of stuff that the staff and the administration like is, if you’re saying that, if Kirby Smart is saying that on national television, people are hearing about Oregon and they’re hearing about what they have out there and that makes other people get interested in the future.”

There are still issues that Oregon has to work through, though, even with the recent bump in recruiting.

Notably, Oregon is not a talent-rich football state for high school talent, meaning that the coaching staff has to convince players from historic Big Ten and SEC territories to come to the Pacific Northwest. Then, as Scott noted, there’s the issue of offensive and defensive linemen — for whatever reason — usually not opting to stray far from home. That, in part, has led to the narrative in the past that Pac-12 schools aren’t as tough or physical as Big Ten and SEC schools.

But in any case, there’s not much to debate about Oregon’s recruiting operation at the moment. The Ducks have dipped into Ohio, Florida and Texas to bring elite-level talent to Eugene. And they’re going to continue to work those relationships for as long as Lanning and his staff are at Oregon.

“Coach Dan Lanning, he’s different,” McNutt said. “He’s got a different vibe to him. He’s hungry. It’s just the whole team, they’re hungry. The energy there is different.”

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Ohio Lottery Pick 3 Midday, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for Oct. 10, 2024

Published

13 hours ago

October 11, 2024

Press Room

The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 10, 2024, results for each game:

Pick 3

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 7-3-0

Evening: 9-9-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 4-2-1-9

Evening: 7-1-1-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 8-8-2-3-1

Evening: 7-8-3-8-9

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Rolling Cash 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

02-27-30-32-37

Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Lucky For Life

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 10:35 p.m.

07-08-26-27-47, Lucky Ball: 13

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.

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For Ryan Day and Ohio State, expectations have peaked and the pressure builds with a matchup at Oregon

Published

22 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Press Room

For Ryan Day and Ohio State, expectations have peaked and the pressure builds with a matchup at Oregon

It’s probably fair to say that Ryan Day is the first coach in college football history to amass a 61-8 record, yet still have something to prove. And it’s not just nationally, but with his own intense, and occasionally desperate, fan base.

It’s never easy succeeding a larger-than-life legend, a bill that fits Urban Meyer. So Day knew the challenges that came from the advantage of getting the keys to the Buckeyes Lamborghini.

He’s been derided as being born on third base by getting Ohio State as his first head coaching job, but he’s a former New Hampshire quarterback who overcame, at age 9, the death of his father by suicide, to grind his way to the top.

Six seasons in, Day, 45, has succeeded. Well, except for the part where some people point more to those eight losses than those 61 victories.

Day is 1-6 against teams in the top five of the College Football Playoff rankings. He is 1-3 against Michigan overall, including losses in each of the last three years. He is 1-3 in the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State has a reputation for steamrolling weaker opponents. Day has never lost to an unranked team and is unbeaten against every Big Ten team that isn’t located in Ann Arbor. That’s not nothing.

Ryan Day and the Buckeyes travel to Eugene to take on the No. 3 Oregon Ducks on Saturday. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

It even can beat the occasional highly ranked team, but the joy seems not to last. In 2020, it took down Clemson in the College Football Playoff … only to get blown out by Alabama in the title game.

Last season, it won late at Notre Dame, which was No. 9 at the time, but no one was overwhelmingly impressed because the Irish rarely win big ones either and Day spent the postgame seemingly challenging Lou Holtz to a fight.

And so, even as Ohio State (5-0) has blown out Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall, Michigan State and Iowa to the tune of 230-34, there remains doubts both in Columbus and across the country.

Sure, the Buckeyes can be bullies, but can they bully a bully? Can this team win it all?

No. 3 Oregon awaits Saturday in Eugene, a seemingly fair fight for the Bucks. It’ll count in the race for a Big Ten title, a playoff berth and playoff seeding. And it will count on the reputation, both near and far, of Ryan Day.

“A lot is at stake this weekend, which is exactly the way we want it,” Day said.

Nothing will be decided on Saturday, but it’s fair to watch and wonder. If not this year, then when? If not with this team, then why not?

The Buckeyes are always talented and Day has proven to be every bit the elite recruiter, especially nationally, that Meyer was. Yet as good as the roster always looks, this year is something else.

During the summer Meyer declared this “might be the best roster in college football in the last decade.” As bold of a statement as that was, nothing it has shown so far suggests Meyer is wrong.

Ohio State followed the Michigan playbook this year in using NIL money to encourage NFL-caliber players to skip the draft and return to campus for a national title run.

That meant guys such as running back TreVeyon Henderson, cornerback Denzel Burke, wideout Emeka Egbuka and defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer — among others — all came back from an 11-1 regular season team.

Then Day hit the transfer portal to add quarterback Will Howard (Kansas State) and more running back depth in Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss).

The Buckeyes’ two best players are actually newcomers — safety Caleb Downs, who arrived from Alabama after Nick Saban’s retirement, and true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who Ohio State beat Miami and Florida State to sign last February.

It’s a breathtaking collection. Anything can happen in Autzen Stadium, but one of those “anythings” is a show of force that has the rest of the country sitting up and wondering if Ohio State can be beaten. The Buckeyes are 3.5-point favorites.

So Day walks into another big game projecting confidence. He likes to say it’s about Ohio State, not who Ohio State is playing. Internally, he’s likely correct. Externally though?

“I think you always try to make sure you identify the things that fit the team,” Day said. “You know, all of a sudden you don’t just change because it’s a quote-unquote big game. They’re all big.

“If we say it’s about us all the time, then it’s about us in the games like this, which it is. So we’re going to continue with the same routine.”

Ryan Day has done a great job at Ohio State, just not great enough for some. On Saturday, he’s got the stage to begin to prove himself capable of reaching that final level.

He’s certainly got the team to get there.

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Ohio State's reputation is on the line against Oregon

Published

1 day ago

October 10, 2024

Press Room

Ohio State's reputation is on the line against Oregon

The byproduct of Ohio State having a schedule that featured five consecutive games against overmatched opponents to begin the season is the Buckeyes haven’t really been a fixture of the national conversation.

Blowouts of inferior opponents prove nothing. We know Ohio State is good. But it’s been a long, boring wait until Oct. 12, the day Ohio State travels to Oregon to prove just how good it is.

“I think it’s great because we get to control own destiny,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said of the matchup with the Ducks. “You’re playing the best teams in the league on our schedule. That part is great. Every time you’re you’re playing one of these teams, you’re fighting for opportunity to go to Indianapolis. That’s important. There’s that part of it, and there’s obviously the Playoff scenario. So, a lot is at stake this weekend.”

A lot is at stake this weekend, but not as much with the College Football Playoff as you think. This could be the first of two (or even three) Ohio State matchups with Oregon this season. The loser of this game isn’t going to be any less in the Playoff picture than the winner. That’s the reality of the sport now with the 12-team Playoff field.

How the country continues to view Day, and this Ohio State program is at stake. Everyone knows Ohio State can be a giant against smaller teams. Can it be a giant against other giants? This is a huge game for Day to prove that it can.

Ohio State doesn’t lose games it shouldn’t under his leadership. The Buckeyes have yet to drop a game to an unranked team or suffer an embarrassing upset like the one Alabama just lived through Saturday. But in the last three years, the Buckeyes have only been so-so when as it pertains to winning games the Buckeyes fan base craves. And, as a result, it hasn’t gone to Indianapolis to play for the Big Ten Championship since 2020.

The first thing many fans think about Day is how his Buckeyes have lost three-consecutive games to Michigan. Those losses hurt because it’s a passionate rivalry and Ohio State had become so used to winning it. It’s the one game on the schedule — regardless of conference title hunts or Playoff situation — Ohio State has to win. And it hasn’t been winning.

But in totality? Ohio State is 3-5 against top-10 opponents since the beginning of the 2021 season. It beat Notre Dame on the road a year ago. It blew out a Michigan State team that was ranked in the top-10 a few years ago. But it lost to Michigan three times and fell short against Georgia in the Playoff two years ago. The games Ohio State fans really, really wanted the Buckeyes didn’t get.

For some Ohio State fans, that has called into question whether Day — inarguably a great program-builder — has what is needed to get these Buckeyes to where they need to go. A coach can do everything right at Ohio State. He could build a great roster, win a bunch of games, compete for national titles, all of it. But if he can’t beat Michigan, that overshadows proficiency in all other areas.

As things look right now, Michigan may not be an issue for Ohio State this year. There is plenty of time for the Wolverines to figure its offense to give the Buckeyes a problem in November in Ohio Stadium. Go look a how the 1990s went if you need an example of how things can go haywire. Still, Ohio State may be a three-score favorite in that matchup.

In the present moment? This Oregon game is the one Ohio State has to have. Oregon is a supremely-talented team, is now a conference foe and the Ducks have national title aspirations of their own. This is good on good.

This isn’t a win or go home scenario. But if Ohio State loses? That would mean the Ohio State trend of coming up short in the games Buckeyes fans crave the most is continuing into this season. It casts doubt on where Ohio State seems to be headed.

Ohio State should be considered the favorite to win it all this year. By many, it is. In the AP Poll, five of the top-10 teams in the country have already lost. Georgia has lost. Alabama has lost. Tennessee has lost. Clemson has lost. Ole Miss has lost. Many of the preseason national title contenders have already either lost or shown weakness. At times on Saturday, it truly did feel like everyone sucks.

Texas remains unbeaten and Miami avoided a disaster of its own Saturday night with a thrilling comeback victory over Cal. But Ohio State and Oregon? These are two teams who have yet to lose that many thought could win a national title this year, and even the Ducks have looked shaky at times this season.

There are plenty of people who are waiting for Ohio State to be the next to fall. They’ve looked at all the blowouts the Buckeyes have racked up this year and are unmoved by what they’ve seen. They shouldn’t be. Day isn’t at Ohio State to blow out Western Michigan. So doubters have started with the go-to lines:

“They’ll blow it when it matters”

“Ohio State comes up short against the good teams”

“The Buckeyes are a fraud like they always are. You’ll see.”

People have a right to say those things. Ohio State has come up short far too often the last three years. But have those people really taken the time to examine what Ohio State built this year?

This Ohio State team is what Michigan was last year, except it is starting at a higher baseline talent level. It has a ton of players who should be in the NFL right now who instead opted to return to Columbus to get back to winning.

Guys like defensive linemen J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke — among others — are still in college. Then the Buckeyes added quarterback Will Howard, running back Quinshon Judkins and star safety Caleb Downs to the mix through the portal. Oh, and Ohio State’s leading receiver is true freshman Jeremiah Smith, who, despite his age, already has a case for being the best wideout in the sport.

Ohio State has never been short of talent and it has lost some games to teams that don’t stack up in that department. Stars matter. They aren’t everything anymore.

But when you hear former coach Urban Meyer say this is the most impressive collection of talent he’s seen at Ohio State, know he isn’t being hyperbolic. The coach who won the 2014 national title with an immensely deep and talented Buckeyes roster is looking at this group with googly eyes.

There is no reason Ohio State shouldn’t be dominant this year. Ohio State’s reputation — which has been earned through losing these types of games — is still getting in the way of how it’s perceived publicly.

Against Oregon? Yes, there is a ton of pressure.

“Which is exactly how we want it,” Day said.

That’s nice to say.

Now is time for Day to get the job done.

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