We’re just hours away from The Game.
As Friday rolled around on the calendar, it marked 10 years exactly since Michigan has last beaten Ohio State. The Buckeyes will try to increase their winning streak to nine games against their archrival on Saturday at noon.
Of course, Ohio State fully embraces this rivalry, and that starts on the recruiting trail, where Ryan Day stresses the importance of beating Michigan so prospective players know what they’re walking into.
"We talk about it during recruiting and all of our guys understand it, our No. 1 goal is beating that team up north," Day told reporters this week.
Based on recruits’ social media accounts this week, Day’s words aren’t ringing hollow.
Tennessee resident Dallan Hayden, a 2022 running back commit for Ohio State, got into a bit of a friendly-feud with Tennessee-based Michigan 2022 cornerback commit Myles Pollard on Twitter.
Lets go then https://t.co/XoHgxtcLSl
— (@me1espollard) November 26, 2021
I promise yall not ready! pic.twitter.com/N1QLtihYSd
— Dallan Hayden1 (@DCH__2) November 26, 2021
Other recruits joined in the rivalry fun by sending pregame tweets days before The Game.
Beat that Tea!!!! #GoBucks https://t.co/7C6DA7fNWW
— CJ KING Hicks (@imcjhicks) November 26, 2021
— Bennett Christian (@BennettC87) November 26, 2021
It is TIE! https://t.co/w1YIcKRQbK
— Ty Lockwood (@TyLockwood7) November 26, 2021
Cant Wait For This Gae!! https://t.co/L8lNYTUlWT
— Ryan Turner (@RyanTurner_20) November 26, 2021
— Alex Sonny Styles (@sonnystyles_) November 25, 2021
Jones puts OSU in top seven
Ohio State has made the final seven schools for 2023 safety R.J. Jones. Jones put out a top-seven school list Thursday that consists of Oregon, Cal, USC, Louisville, Ohio State, Oregon State and Michigan.
Happy Thanksgiving
— RJ Jones (@RJThaGr8_) November 26, 2021
Recruitment is still open !!
@GregBiggins
@adamgorney
@BrandonHuffman
@boscofootball pic.twitter.com/90jeJ4pPNw
The four-star Jones is ranked as the 217th-best player and the No. 21 safety in the 2023 class according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back was one of four defensive backs from St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, California) who received Ohio State offers along with Jshawn Frausto-Ramos, a 2023 prospect, and Peyton Woodyard and Marcelles Williams, both in the 2024 class, during a visit to Ohio State in June.
Jones told Eleven Warriors in June that receiving an OSU offer was special.
“Everyone knows Ohio State is almost always a national contender, so being offered by them is like them saying I can be one of those guys competing for a national title,” Jones told Eleven Warriors. “It’s surreal.”
Ohio State already has one safety committed in the 2023 class in Sonny Styles, but the Buckeyes will likely be looking to add at least one more in the cycle as Styles projects as a hybrid who could also play linebacker.
Robinson includes Buckeyes in top 10
A key OSU linebacker target in the 2023 class, Ta'Mere Robinson, also released a top schools list on Thanksgiving. Ohio State was included in Robinson’s top 10 along with Pittsburgh, Texas, Ole Miss, Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan, South Carolina, Cincinnati and West Virginia.
I just want to take the time to say I am thankful for all the schools that offered me an opportunity to come and play for them, but Me and my family decided its time to start narrowing down to a few schools!! Happy Thanksgiving @Hayesfawcett3 @210ths @Evolve2tenths @_Drew_55 pic.twitter.com/TpSHOxZrKB
— (@TaMereRobinson3) November 25, 2021
Robinson, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound four-star prospect, is ranked as the 108th-best prospect in the 2023 class. He camped at Ohio State in June, impressing OSU linebackers coach Al Washington in a workout to earn an offer from the Buckeyes. Robinson could be utilized as either a linebacker or a safety at the next level.
Robinson suffered a season-ending knee injury in October but hopes to be back at full strength for his senior season.
Ricks considering Ohio State
Now that he's in the transfer portal, former LSU cornerback and five-star recruit Eli Ricks is being recruited once again by the top schools in the country, and he told 247Sports on Wednesday that Ohio State is one of them.
Ricks told 247Sports’ Greg Biggins that he’s considering four schools – Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and USC – and has already been in contact with Kerry Coombs. He is currently the No. 1 prospect in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings, and would add a cornerback with collegiate experience and five-star talent to the Buckeyes’ 2022 roster with Sevyn Banks and Cameron Brown both potentially going pro after this season.
