Folks,
This is March.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 1, 2021
Word of the Day: Tenet.
DOUBLE BYE GONE BYE BYE. A week ago, Ohio State had an outside shot at winning the Big Ten regular season championship. Three losses later, it's looking like they choked away even a double-bye.
How things look entering the final week: pic.twitter.com/bGNOpdfLWo
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 28, 2021
The funniest thing is, Ohio State's actually still in decent shape to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament because everyone behind them keeps losing, too. We'll see what the bracketologists have to say, but a win against Illinois and then a win or two in the Big Ten Tournament could still lock that up.
So realistically, the Buckeyes have a way better chance of earning a No. 1 seed in the national tournament than they do a top-four seed in the conference tournament. Sports!
A GOOD OMEN! I hate to be the bearer of bad news on a Monday morning, but this ain't exactly a good sign.
In case you put stock in such things, no Ohio State team with three consecutive losses in a season has ever advanced past the Sweet 16.
— Rob Oller (@rollerCD) February 28, 2021
The counterpoint here is that no Ohio State team has ever beaten three straight top-15 teams on the road, either, and the Buckeyes did that earlier this year.
It's pretty clear that Ohio State can compete with any team in the country at its best. Let's just pray they're at their best for six or so games in March!
SPECIAL TEAMS HERO. Brian Hartline isn't the type of guy who's going to ask his players to do something he wouldn't have been willing to do, and that includes laying folks out on kickoff coverage.
Before @brianhartline Walked On Recruiting Water, He Put In That WORK! #GoBucks #WalktheWalk pic.twitter.com/aVKP7p5JTN
— (@OSUViDs) February 28, 2021
It's nice that Hartline can just have this clip handy whenever he asks the No. 1 high school receiver in the country to go make a play on special teams.
And he certainly ain't the first Ohio State player to cut his teeth on special teams before becoming a Buckeye football star and then starting in the NFL.
The whole "tip of the spear" thing about special teams isn't new, it isn't just a hollow phrase and nobody is exempt. Also, it clearly works.
POSTERIZE HIM! At least somebody with Buckeye ties is doing cool and good things on the hardwood. Behold, four-star cornerback signee Jordan Hancock.
OMG !! @jordanhancock_ why you do that to him! pic.twitter.com/QWb526ALdS
— Joel Joseph (@shotbyjoel) February 28, 2021
It's a shame he didn't enroll early or Ryan Day could have lent him to Chris Holtmann to provide a much-needed spark. Oh well, Dawand Jones will just have to do.
SONG OF THE DAY. "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World.
NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. Divers steal beer being aged in a sunken ship off the coast of Argentina... DNA from a Vanilla Coke can ties a man to a cold case... Mexican cartels might be trying to make their own cocaine... A man wins a $500,000 Powerball prize with fortune cookie numbers...
