Tag: Ohio State

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles (LB25) runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ohio State LBs Reese, Styles sizzle in workouts at NFL Scouting Combine

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ohio State linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese left a vapor trail during on-field tests at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday in Indianapolis.

Styles, primarily a middle linebacker for the Buckeyes, and Reese, who said this week he’s training to be a pass-rushing linebacker at the NFL level, turned in matching 40-yard dash times of 4.46 seconds.

Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey ran a 4.50, the best among all defensive ends timed on Thursday. Bailey is projected as a top-10 pick. Bailey measured at 6-4, 251 pounds and had a 35-inch vertical.

Styles posted a 43.5-inch vertical — Reese did not do vertical or broad-jump testing — which is better than what safety Nick Emmanwori (Seahawks) recorded as a 2025 combine-best 43-inch vertical. Styles measured 6-5 and weighed 244 pounds. His broad jump was also the best recorded Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium at just over 11 feet and he had a 7.09-second three-cone drill and 4.26-second short shuttle.

Most draft projections put Reese and Styles in the top 15 overall picks in April.

A projected second-rounder, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez had the top three-cone time — 6.90 seconds — and went 4.19 in the short shuttle among prospects at the position who participated Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ohio State LB Arvell Reese wants to be pro pass rusher

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Arvell Reese traded his Ohio State helmet for a general manager’s cap at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he began meeting with prospective pro employers and shared that he plans to be a pass rusher in the NFL.

Reese, 6-foot-4, 243 pounds, is one of five Ohio State prospects with a first-round grade from Field Level Media. Reese is 20, and believes he’s only scratching the surface of his physical potential as he enters the league with training under former Detroit Lions head coach and New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

“Teams have pretty much been asking me what I want to do — see where my mind was at. I’ve been telling them I think I’m an outside linebacker, edge,” Reese said Wednesday in Indianapolis. “I haven’t even scratched the surface with really what I can do pass rushing.”

He had 6.5 sacks last season and one pro scout told Field Level Media that Reese can be deployed in much the same way Micah Parsons was early in his career with the Dallas Cowboys. Reese said Patricia drew parallels to former Patriots and Lions linebacker Jamie Collins.

Patricia is now the defensive coordinator at Ohio State.

“There’s stuff you pick up I didn’t even realize I’d gained it from him. I’m realizing that now. I benefited a lot from Matt Patricia,” Reese said. “With coach Patricia’s defense, I’m able to explain (the role) of all 11 with 80 to 90 percent of the calls.”

Reese is from Cleveland, and identified the Browns at No. 6 overall as one of the teams he huddled with for 18-minute interviews on his first full day at the combine. He also met with the New York Jets (No. 2), Arizona Cardinals (No. 3) and Parsons’ old team, Dallas (No. 12 and No. 20).

The Cowboys selected Parsons 12th overall in 2021 after he crushed the combine with a 4.39 40-yard dash and 34-inch vertical at 6-3, 246 pounds. Parsons played defensive end in high school and began his Penn State career at middle linebacker. The comp to Parsons should appease franchises with worries about Reese’s current weight.

Reese is one of the Buckeyes rated at the top of the draft class at his position. Wide receiver Carnell Tate, safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles are all No. 1 in their position group; defensive tackle Kayden McDonald is fourth in FLM rankings.

–Field Level Media

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith walks the sideline before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Reports: Arthur Smith expected to be next Ohio State OC

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ohio State is expected to hire Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith as the Buckeyes’ next offensive coordinator, multiple outlets reported Saturday.

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day had to search for a replacement after offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline left to become the head coach at South Florida.

Smith, 43, has been the Steelers offensive coordinator for the past two seasons after serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021-23. In three seasons at the helm in Atlanta Smith had a record of 21-30, finishing 7-10 each season.

This past season, the Steelers offense ranked 25th in yards per game (305.6), 26th in rushing yards per game (103.3) and 15th in points per game (23.4).

He’ll join a team which won the 2024 national championship and inherit an offense with top 2027 NFL Draft prospect Jeremiah Smith at receiver and Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Julian Sayin. The Buckeyes finished in the top 30 in FBS in scoring offense (33.4 points per game, 21st), total offense (422.6 yards per game, 26th) and passing offense (262.8 yards per game, 23rd).

Smith rose to prominence as the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans as a part of their AFC Championship run in the 2019 season. Smith helped the Titans finish top three in rushing offense in back-to-back seasons (2019-20).

–Field Level Media

Ohio State S Caleb Downs declares for NFL draft

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Standout Ohio State safety Caleb Downs officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft on Wednesday.

The two-time consensus All-American is regarded as a potential top-10 selection in the April 23-25 draft.

The 6-foot, 205-pound junior announced his decision on social media “after a lot of prayer and reflection.”

“Being part of a team that brought a National Championship home is something I will always be proud of,” he posted on Instagram. “Competing for Ohio State these past two years, alongside my teammates, and upholding this tradition has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”

Downs, who played his 2023 freshman season at Alabama before transferring to Columbus, helped the Buckeyes compile a 26-4 record. They won the College Football Playoff championship in the 2024 season and advanced to the CFP quarterfinals this season.

He was the 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and took home the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott Trophy.

Downs’ career totals include 164 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions and three forced fumbles in 44 games for the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes.

–Field Level Media

Pick-6 helps No. 10 Miami KO No. 2 Ohio State, advance to CFP semis

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Carson Beck passed for 138 yards and a touchdown as No. 10 seed Miami upset No. 2 seed and defending champion Ohio State 24-14 in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday.

Miami (12-2) will play either No. 3 Georgia (12-1) or No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1) in a semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. The Bulldogs and Rebels meet on Thursday in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans.

In the two years of the CFP 12-team playoff, all five teams to receive first-round byes lost.

The Hurricanes stunned the Buckeyes (12-2) with a 14-0 halftime lead on the strength of a 9-yard touchdown catch by Mark Fletcher Jr. and a 72-yard pick-6 by Keionte Scott. Fletcher also ran for 90 yards in the game.

It was a dominant first quarter for the Hurricanes though neither team scored. Miami had 110 yards (56 rush, 54 pass) compared to 9 yards for Ohio State, including minus-1 yard on the ground.

The Hurricanes finally broke through with an 83-yard drive that used 13 plays and consumed 8:04 to make it 7-0 less than two minutes into the second quarter on the Fletcher catch.

Scott then read a screen pass perfectly and went the distance to double the margin.

The Buckeyes cut the deficit to 14-7 midway through the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Bo Jackson after an 11-play, 82-yard drive, but Carter Davis nailed a 49-yard field goal to make it 17-7 with 3:01 to go in the third.

A Jeremiah Smith 14-yard TD catch on a pass from Julian Sayin made it 17-14 with 13:28 to go. However, the Hurricanes marched 70 yards to wrap it up when CharMar Brown ran in from the 5 with 55 seconds left.

Sayin completed 22 of 35 passes for 287 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions while Smith made seven catches for 157 yards.

–Field Level Media

Cotton Bowl: Miami-Ohio State Preview, Props, Prediction

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Past meets the present with a potential championship in the future when No. 2 Ohio State plays No. 10 Miami to kick off the College Football Playoff quarterfinals in Arlington, Texas, on New Year’s Eve.

ODDS AND TRENDS
The Buckeyes opened as an 8.5-point favorite and the line reached double-digits at many sportsbooks. By game day, the consensus line was sitting at Ohio State -9.0. That’s including at BetRivers, where there has been a pretty even split with 51% of the spread-line money and 58% of the total bets backing the Buckeyes.

According to the book, only Texas Tech finished the regular season with a better record against the spread than Ohio State. The Buckeyes also covered the spread in three of their final four games against the spread.

Ohio State’s -375 moneyline to win the game outright was predictably far more one-sided, drawing 89% of both the money and total bets.

The 41.0 total points line has seen 57% of the money back the Under, in large part due to Miami holding Texas A&M to just three points in the first round. Three of Ohio State’s past four games against ranked opponents have gone under a total points line of 41, and six of Ohio State’s past eight games overall have gone Under the total points line.

PROP PICKS
–Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith Over 81.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at BetMGM): This has been the most popular prop for this game at the book. Smith broke out of a mini-slump with eight catches for 144 yards in the Buckeyes’ most recent game against Indiana. Miami has one of the nation’s stoutest defenses, but Smith has topped 81.5 yards six times this season and 81 yards in a seventh.

–Miami QB Carson Beck Over 192.5 Passing Yards (-115 at BetMGM): This is the most popular Hurricanes-based prop. The Hurricanes’ passing game hasn’t exactly been electric this season but Beck was added via the transfer portal for his experience in big-time games. He is coming off a 103-yard outing in a defensive slugfest at Texas A&M, but threw for at least 200 yards in all but two of Miami’s 12 regular-season games.

THE NEWS
The Cotton Bowl matchup conjures good memories for Buckeyes followers and anger from fans of the Hurricanes who feel aggrieved by a 31-24 double overtime loss in the 2002 BCS title game, blaming a late flag for pass interference on Miami for helping Ohio State snatch victory from their grasp.

For all the talk of a rematch by media and fans, standout receivers Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State and Miami’s Malachi Toney and nearly all their teammates weren’t even born when the Buckeyes won the first of their three national titles this century.

The most recent was last season and even though Ohio State (12-1) had a 16-game winning streak snapped in a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, Miami coach Mario Cristobal said the Buckeyes are as dangerous as ever.

“They’re the defending national champions. They have elite talent, some really high-caliber players,” Cristobal said. “Just about in every category offensively and defensively, they’re one, two, three, four, five in the country.”

Miami, playing in its first Bowl Championship Series or CFP game since 2002, defeated Texas A&M 10-3 in a first-round game in which the Hurricanes totaled seven sacks and nine tackles for loss, led by All-American defensive end Rueben Bain Jr.

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2025.

“This is a really talented team,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said of Miami. “I mean, really talented. They’ve got players all over the field. … Some of the guys on our team know some of the guys on their team and grew up around them, so they’re excited.”

Eight Buckeyes are from the state of Florida, including the sophomore Smith (Miami Gardens), a first-team All-American who has 1,086 yards on 80 catches with 11 touchdowns despite sustaining a late-season strained quad which caused him to miss a game.

Smith said he is healthy and ready to play the Hurricanes, but starting right guard Tegra Tshabola will be unavailable because of an undisclosed injury. Gabe VanSickle or Joshua Padilla could start in that spot. The Buckeyes’ offensive line will be put to the test after Indiana recorded six sacks.

PREDICTION
Expect Miami to be committed to the ground game even if it falls behind early. That’s because the Hurricanes’ passing game has become increasingly reliant upon Toney underneath and behind the line of scrimmage due to shaky pass protection and inconsistent pass protection.

That could keep the game low-scoring and within doubt deep into the second half, but eventually Ohio State’s superior offensive talent will win the field-position battle while Miami’s offense struggles to move the ball with any consistency.

–Ohio State 24, Miami 17

–Field Level Media

Everything you need to know about the Cotton Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

COTTON BOWL
College Football Playoff quarterfinal
No. 2 Ohio State (12-1) vs. No. 10 Miami (11-2)
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET
Arlington, Texas (AT&T Stadium)
Consensus odds: Ohio State -9.5, Total 41.5 points

Defending national champion Ohio State returns to the College Football Playoff for the seventh time in 12 years on Wednesday night, in what will be the first game for the Buckeyes since losing the Big Ten championship game to Indiana.

The 25-day break for the Buckeyes was not a vacation for No. 10 Miami, which won a heart-stopper at Texas A&M (10-3) in the first round last week to set up a rematch of the BCS National Championship game played in Jan. 2003.

There is no rest for the winner with a game Thursday (Jan. 8), a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl where either No. 3 Georgia or No. 6 Ole Miss will be the opponent. The SEC foes square off in a rematch of their regular-season shootout on Jan. 1 at the Sugar Bowl for the right to head to Arizona.

Ohio State, playing in the Cotton Bowl Classic for the third consecutive year, is No. 2 in CFP wins with seven. Only Alabama (10) has more.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ohio State
WR Jeremiah Smith had 19 receptions for 381 yards and five TDs in last year’s four games as the Buckeyes marched to the national title. Smith, a two-time All-American and only a sophomore, averages 90.5 receiving yards per game. He has 80 receptions for 1,086 and 11 TD catches.

LB Sonny Styles might get lost in the national conversation about do-it-all safety Caleb Downs, a projected top-10 pick in the 2026 draft. But Styles’ production puts him in an elite class. He had a team high 45 solo tackles and led the team in total tackles. Among his top showings with the Buckeyes was a 26-total tackle effort in the 2024 CFP win over No. 7 Tennessee.

Miami
DE Rueben Bain Jr.
Bain destroyed Texas A&M with 3.0 sacks last week in the CFP first round upset in College Station. Bain was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year also had a blocked field goal and four total tackles for loss against the Aggies. With injury concerns up front, Ohio State might be forced to commit extra blockers to control the agile, explosive and powerful Bain.

QB Carson Beck
Not all of Miami’s players are CFP newbies.

Beck is 35-5 all-time as a starter and the Georgia transfer joined the 10,000-yard passing club this season. Playing behind an offensive line that used the same starting five all season, Beck could be an X-factor in the chess match with Ohio State’s speedy defense.

COMING IN APRIL
Downs will be a first-round pick after helping the Buckeyes rank first nationally in total defense (213.5 yards per game), scoring defense (8.2 points) and passing yards (129.1). He is third on the team with 60 tackles (40 solo) with five tackles for loss, two interceptions and a sack. He will start in the playoffs for a third straight season; he was a freshman at Alabama in 2023.

BABY JESUS
The country will get to know Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney is this season’s version of Smith, setting the school single-season record for catches with 89. He’s just a freshman, but his reputation is enormous.

Nicknamed “Baby Jesus,” Toney scored the game-winning touchdown at Texas A&M.

He has 992 yards and eight touchdowns — also Miami freshman records plus 20 carries for 98 yards and a TD while averaging 15.8 yards on 17 punt returns.

“He’s their gadget guy,” Ohio State defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. said. “He can do everything. I mean, just coming in as a freshman, he’s supposed to be in high school right now.”

–Field Level Media

No. 2 Ohio State, No. 10 Miami traveling Memory Lane to Cotton Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Past meets the present with a potential championship in the future when No. 2 Ohio State plays No. 10 Miami in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday.

The Cotton Bowl matchup conjures good memories for Buckeyes followers and anger from fans of the Hurricanes who feel aggrieved by a 31-24 double overtime loss in the 2002 BCS title game, blaming a late flag for pass interference on Miami for helping Ohio State snatch victory from their grasp.

For all the talk of a rematch by media and fans, standout receivers receiver Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State and Miami’s Malachi Toney and nearly all their teammates weren’t even born when the Buckeyes won the first of their three national titles this century.

The most recent was last season and even though Ohio State (12-1) had a 16-game winning streak snapped in a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, Miami coach Mario Cristobal said the Buckeyes are as dangerous as ever.

“They’re the defending national champions. They have elite talent, some really high-caliber players,” Cristobal said. “Just about in every category offensively and defensively, they’re one, two, three, four, five in the country.”

Miami, playing in its first Bowl Championship Series or CFP game since 2002, defeated Texas A&M 10-3 in a first-round game in which the Hurricanes totaled seven sacks and nine tackles for loss, led by All-American defensive end Rueben Bain Jr.

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2025.

“This is a really talented team,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said of Miami. “I mean, really talented. They’ve got players all over the field. … Some of the guys on our team know some of the guys on their team and grew up around them, so they’re excited.”

Eight Buckeyes are from the state of Florida, including the sophomore Smith (Miami Gardens), a first-team All-American who has 1,086 yards on 80 catches with 11 touchdowns despite sustaining a late-season strained quad which caused him to miss a game.

Smith said he is healthy and ready to play the Hurricanes, but starting right guard Tegra Tshabola will be unavailable because of an undisclosed injury. Gabe VanSickle or Joshua Padilla could start in that spot. The Buckeyes’ offensive line will be put to the test after Indiana recorded six sacks.

–Field Level Media

Ryan Day takes Ohio State play-calling role from Brian Hartline for CFP

Posted on | by Field Level Media

When Ohio State faces Miami in its College Football Playoff opener, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day will be the one calling offensive plays against the Hurricanes, taking over duties from offensive coordinator Brian Hartline.

Hartline took the head coaching job at South Florida on Dec. 3, and Day said he will have Hartline focus on coaching the team’s receivers in the Cotton Bowl as he balances his responsibilities.

“We wanted to take (play-calling) off of Brian’s plate because he’s got so much going on with what he’s trying to do,” Day told reporters Monday. “It’s such a strange calendar and the timing is brutal, but he’s handled it really well. It’s a lot on his plate to manage.

“We’re kind of taking it day to day. Going into the game, it’ll be a group effort. (Tight ends coach) Keenan (Bailey) will be very much involved. Ultimately it will be my decision what calls go into the game.”

It will not be a new role for Day, who as head coach called Ohio State’s offensive plays until handing those duties over to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Kelly last season.

With Kelly’s departure for the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, Hartline was promoted from his position as receivers coach. He led the Buckeyes this season to rank 17th nationally in scoring at 34.9 points per game.

The Big Ten championship game, however, saw the Buckeyes muster only 10 points in a 13-10 loss to Indiana on Dec. 6.

–Field Level Media

CFP quarterfinals: Oregon lone lower seed favored

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Oregon coach Dan Lanning was frustrated by his team’s second-half performance on Saturday night, but that didn’t stop oddsmakers from installing the Ducks as the lone road favorite for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

No. 5 Oregon will square off against No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, with the Ducks sitting as a consensus 1.0-point favorite on Sunday.

The other three higher seeds are all at least touchdown favorites.

No. 1 Indiana is a consensus 7.0-point favorite over No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, while No. 3 Georgia is a 7.5-point favorite against No. 6 in an SEC rematch in the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide opened the playoffs by overcoming a 17-0 deficit at Oklahoma, going on to a 10-point victory after all four road teams lost in the opening round last year.

The biggest spread is owned by No. 2 Ohio State, which opened as an 8.5-point favorite shortly after No. 10 Miami outlasted No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 on Saturday. However, the consensus line for had moved to 10.0 points by Sunday morning.

The Buckeyes and Hurricanes will play in the first CFP quarterfinal in the Cotton Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve. The other three games will be played on New Year’s Day.

All four teams with first-round byes last season lost their playoff openers.

Ohio State is the strongest favorite to advance to the semifinals at -425 at DraftKings. The Buckeyes are followed by Indiana and Georgia at -260, Oregon (-115), Texas Tech (-105), Alabama and Ole Miss at +210 and Miami (+320).

The Buckeyes are also favorite to win the CFP title at +200.

CFP TITLE ODDS*
Ohio State (+200)
Indiana (+320)
Georgia (+475)
Oregon (+750)
Texas Tech (+800)
Alabama (+1800)
Miami (+2200)
Ole Miss (+2500)
*DraftKings

–Field Level Media