Buckeye Bits: Blake Haubeil out against Rutgers, No. 2 OLB puts Ohio State in top six, more

Man what a week, huh?

I’m obviously talking about the massive buildup to Ohio State’s huge marque matchup against Rutgers this weekend, as that is clearly the only thing going on in the world. All jokes aside, we can all use some distractions from what has been a hectic Election Day week, and there is no better way to fill the void in between refreshing the voting data than with some Buckeye football news.

Usually I'd give out some betting picks for the weekend, but I haven’t really had a ton of time to take a good look at this week’s board with everything going on, so we’ll bring that back next week (Brett has you covered on that front later, anyway). I would like to just put it out there, however, that I think Clemson (-5) is free money.

Without further ado, let’s get to today’s non-election headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

Buckeyes dish out offer to five-star Florida native DB
(Caleb Houser, LGHL)

The Ohio State staff is trying to work its Jacksonville pipeline with another star corner.

Podcast: Audio from coach Ryan Day, Harry Miller
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

Harry Miller continues to be the most interesting man in the world.

Ohio State vs. Rutgers: Game preview and prediction
(Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)

Everything you need to know about this weekend’s game against the Scarlet Knights.

Ohio State Buckeyes officially licensed face masks, gaiter scarfs
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

We’re all probably gonna be wearing masks for awhile, might as well look good!

Ohio State a big favorite, Michigan and Indiana, other Big Ten action
(Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)

Breakdowns for all of this weekend's Big Ten betting lines.

From around the gridiron...

As has been the case each Friday this season, Ohio State released this week’s availability report heading into Saturday’s game against Rutgers. There were no big surprises this time around, however we did get confirmation that kicker Blake Haubeil will not play against the Scarlet Knights as he continues to nurse a groin injury.

One slight change this week is that Jake Hausmann is unavailable, but the Buckeyes should still be in good shape at tight end with Luke Farrell and Jeremy Ruckert. Other notable inactives include Cam Brown (out for the season with an Achilles injury), Lejond Cavasos, and Marcus Crowley.

We don't usually do a ton of recruiting news here in Buckeye Bits, but there are a few noteworthy things to touch on today. Firstly, Ohio State has made the top six for four-star linebacker Jalon Walker. A native of North Carolina, Walker is the No. 2 OLB and the No. 41 player overall in the 2022 class.

Shifting from positive recruiting news to a more negative subject, the 2021 Under Armour All-America Game has been cancelled. A few weeks after the 2021 All-American Bowl was cancelled, both major high school postseason contests will no longer be played thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ohio State had 12 commitments scheduled to appear in the All-American Bowl — tying the record for most commits from one school to play in the game — with one other commit set to play in the Under Armour All-America Game.

Can someone explain to me why J.K. Dobbins isn’t RB1 in Baltimore?

The Lettermen Row boys are back with another round of bold predictions. This time around, we get predictions for big performances by Julian Fleming and C.J. Stroud, as well as a call for a defensive TD by Josh Proctor.

And you were worried about Ohio State’s defensive line? Pshhhhhh.

Blocking a defensive end one-on-one with a tight end is generally not a good strategy.

From everywhere else...

The Pac-12 has yet to play football this season, and even still they have already had to cancel a pair of games. It is just another reminder that this pandemic is not over, and is in fact getting much worse by the day. Continue to follow the protocols whenever possible!

Regardless of your thoughts on the election, this is hilarious.

Which is more important: Georgia football or counting votes? Sounds like a toss up.

SEC: It just means more.