The Scarlet and Gray

[toysoldier00]

Max Klare Calls Purdue Matchup “Different,” But Says Focus Is on Ohio State’s Goals
By Zachary Anderson on November 5, 2025


Jayden Ballard has emerged as Wisconsin's leading receiver in 2025 after transferring from Ohio State.



Ohio State tight end Max Klare doesn’t need to pretend Saturday will feel like any other game.

Klare, who transferred from Purdue in the offseason, will face his former team this weekend when the Buckeyes visit the Boilermakers. And after practice Wednesday, Klare acknowledged the personal element of the matchup, while also making it clear he’s not letting it become the story.

“Yeah, it’s different,” Klare said. “Those are guys I went to work with every day, coaches I played for, people I still respect. But once the ball is kicked, you’re playing for Ohio State. This team has goals, and my job is to help us reach them.”

Klare arrived in Columbus with immediate expectations after emerging as one of Purdue’s most productive playmakers last season. In 2024, he led the Boilermakers in receiving with 51 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns, frequently serving as Purdue’s security blanket in critical downs and in the red zone. Ohio State targeted him in the portal not just for his receiving production, but for the versatility he brings to an offense built around spacing, matchup stress, and tight ends who can play all over the formation.

Through the first half of the 2025 season, Klare has been a steady contributor in Ohio State’s passing game, posting 29 receptions for 254 yards and two touchdowns while playing 442 snaps. His raw yardage isn’t as gaudy as it was at Purdue, but that’s partly a function of role and environment, Ohio State’s offense spreads targets across a deep receiver room, and Klare’s responsibilities often extend beyond box-score production. He’s been used heavily on third downs, in protection looks, and as a chain-moving option when defenses tilt extra attention toward Jeremiah Smith.

Klare said the biggest adjustment has been learning how to thrive in a system where the ball can go to five different players on any snap.

“At Purdue, I had to be a focal point,” Klare said. “Here, it’s about doing your job. Some weeks that’s catches, some weeks that’s blocking, some weeks it’s being the guy that opens something up for someone else. I’m good with that. That’s what winning football looks like.”

Klare’s familiarity with Purdue’s personnel could offer Ohio State an edge in preparation, but he downplayed that angle, saying the week feels more like “business” than revenge.

Still, when Saturday arrives, there’s no hiding the moment: the Buckeyes’ tight end will be lining up across from the program that helped make him a Big Ten name, now wearing scarlet and gray.

[djp73]

Homie said nah I don’t want to be the man at Purdue

[Soapy]

jealousy is a female trait

don't start nothing you can't finish, brother

[toysoldier00]

Homie said nah I don’t want to be the man at Purdue

Bros tryna be a winner, gotta respect that

jealousy is a female trait

don't start nothing you can't finish, brother

[toysoldier00]

Ohio State Adds Second 2027 Commit as Dayton DT Thomas Ford Picks Buckeyes
By Colten Brooks on November 5, 2025


Chaminade Julienne (Dayton, OH) Defensive Tackle Thomas Ford becomes Ohio State's second commitment in the 2027 Class.



Ohio State's 2027 class continues to take shape in the trenches.

Dayton Chaminade Julienne defensive tackle Thomas Ford committed to the Buckeyes on Wednesday, becoming Ohio State’s second pledge in the 2027 cycle and the second defensive line commit in as many weeks. Ford joins Winton Woods edge rusher Delonte Salter as early building blocks for a class that is already leaning into one of Ohio State’s favorite recruiting themes: identify disruptive defensive line traits early, then let development do the rest.

Ford is a three-star prospect and projects as a 3-technique defensive tackle at the next level. Listed at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds, he’s not the finished product physically yet, but Ohio State’s staff clearly believes the foundation is there, especially the strength, motor and production that have defined his junior season.

Through nine games, Ford has compiled 46 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, while also forcing two fumbles, a stat line that stands out for an interior defender and helps explain why Larry Johnson pushed for an early commitment.

“I’ve been working for this since I was a kid,” Ford said. “When Ohio State offered me and showed me they really believed in me, that meant everything. Coach Johnson talked to me about development, about what I can become if I keep working. That’s what I want. I want to be coached hard.”

Ford’s tape backs up the numbers. He wins with effort first, a relentless, snap-to-snap motor that doesn’t fade, and that motor has been one of the biggest selling points for Ohio State’s evaluation. Coaches around the program have long prioritized defensive linemen who can keep playing fast late in games, and Ford’s ability to impact the fourth quarter has become one of the defining traits in his profile.

“That’s something I take pride in,” Ford said. “A lot of guys are tired in the fourth. That’s when I feel like I’m at my best. I want to break people. That’s the whole mindset.”

Ohio State has also been impressed with Ford’s natural strength for his age, which gives him a high-level base to build on as his body continues to mature. At 275 pounds, Ford already plays with the kind of power that can reset the line of scrimmage, and the Buckeyes believe that as he adds mass, and as Johnson refines his hand usage, pad level, and pass-rush sequencing, his disruptive flashes can turn into consistent production.

Ford isn’t being recruited as an immediate-ready plug-and-play player. He’s being recruited as a projection with traits that fit Ohio State’s developmental model: power, effort, and the kind of interior explosiveness that can become real pass-rush value when coached properly. For a staff that has never been afraid to bet on defensive line upside, Ford checks a lot of boxes.

The commitment is also notable for what it signals about Ohio State’s early approach to the 2027 cycle. The Buckeyes already landed Salter, a four-star edge rusher from Winton Woods, and now add Ford on the inside, giving Ohio State a two-player defensive line core before the bulk of the class has even begun to form.

That’s not an accident. It’s an early message: the Buckeyes are going to build this class from the front, and they’re going to do it with players who play violent football.

For Ford, the Ohio factor mattered too. Chaminade Julienne has produced college talent for years, but an Ohio kid committing to Ohio State always carries a slightly different weight, especially a defensive lineman pledging himself to Larry Johnson’s room.

“I grew up watching Ohio State,” Ford said. “That’s the dream. But it’s not just the dream, it’s the work. I know what that room is like. I know the standard. I want to be part of it.”

Ohio State’s 2027 class is still in its infancy, but it’s already developing a clear personality. Salter gives the Buckeyes a twitchy, explosive edge presence with national upside. Ford brings interior disruption and a relentless engine that fits exactly what Ohio State wants from a 3-technique.

Two defensive linemen in two weeks won’t define a class by itself, but it can set the tone.

And for Ohio State, getting that tone right early is never a bad place to start.

Rank	Pos	Name	Height	Weight	High School	Home Town
	DE	Delonte Salter	6'3"	225 lbs	Winton Woods	Cincinnati, OH
	DT	Thomas Ford	6'3"	275 lbs	Chaminade Julienne	Dayton, OH

[Agent]

Big game Klare incoming

[toysoldier00]

Week 11 Preview: Big 12 Title Stakes in Lubbock, Big Ten Tests in Iowa City and Happy Valley

Marissa Bleday
November 6, 2025


November doesn’t ask politely. It demands proof, on the road, under pressure, with the weather changing and the margin shrinking. Week 11 is built around that idea, headlined by an undefeated BYU team walking into Lubbock for the Big 12’s biggest game of the year, while Oregon visits Iowa in a Big Ten grinder, LSU tries to salvage its season at Alabama, and Indiana attempts to turn its dream season into history at Penn State.

#7 BYU Cougars (8-0) at #11 Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-1)
GameDay is in West Texas for No. 7 BYU (8–0) at No. 11 Texas Tech (8–1), a matchup that feels like the most honest measure of BYU’s undefeated run and the most dangerous version of Texas Tech we’ve seen in years.

“This is why you go undefeated,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said this week. “You earn the right to play in games like this.”

BYU has survived plenty, including a wild win over Utah, but the Cougars haven’t faced a front seven like Texas Tech’s, a group that plays like it was assembled specifically to break young quarterbacks. Stanford transfer edge rusher David Bailey has been a weekly problem, and the Red Raiders’ pass rush sits near the national lead. That’s the test for freshman QB Bear Bachmeier: can he stay calm when the pocket collapses and the coverage tightens?

Texas Tech, meanwhile, has the look of a roster that can beat anyone when healthy, and plays like it believes it.

“We’re built to be physical,” Joey McGuire said. “We’re built to rush the passer, stop the run, and make you earn everything.”

Behren Morton has been efficient and decisive, and if Tech gets an early lead, the pass rush becomes an avalanche. BYU’s path is to control the game with the run, LJ Martin has carried that identity, and keep the crowd quiet long enough for the fourth quarter to feel like a coin flip. But if this becomes a pass-heavy game for BYU, it will be playing into Tech’s teeth.

#8 Oregon Ducks (7-1) at #20 Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2)
The Big Ten’s most compelling road test is No. 8 Oregon (7–1) at No. 20 Iowa (6–2), a matchup that doesn’t feel glamorous but often decides who survives the month. Oregon has been efficient all season, still carrying a national profile behind QB Dante Moore and an offense that can score quickly, but the Ducks’ résumé has taken dents, and this back half is where the evaluation becomes real.

“Every week in November is a playoff game if you’re chasing big goals,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. Iowa is the opposite kind of test: physical, stubborn, and happy to turn possessions into field-position battles.

Kirk Ferentz put it simply: “If you want to beat good teams, you have to play disciplined football for 60 minutes.”

Oregon’s advantage is explosiveness; Iowa’s advantage is discomfort. If Iowa can make this a low-possession game, one turnover or one short field can flip the afternoon.



#23 LSU Tigers (5-3) at #6 Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1)
In Tuscaloosa, No. 23 LSU (5–3) at No. 6 Alabama (7–1) feels like LSU’s last chance to stay relevant in the playoff conversation. The Tigers still have a quarterback with the arm to scare anyone, but the season hasn’t matched the early Heisman framing. Alabama, meanwhile, has rebuilt its momentum with each week after an early stumble.

“We’re learning how to win different ways,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Now we’ve got to prove it again.”

That’s the tension: LSU has enough talent to make this a fourth-quarter game, but Alabama’s offense can punish mistakes quickly, and its defense doesn’t need much help from the crowd. For LSU, it has to be clean, no giveaways, no missed red-zone chances, because the odds of winning a shootout in Tuscaloosa are slim.

#4 Texas A&M (8-0) at #15 Missouri Tigers (6-2)
The other SEC game with major leverage is No. 4 Texas A&M (8–0) at No. 15 Missouri (6–2). A&M is still unbeaten, but the committee dropping the Aggies to fourth last week only added fuel.

“Our guys took it personally,” A&M coach Mike Elko said. “The response is to keep winning.”

Missouri’s season, meanwhile, is hanging on the edge of opportunity: win here and it becomes a national story again; lose and the third defeat likely pushes the Tigers out of the serious race. Missouri’s offense has been built on a dangerous partnership, Beau Pribula and Ahmad Hardy, but A&M’s defense has turned games into slow suffocations. The key question: can Missouri protect long enough to hit explosives, or will A&M’s pressure turn this into a field-position grind?



Navy Midshipmen (7-1) at #13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-2)
In South Bend, Navy (7–1) at No. 13 Notre Dame (6–2) is a classic high-stakes contrast: tempo and toughness versus a defense that can erase mistakes.

“If you’re not fundamentally sound, they’ll expose you,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. The Irish know the deal, they likely have to keep winning to stay in the playoff hunt, and Navy’s style is designed to shorten games and steal them late.

#3 Indiana Hoosiers (9-0) at Penn State Nittany Lions (3-5)
Finally, one of the weekend’s most intriguing “history vs. momentum” games is No. 3 Indiana (9–0) at Penn State (3–5). Indiana is rolling, and its quarterback has turned the Hoosiers into a real contender, but Indiana has never won at Happy Valley.

“We’re not chasing history,” IU coach Curt Cignetti said. “We’re chasing the standard.”

Penn State has lost five straight, but James Franklin is trying to salvage something tangible. “We owe it to each other to fight,” Franklin said.

Even in a down year, Penn State’s environment can turn games strange, and Indiana has to prove it can handle the moment.

Week 11 is less about style points and more about survival. Lubbock will test BYU’s legitimacy. Iowa City will test Oregon’s toughness. Tuscaloosa will test whether LSU has any season left to save. And the rest will test what November always tests: who can keep winning when it’s no longer fun.






[toysoldier00]

Game Preview: No. 1 Ohio State Visits Struggling Purdue With Stakes Still Rising
By Zachary Anderson on November 7, 2025





Ohio State has reached the part of the season where the opponent often matters less than the standard. The Buckeyes are 8–0, still in a two-team Big Ten race with Indiana, and every Saturday now functions like a checkpoint on the road to Indianapolis. Next up is a trip to Ross-Ade Stadium on Nov. 8 (3:30 p.m., CBS), where Purdue enters 2–7 and searching for anything that feels stable.

And yet, Ohio State fans don’t need a history lesson on why West Lafayette can feel weird. The Buckeyes have had tighter-than-expected afternoons in this building for two decades, even if the Ryan Day era has avoided the kind of stumble that turns into a decade-long meme.

“You respect the league, you respect road games,” Ryan Day said this week. “The record doesn’t matter once the ball is kicked. You have to bring your edge, because if you don’t, you give teams life.”

Purdue has been living off the opposite of life lately. The Boilermakers started with wins over Ball State and Southern Illinois, then dropped seven straight, including lopsided losses at Michigan (55–3) and a series of one-score games where the offense couldn’t sustain drives. First-year head coach

Barry Odom has been blunt about where it’s gone wrong. “We have to stop beating ourselves and start finishing,” Odom said. “It’s about fundamentals, it’s about toughness, and it’s about responding when things go bad.”

Things have gone bad most often at quarterback. Sophomore Ryan Browne has volume numbers but also the mistakes that bury you in the Big Ten, nine interceptions, slow third-down efficiency, and an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in both yards and points. Purdue’s best way to keep this from turning into a track meet is to lean on senior running back Devin Mockobee, the one consistent piece in a unit that otherwise feels like it’s playing uphill.

Ohio State’s defense is built to punish that kind of one-dimensional plan. The Buckeyes are giving up the fewest points and yards in the country, allowing almost nothing on the ground and consistently forcing long-yardage situations with pressure. Caden Curry has been the headline pass rusher, Arvell Reese has been the new star in the middle, and Caleb Downs is still the eraser in the back end. For Purdue, the path to “hang around” usually starts with converting third downs. That’s been a problem all season, and it’s a particular problem against a defense that thrives on getting off the field.

On the other side, Ohio State’s offense enters this one slightly shorthanded. Carnell Tate (41 catches, 475 yards) is expected to miss the game with a shoulder issue, and rotational edge rusher Joshua Mickens is also out. Tate’s absence matters because he’s been the steady opposite Jeremiah Smith, who continues to be the engine of Ohio State’s passing game. The Buckeyes have answers, but the distribution will look different.

One of the biggest beneficiaries could be tight end Max Klare, who transferred from Purdue in the offseason and now faces his former team in a game that will carry at least a little personal spice. With Tate out, Ohio State’s middle-of-the-field usage and third-down menu should expand, and Klare has already proven he can be that chain-mover when defenses overplay the outside.

The other constant is quarterback Julian Sayin, who has turned early-season poise into sustained production. Ohio State isn’t leading the conference in yardage, but it is piling up points because it finishes drives, protects the ball, and hits explosives when defenses get impatient. With Purdue’s defense allowing big numbers and struggling to generate takeaways, the matchup math favors Ohio State, especially if the Buckeyes can jump ahead and force Browne into obvious passing downs.

Purdue does have one defender capable of changing a series: edge rusher CJ Nunnally IV. If Purdue is going to create a tense fourth quarter, it will likely require Nunnally to create a turnover or two, and it will require Ross-Ade to feel alive long enough to make Ohio State play a little tighter than it wants to.

But Ohio State knows what this game is. It’s not a rivalry game. It’s not a “prove it” game. It’s a “don’t blink” game, the kind that decides whether an undefeated season stays clean on the way to the bigger tests waiting later in November.

Date	Opponent	Stadium	TV	Result
Aug. 30	Texas Longhorns	Ohio Stadium		W, 31-13
Sept. 6	Grambling State Tigers	Ohio Stadium		W, 46-6
Sept. 13	Ohio Bobcats	Ohio Stadium		W, 40-10
Sept. 20	BYE
Sept. 27	Washington Huskies	Husky Stadium		W, 37-16
Oct. 4	Minnesota Golden Gophers	Ohio Stadium		W, 53-22
Oct. 11	Illinois Fighting Illini	Memorial Stadium		W, 38-6
Oct. 18	Wisconsin Badgers	Camp Randall		W, 38-7
Oct. 25	BYE
Nov. 1	Penn State Nittany Lions	Ohio Stadium		W, 31-13
Nov. 8	Purdue Boilermakers	Ross-Ade Stadium		3:30 PM
Nov. 15	UCLA Bruins	Ohio Stadium
Nov. 22	Rutgers Scarlet Knights	Ohio Stadium
Nov. 29	Michigan Wolverines	Michigan Stadium

[Count]

how are you representing 2027 recruits? Salter looks like he'll be a nice addition for you

[Soapy]

how are you representing 2027 recruits? Salter looks like he'll be a nice addition for you

he's retroactively posting updates, he's further along in the save