Freshman of the year (defense)Schlabach says ... Ed Oliver

Dec 5, 2016Austin WardESPN Staff Writer CloseCovers the Big Ten.Joined ESPN in 2012.Attended the University of Wyoming.Follow on TwitterFacebookTwitterPinterestEmailprintcommentCOLUMBUS, Ohio -- After his solo, private watch party was over and the chicken wings were all devoured, J.T. Barrett drove over to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and walked to a podium in the team room.

Coach of the yearSchlabach says ... Mike MacIntyre

He has a stellar receiver in Westbrook to help him out. Westbrook did not exactly start out quickly -- he had 154 yards receiving in his first three games combined. But over the last nine, he failed to reach the 100-yard mark just once. Westbrook had 1,465 yards receiving and 16 total touchdowns to rank No. 4 nationally in receiving yards per game (122.1).

By the time the Buckeyes get to it, they figure to be even better than when they left off.

Dec 6, 2016Mark SchlabachESPN Senior Writer CloseSenior college football writer

The fact Baylor’s staff stopped recruiting for the past six months is a disadvantage Rhule must address and overcome immediately. Baylor needs to take a full class, and there is only one commit on board -- three-star defensive back Jalen Pitre. Recruits in this state don’t know anything about Rhule, so suggesting he and his new staff have a ton of work to do in the eight weeks before signing day is a bit of an understatement.

Yes. And because of that we are now replacing the popular Twitter hashtag #MACtion with #MACshunned.

Rhule only needed three years to pull off a worst-to-first rebuild at Temple. His familiarity and passion for that school, one he’d coached at for six years before landing the head coaching job, had to help. How familiar is he with what he’s taking on at Baylor?

Once again, there were plenty of surprises and disappointments:

The few Buckeyes who were around during the run to the national title two years ago have already seen up close both how the month will be structured and what kind of results that work can produce.

3. Colorado's Bryce Bobo made a slick one-handed, turning catch against Oregon.

If either Mayfield or Westbrook wins, he would become the sixth Oklahoma player to hoist the Heisman, ranking second nationally.

Meyer has proven plenty capable of maximizing any amount of extra time to prepare, whether it’s simply a bye week or with nearly a month to gear up for a bowl or national championship game. Even though all of those first-year contributors who stepped up to replace the 16 starters lost last year on offense and defense have already proven themselves as well by getting the Buckeyes back into the four-team field this month, they aren’t yet a finished product.

Flipping through the list of accomplishments on Ohio State’s resume this season, it can be easy to overlook a simple fact: It’s still staggeringly young.

Sam Houston State leads the FCS with averages of 53.1 points and 570.4 total yards -- both school records -- and ranks second in passing offense (385.8 YPG).

Now, with the Buckeyes’ date against No. 2 Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl officially confirmed, it’s finally his turn.

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 11, 2016

The Buckeyes obviously have done that before in the short history of the College Football Playoff, and Barrett has seen up close what it takes. From the training camp-like practices early in December to the events surrounding the game, and then the turnaround from the semifinal to the title game, Barrett has been through that before with the Buckeyes.