Ohio State’s recruiting momentum from Saturday wasn’t limited to the scoreboard.
The Buckeyes rolled past Maryland 45-16 behind a strong defensive showing and big plays from Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson, while the coaching staff spent the day working the sideline with a loaded guest list. One of the most notable visitors was 2027 linebacker James Conrad, a Cleveland native from St. Ignatius who is currently committed to Buffalo.
Conrad arrived in Columbus without an Ohio State offer, but that changed over the weekend. The three-star prospect, ranked among the top 40 players in Ohio, had 13 offers before the Buckeyes entered the picture, and this became his first Power 4 offer. The 6-foot-3 linebacker has been earning more attention with a strong senior season, and James Laurinaitis clearly has taken notice.
The timing made the trip even more interesting. Conrad announced the offer on Twitter, and soon after, On3 Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong logged an RPM prediction for Ohio State to flip him from Buffalo. Conrad has been pledged to the Bisons since June, but he described the offer as “emotional,” and it may be enough to pull him away.
Ohio State also landed another important development with 2027 running back Kingston Allen, who picked up an offer from the Buckeyes during the visit weekend.
Allen is already committed to Wisconsin, where he stands as one of the biggest names in the Badgers’ class and their second-highest rated commit, according to 247Sports. A Notre Dame Academy product, he ranks as the No. 7 running back and No. 150 player nationally and has been tied to Wisconsin since April.
The Buckeyes are late entering the picture, but Allen’s production makes it obvious why they’re interested. The reigning 2025 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year ran for more than 3,400 yards and 57 touchdowns last season, and through eight games this year he is already nearing 2,300 yards and 43 touchdowns.
On Friday night, he piled up 306 yards and five touchdowns on just 16 carries. It was the seventh time in his career that the 6-foot, 195-pound back has gone over 300 yards in a game, which is the most in Wisconsin high school history.
Carlos Locklyn and Ohio State are clearly searching for a difference-maker at running back in the 2027 class, and Allen fits the profile. Pulling him away from Wisconsin will be a difficult job, especially this deep into the process, but the Buckeyes are expected to keep pushing if the interest goes both ways.
Ohio State also hosted several other visitors over the weekend, including 2028 cornerback David Olotu-Judah, the No. 26 CB and No. 260 overall prospect in his class from Katy, Texas; 2029 interior offensive lineman Landon Ghea, the No. 1 IOL and No. 25 player nationally from Alpharetta, Georgia; and 2029 safety Andre Scott from Port Charlotte, Florida.
In Other News...
Ohio State Enters Brutal Stretch With One Worry Fans Cant Ignore
Rainy conditions and a depleted lineup did little to slow Ohio State in its 45-16 win over Maryland, a result that kept the Buckeyes moving forward even as the injury and illness list trimmed key pieces from the rotation. Several starters were out, including multiple offensive linemen and wide receivers, but the group that did suit up handled the circumstances well enough to leave Saturday with a comfortable conference win.
Indiana now looms as the next test, and the Buckeyes are still projecting confidence heading into that matchup. The concern for fans is hard to miss, though: Ohio State is entering a demanding stretch while still waiting to get healthier up front and back on the perimeter, and that makes the coming days worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A New Ranking Test Before Indiana
Georgias win over Alabama shook up the top of both major college football polls, and Ohio State came out of the weekend a little higher in the conversation as a result. The Buckeyes climbed to No. 4 in the AP Poll and No. 5 in the Coaches Poll, keeping them firmly in the national title mix while the rest of the Top 5 continued to shuffle around them.
The new placement only adds more weight to what is coming next, because Ohio State is headed toward a Top-5 matchup with Indiana. With the rankings tightening and the stakes rising, the Buckeyes now have an even clearer read on where they stand, and a bigger test waiting to show whether this bump in the polls matches the on-field reality. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Faces A Tougher Indiana Test Than Expected
Indiana heads into its Big Ten matchup with Ohio State in a far better spot health-wise than some early-week injury chatter might have suggested. Tight end Andrew Barker remains the only long-term injured starter, and the Hoosiers have also gotten key defensive boosts with the returns of Daniel Ndukwe and A.J. Harris. That matters against a Buckeyes team that has spent the week managing a longer injury list of its own, with issues spread across the roster and enough uncertainty to make this game feel a little less predictable than it looked a few days ago.
For Ohio State, the concern is less about one single absence and more about how the accumulated wear shows up across the offense and defense. Injuries to offensive linemen, several receivers and multiple defenders can change the rhythm of a game fast, especially against an opponent that looks more stable and more settled entering kickoff. Indiana may still be the underdog on paper, but the matchup no longer looks like the kind of routine Saturday some expected when the week began. [Read more 🡒]