Podcast Summary: How Important is Football to Ohio State? Predicting 2026 Buckeyes Stars: Around the Shoe

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk
Host/Network: Blue Wire
Date: November 10, 2025
Guests:

• Jack Dwick, Managing Sports Editor, The Lantern (Ohio State student newspaper)
• Liv Rinaldi, Sports Editor, The Lantern
• Bill Landis (co-host)
• Doug Lesmerises (co-host)

Episode Overview

This episode explores the significance of football in Ohio State University's culture, its current program strengths, and predictions for future Buckeye stars. Hosts Bill Landis and Doug Lesmerises are joined by student journalists Jack Dwick and Liv Rinaldi for a spirited, honest, and often humorous discussion. The episode also dives into what student journalism is like within the context of covering a powerhouse football program.

The Importance of Football at Ohio State

Main Discussion Points

• Football's Dominance in Campus Life
  • Both Jack and Liv stress that football isn't just a sport at Ohio State—it's the university's backbone.
  • The hosts and students reflect on how football dictates weekly student life, especially around game days.
  • Even non-fans are impacted, as social calendars and campus activity revolve around games.

Notable Quotes

• Jack Dwick:
  “I mean, instantly I thought like 100. It's got to be 100. I feel like the football season for people, especially students at the university, kind of dictates what people do on a like weekly basis.” [03:31]
• Liv Rinaldi:
  “I'm going to have to say like 110. Especially around Michigan week... I think Ohio State is kind of synonymous with Ohio State football... I think it really is just our identity.” [04:36]
• Bill Landis:
  “It's a hundred or a thousand or a million, whatever the highest possible number on your scale is.” [09:00]
• Doug Lesmerises (on out-of-touch expectations):
  “So now I feel like an idiot because I was going to say 82. I was like, well, it's important, but there's a medical school and there's a business school... And now I'm just, I'm just feel like out of touch with all of this.” [10:02]

Timestamps

• [03:31] – Jack on football's importance
• [04:36] – Liv on identity and mood swings
• [06:35] – The emotional toll of wins/losses
• [06:57] – Downsides of football-centric culture

Additional Insights

• Losses diminish campus mood (“no one’s happy”) and the football program can overshadow other sports.
• Football’s success elevates the whole university, including fundraising and branding (i.e., the “front porch” effect).

Best Aspects of Ohio State Football Right Now

Main Discussion Points

• Team’s Identity and Roster Balance
  • A blend of veteran leadership and emerging young talent creates a “new dynasty” feel.
• Stability and Program Control
  • The program navigates modern CFB challenges (NIL, expanded playoffs, staff turnover) better than most.
  • Emphasis on continuity even in a rapidly changing college football landscape.

Notable Quotes

• Liv Rinaldi:
  “We have a really good mix between like, veteran status, but also like a lot of new talent, which is really exciting for the team.” [12:18]
• Bill Landis:
  “It is the most recession-proof program in college football history with not much in the way of bad seasons... They just seem to have a pretty good grip on all of that.” [14:45]
• Doug Lesmerises:
  “Control... I think that applies in multiple ways, because I do think for a lot of fan bases... things are out of control a lot, and I do think even a couple years ago... it didn’t feel like they had a full grasp on things. And I think right now when you talk about how they're handling NIL... it feels like in control.” [15:47]
• Jack Dwick:
  “I was gonna say consistency... in this era of college football, to know that you're going to go out there and... everybody knows what's going to happen in an Ohio State game.” [18:22]

Timestamps

• [12:18] – Liv on team roster
• [14:45] – Bill on stability
• [15:47] – Doug on control
• [18:22] – Jack on consistency
• [19:30] – Liv on how the program’s passing game is “ludicrously” reliable

Predicting 2026 Buckeye Stars

Main Discussion Points

• Each panelist picks a current under-the-radar player poised to break out into stardom by 2026.

Picks & Reasoning

• Bill Landis: Quincy Porter (WR)
  • “He’s got great size... He’s got the explosiveness... he could be a guy who becomes... fairly well-known pretty quickly next year.” [20:59]
• Doug Lesmerises: Jalen McClain (Safety)
  • “I can already hear the broadcasters next year saying things like, ‘man, we thought Caleb Downs was the best safety... and Jalen McClain is filling his role and doing almost the same things.’” [22:25]
• Jack Dwick: Riley Pettigon (LB)
  • “...one of those guys that you can tell, like, he’s going to be a stud... has all the makeup of an NFL guy. I don’t really see any reason why he won’t be a star in his time at Ohio State.” [23:47]
• Liv Rinaldi: Isaiah West (RB)
  • “When he’s playing, like my eyes immediately go to him. Like he’s a big guy, he’s strong, he’s consistent, he's fast... you wouldn’t think that he's a freshman.” [24:44]

Notable Moment

• Liv’s playful defense of her “aura” description—“Yeah, laugh all you want, Jack, but...” [25:41]

Timestamps

• [20:59] – Bill’s pick (Porter)
• [22:25] – Doug’s pick (McClain)
• [23:47] – Jack’s pick (Pettigon)
• [24:44] – Liv’s pick (West)

Journalism Talk: The Experience of Covering Ohio State Football

Main Discussion Points

• The value of student journalism and “on the ground” experience.
• Distinct stories from all the panelists about learning to report, facing nerves, and screwing up in memorable ways.
• The hectic, unglamorous, but rewarding life of student sports journalism—5:00 AM road trips, learning on the fly, and growing professional networks.

Notable Quotes

• Jack Dwick on moving from fan to reporter:
  “Nothing can prepare you from going and sitting on the couch and watching Jeremiah Smith for a year to being in front of him and having to ask him a question.” [37:07]
• Liv Rinaldi on the intangible rewards:
  “Just getting to be along for the ride and kind of witness it all is, I think, probably... an experience that you can't really replace and it's something you'll remember forever.” [38:53]
• Bill Landis’ life lessons:
  “You better, like, give them a reason to send you there, right?... The real world experience is the things that kind of stick with you.” [33:44]
• Doug's embarrassing student radio moment:
  “The catcher jumps out of her crotch. Excuse me, I mean her crouch. And instead of crouch. And that's why I'm not a radio guy.” [44:06]

Timestamps

• [30:45] – Doug’s “don’t do what I did” intro
• [31:53] – Liv on the value of the Lantern experience
• [33:44] – Bill on hard-won lessons from early reporting
• [37:07] – Jack on facing real interviews
• [38:53] – Liv on the lifestyle and perks
• [46:09] – Liv’s “deep balls” headline gaffe for comedic relief

Memorable Anecdotes & Funniest Moments

• Transcript Outtakes:
  • Liv’s headline gaffe: “Julian Sain’s deep balls keep coming down for Ohio State” goes viral, with friends, pizza shops, and even her mom chiming in. [46:09]
  • Doug admits to a notorious student radio slip: “The catcher jumps out of her crotch…” [44:06]
  • Bill Landis cold-calls Bill Walton—gets a call back two minutes later, ends up in a three-hour conversation. [43:41]

Conclusion

The episode is equal parts insightful analysis and charming, relatable storytelling. It highlights Ohio State football’s outsized influence on university life, reveals the advantages and quirks of the current program, forecasts the next generation of Buckeye stars, and offers a candid look at what it means to come of age as a sports journalist in Columbus.

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:31 | Football’s impact on Ohio State (Jack, Liv) | | 06:57 | Potential downsides of football’s dominance | | 12:18 | Best aspect of current Buckeye football (roster mix, stability) | | 20:59 | Predicting future Buckeye stars | | 30:45 | Journalism Q&A, lessons learned, embarrassing moments | | 37:07 | Jack's story—interviewing childhood hero Devin Smith | | 38:53 | Liv’s favorite experiences covering games | | 43:41 | Landis’s Bill Walton story | | 44:06 | Doug’s classic radio flub | | 46:09 | Liv’s headline mishap goes public |

Listen for unfiltered insights on Ohio State football culture, collegiate sports journalism, and budding journalistic careers—plus plenty of laughs.