Welcome to The Hodgepodge.
I’ll give the 12-team College Football Playoff this. It makes the wait for meaningful college games far less agonizing from championship weekend since the postseason begins much earlier now.
Instead of waiting until New Year’s Eve for the CFP, the first of four first-round games kicks off tonight in South Bend. As for the Buckeyes, instead of playing in what formerly would have been called a New Year’s Six Bowl with likely no shortage of opt-outs, they get an opportunity for redemption following a crushing defeat to Michigan for the fourth straight season.
All of you are familiar with that storyline by now and have surely read about it countless times. Speaking with players and coaches this week, each have given the impression the team has moved past the unfathomable loss to Michigan as best as it can and is fully focused on beating Tennessee.
So, we’ll see what three weeks of preparation brings when the Buckeyes kick off the first-ever CFP game at Ohio Stadium at 8 p.m. on Saturday. I’ve heard this game labeled as a make-or-break game for the Buckeyes, and honestly, I’m not entirely sure I agree with that assessment.
I don’t think winning this game makes up for the Michigan loss or failing to reach the Big Ten title game in the eyes of most fans if it’s followed by a loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. Ergo, I don’t think this game can “make” Ohio State’s season by itself. But winning is the first mandatory step if OSU wants to achieve its preseason goal of winning a national title.
But boy, can this game break everything if it goes sideways.
As Dan pointed out earlier in the week, the 2021 recruiting class came to Columbus with perhaps the highest expectations of a class we’ve seen in quite some time considering it was the highest-ranked Ohio State recruiting class of the recruiting era. They’re in danger of not winning a single rivalry or postseason game of consequence in their four-year tenure at Ohio State if Tennessee leaves The Shoe with a victory. Not only that but the 2024 season would widely be considered one of the biggest failed seasons in recent memory, fair or not.
That would take a heavy toll on so many departing players, especially since so many put their NFL dreams on hold for one last crack at turning in a meaningful season at Ohio State. There’s no shortage of pressure on OSU’s players and coaching staff ahead of kickoff. That’s fine with them because the mantra of the program has always been “pressure is a privilege,” because if there’s no pressure on you in high-level sports, you’re irrelevant.
Yet, no one’s feeling the pressure cooker more than the man in charge of the program. OSU athletic director Ross Bjork has given Ryan Day not one, but two votes of confidence ahead of the Buckeyes’ matchup with the Volunteers, saying he fully expects Day to be OSU’s coach in the 2025 season.
Perhaps that’s true and Day really will still be donning a headset for the scarlet and gray even if the season ends in abject failure. But I’ve learned a long time ago covering this sport to judge administrators, coaches and players by their actions, not their words. Should the unthinkable happen and the Buckeyes suffer an early exit from the playoffs on Saturday, I, along with pretty much everyone else who writes about the team for a living, will be staring at my phone all day on Sunday waiting for either a third vote of confidence from Bjork regarding Day, or a notification that the Buckeyes will be moving in a different direction.
By now, the stakes are pretty well-established. I’d venture to guess (and keep in mind it’s purely a guess and nothing else), that if OSU loses, the 11W beat team will be covering a coaching search over Christmas.
We could get even more in the weeds about what that would mean, but until it happens, there’s no need. Day and the OSU senior class deserve a chance to prove themselves on the field again first.
Ohio State spotlight of the week: Offensive line and play calling adjustments
I suppose we can talk about some things that actually have an impact on the field, too. Chip Kelly faced reporters earlier this week and to his credit took some ownership for the play calling that left a lot to be desired against Michigan.
Tennessee’s front four is nearly as stout as the Wolverines’ was, so running the ball 14 or more times into the teeth of the defense if it continues to fail surely can’t happen again, right? Ohio State has the best skill-position players of any team in the 12-team field, so 20-degree weather or not, it would behoove OSU to use them.
From Day’s press conference this week, it sure seems like Luke Montgomery is going to have a major role this week at left guard, with Tegra Tshabola staying at right guard and Austin Siereveld serving as a swing man between the two spots. Who knows how often they’ll rotate in throughout the contest, but I’d guess it would probably be determined by the game flow/success of the offense.
Previewing the rest of the first round
No team featured in any of the other three first-round matchups is in as deep of a pressure- cooker as Ohio State is, and the three road teams are purely playing with house money.
Yet, three out of the four games being played in northern climates, ironically, just warms something in your soul.
Indiana vs. Notre Dame
This is probably my favorite matchup of all four games simply because it’s an in-state game for two programs that never play each other who are now suddenly meeting in the CFP. Between the hardwiring of my brain to always associate failure with Indiana football and the lopsided result when the Hoosiers played in Columbus, I keep dismissing Indiana’s chances of winning outright.
Perhaps that’s silly when you remember that Notre Dame is capable of losing to Northern Illinois, even if it’s played miles better since then. Admittedly, I don’t love the matchup for the Hoosiers, though. The Fighting Irish’s strength is with its pass defense, which ranks third nationally. Indiana has never met a back-shoulder fade it didn’t like, and between Notre Dame’s secondary and the forecast calling for possible snow, pass conditions don’t seem overly ideal in South Bend.
If there is a bit of good news for the Hoosiers, it’s that their strength on defense could counter Notre Dame’s bread and butter on offense. Indiana has the nation’s best run defense statistically, while the Fighting Irish are heavily reliant on the ground game offensively. Ultimately, this game should be super fun as a standalone game on Friday evening.
SMU vs. Penn State
The Big Ten championship was as good as I’ve seen Penn State’s offense look in quite some time. Regrettably for the Nittany Lions, the defense failed to hold up to their end of the bargain. Though I personally believe it’s the right call putting SMU as the final team in over the field based on merit over Alabama, Big Game James has to be relieved the Crimson Tide aren’t walking through that door.
SMU took advantage of a manageable schedule to fight its way to its conference title game and nearly pulled off an epic comeback against Clemson, so there’s no shortage of talent here. But you also don’t fall behind that much to a team like the Tigers without there being some very real flaws as well.
The Mustangs are fourth nationally in run defense, but they also haven’t seen a backfield combination that comes close to matching the talent of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Not that the conditions will be a passing haven at around 25 degrees or so, but you also have to figure Drew Allar and Tyler Warren are licking their chops to face the nation’s 91st-rated pass defense. Penn State also has to feel good that the strength of SMU’s offense is the passing game, and if the Nittany Lions and Abdul Carter can generate pressure on Kevin Jennings without blitzing, it’s going to be a long day for the Mustangs.
Texas vs. Clemson
Dabo Swinney has to feel like a man who got a new lease on life following Miami’s failure to secure an ACC championship bid, allowing the Tigers to waltz into the playoffs despite losing three games in the regular season.
Still, I can’t help but think back to how anemic Clemson’s offense was when it played Georgia in Week 1. It’ll see a similarly talented group going against the Longhorns.
On the Texas side, the Arch Manning chatter has only gotten louder since the Longhorns were underwhelming offensively against Georgia for a second time this season. Quinn Ewers still remains the starter under center, but a smooth opening drive would go a long way toward easing a few nerves in Austin.
I feel fairly confident Texas should win this matchup, but maybe that confidence is a bit misguided seeing as the Longhorns don’t have a win against a team the caliber of Clemson all year, depending on how you feel about Texas A&M.
Former Buckeyes of the year
Overall, it wasn’t a great year collectively for the 37 former Buckeyes on other FBS rosters for the 2024 season.
But overall, we’ve found a few former Buckeyes to highlight this season.
Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati: 50 catches, 522 yards, three touchdowns
Evan Pryor, RB, Cincinnati: 56 carries, 418 yards, six touchdowns
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: 2,665 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, nine interceptions
Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse: 4,326 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 12 interceptions
Noah Rogers, WR, North Carolina State: 30 receptions, 419 yards, one touchdown
Jesse Mirco, P, Vanderbilt: 47 punts (average of 48 yards per punt), longest punt of 69 yards
Former Buckeye of the Week regular season results
Week Zero former Buckeye of the week: Mason Arnold, LS, Florida State
Week One former Buckeye of the week: Evan Pryor, RB, Cincinnati
Week Two former Buckeye of the week: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Week Three former Buckeye of the week: Mookie Cooper, WR, Missouri
Week Four former Buckeye of the week: Julian Fleming, WR, Penn State
Week Five former Buckeye of the week: Noah Rogers, WR, North Carolina State
Week Six former Buckeye of the week: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
Week Seven former Buckeye of the week: Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati
Week Eight former Buckeye of the week: Cameron Martinez, DB, Boston College
Week Nine former Buckeye of the week: Bryson Shaw, safety, USC
Week 10 former Buckeye of the week: Enokk Vimahi, guard, Washington
Week 11 former Buckeye of the week: Reid Carrico, linebacker, West Virginia
Week 12 former Buckeye of the week: Parker Lewis, kicker, Arizona State
Week 13 former Buckeye of the week: Jesse Mirco, punter, Vanderbilt
Week 14 former Buckeye of the week: Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Games of the Week
I think you can take a wild guess which four games we’re picking here.
Overall season record: 58-50
Indiana at Notre Dame, 8 p.m. Friday on ESPN
Pick: Notre Dame -7
Breakdown: Indiana has had its best season ever in program history and it would be really cool to see the story continue, but I can’t see the Hoosiers scoring enough on Notre Dame to pull off the upset.
SMU at Penn State, noon Saturday on TNT
Pick: Penn State -8.5
Breakdown: Mid-20s in Happy Valley with a chance of snow? Have to give the advantage to the northern team here. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen could be in line for big games.
Clemson at Texas, 4 p.m. Saturday on TNT
Pick: Texas -12
Breakdown: Clemson relies on creating a lot of explosive plays to generate offense. There’s not a better defense in preventing them than Texas. It’s not a good matchup for the Tigers on paper and the score will probably reflect that.
Tennessee at Ohio State, 8 p.m. Saturday on ESPN
Pick: Tennessee +7.5
Breakdown: I still like Ohio State to win outright, but asking the Buckeyes to win by multiple scores in 20-degree weather is a tough ask. I think this contest has all the makings of a rock fight, which OSU will narrowly scrape by.
Coaching carousel
At this point in the calendar, the firings in the sport are probably over (perhaps barring something awful happening Saturday in Columbus). If any other Power Four job opens this cycle, it’ll likely be because a coach leaves on their own. For now, I’ll give my quick thoughts on how each Power Four school did filling its vacancy.
Bill Belichick, North Carolina: The reaction to this hire has been mixed. Some people love it, some people loathe it. I’m not positive it will work out, but I still find myself more in the category of the former rather than the latter. Belichick instantly becomes the best X’s and O’s coach within the ACC and could lift the ceiling of the program, albeit temporarily. Sure, I can’t imagine him not blowing a gasket the first time a 19-year-old sophomore enters his office and demands a raise, nor can I imagine him calling 17-year-olds every day for recruiting purposes. But the college game gets closer and closer to the pro model every year, and I think a lot of kids will want to play for him his first year or two.
Barry Odom, Purdue: I think this is a pretty solid hire for Purdue. Odom has Power Four experience as a head coach (Missouri), but more importantly has seemed to learn from his mistakes. Odom is generally a defensive-minded coach, but he’s never been afraid to hire offensive coordinators with creative offensive schemes, which should benefit Purdue. The problem is, this Boilermakers program is a straight dumpster fire right now and is having a mass exodus in talent as we speak. Odom inherited this program in dire straits so I imagine the administration will be patient. I can’t imagine Odom ever achieving Curt Cignetti-like results in West Lafayette unless the program vastly changes its spending priorities, but he should be able to raise the floor of the program eventually.
Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia: Oh hell yeah, the band is back together. Rodriguez has served a long purgatory sentence taking various coordinator jobs and coaching Jacksonville State since failing miserably as Michigan’s head coach, but the prodigal son has found his way home. I can’t imagine he’s going to have nearly the success in Morgantown he did in his first go-around with the Mountaineers, but the Big 12 is anyone’s conference for the taking right now. Very fascinated to see how Rich Rod in West Virginia Part Two plays out.
Scott Frost, UCF: Another retread hire, UCF decided to bring back its “national championship” winning head coach. Frost won the introductory presser (nobody ever loses it) by lamenting ever leaving Central Florida and reminiscing about his glory days with the Knights. Problem is, I watched him too much at Nebraska to forget that he may be one of the worst game managers I’ve ever seen in one-score games. He’ll benefit from playing in the Big 12 instead of the Big Ten, but Frost has a lot to prove this go-around considering how miserably he failed in Lincoln.
Jake Dickert, Wake Forest: Dickert traded one impossible situation for another, more or less. I don’t blame the man for leaving Washington State, which looks destined to be regulated to a Group of Five conference stuck in the rebuilt Pac-12 purgatory. But his escape hatch is to one of the hardest Power Four jobs out there considering the academic requirements and lack of resources from Wake Forest. I don’t dispute Dickert can flat-out coach, but this seems like a steep challenge for anyone.
Final Hodgepodge classifiers
In the CFP: Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Indiana, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Penn State, SMU, Boise State, Arizona State, Clemson
SEC whining continues: Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina
Sure, you blew your CFP chances, but you’re going to the Pop-Tarts Bowl: Iowa State, Miami
Disastrous finish to the season: Texas A&M
Complete second-year disaster: Wisconsin
Most chaotic not bowl-eligible team ever: Kansas
Coach got fired: North Carolina, Purdue, West Virginia
Coach left to be an offensive coordinator: UCF
Coach left because he’s sick of NIL: Wake Forest
Made a bowl game: Oklahoma, USC, Florida, Nebraska, Michigan, Colorado, BYU, Pittsburgh, Kansas State, LSU, Illinois, Missouri, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Iowa, Louisville, Duke, Minnesota, Georgia Tech, TCU, South Carolina, North Carolina, Baylor, Washington, Rutgers, Boston College, Cal, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State
Below average: Virginia, Cincinnati, Auburn, Michigan State, Utah
No other way to say it, these teams stunk: Northwestern, Maryland, Kentucky, Houston, Mississippi State, Florida State, Arizona, Stanford, UCLA
This team was so bad the board of trustees staged a mutiny to force its coach to take a reduced contract: Oklahoma State
