Welcome to the Skull Session.
One more sleep.
Best atmosphere in College Football is back this weekend pic.twitter.com/dSKFSWAZL7
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 2, 2023
Let's have a good Friday, shall we?
THOSE FUTURE SCHEDULES, THOUGH. Remember when Urban Meyer said Michigan and Georgia should be penalized for their cupcake-loaded schedules in 2023? While he was (and is) correct, the more I ponder Meyer's comments, the more I believe he will need to make the same remarks about Ohio State's 2024 slate.
Southern Miss, Western Michigan, Marshall, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska and Purdue at home; Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon and Penn State on the road.
That schedule is meh.
But then comes Ohio State's 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 schedules. GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY, those may be the toughest schedules on college football in each of those seasons.
The future is set pic.twitter.com/B2Y5F8Esak
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 5, 2023
*Note: marquee matchups in bold text.
In 2025, Ohio State will host Texas (and Arch Manning?), Ohio, UConn, Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers and UCLA. The Buckeyes will travel to Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, Washington and Wisconsin.
In 2026, Ohio State will host Ball State, Kent State, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern and Oregon. The Buckeyes will travel to Texas, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and USC.
In 2027, Ohio State will host Bowling Green, New Hampshire, Alabama, Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska and USC. The Buckeyes will travel to Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Oregon and Rutgers.
In 2028, Ohio State will host Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Rutgers, Washington and Wisconsin. The Buckeyes will travel to Alabama, Maryland, Illinois, Penn State and UCLA.
At a minimum, Ohio State will have four marquee matchups each season, and that only includes opponents who are expected to be perennial contenders for the Big Ten championship. What if Nebraska returns to prominence under Matt Rhule? I'd have to bold the Cornhuskers. What if Iowa boots Brian Ferentz and hires a competent offensive coordinator? I'd probably have to bold the Hawkeyes. What if Rutgers... kidding.
Like Tim May, I digress.
Ohio State's future schedules look fun, but we need to wrap up the 2023 season before we look too far ahead.
On to Maryland.
MIYAN RUINS. When the Buckeyes battled the Terrapins in 2022, Ohio State's running back room was decimated with bumps and bruises. TreVeyon Henderson was hobbled, Miyan Williams was a scratch, Evan Pryor was out for the season, and Chip Trayanum was still a linebacker.
Enter Dallan Hayden.
As Ohio State's bell cow, Hayden collected 146 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries – an incredible performance from the rookie out of Memphis, Tennessee.
Hayden's performance deserves praise. However, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day shared on The Ryan Day Radio Show that Hayden's heroics should not be needed in the Big Ten East matchup with the Terrapins, as Henderson, Williams, Trayanum and Pryor are expected to be available on Saturday.
With Henderson and Trayanum as Ohio State's RB1-RB2 combination in 2023, Day expects the duo to lead the Buckeyes' backfield versus Maryland. He also said Williams, who has seen his role diminish since a two-touchdown performance versus Indiana, will have opportunities to be the wrecking ball we've all come to know and love over the past couple of seasons.
"We have some good depth (in the running back room) now," Day said. "I look forward to getting Miyan going here this week. He's had a really good week of practice."
I'll offer a Best Bet™ before we publish Last Call: Miyan Williams will score a touchdown on Saturday. His box score will look something like five carries for 18 yards and one score – or somewhere in that ballpark. Miyan must make his Ruins!
C.J. STROUD, EVERYONE. On Thursday, former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud – who is seemingly, at the moment, the most popular player in the NFL – appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to discuss the incredible start to his NFL career with the Houston Texans.
In an over 20-minute interview, Stroud answered several questions from McAfee and co-host A.J. Hawk, an All-American linebacker and national champion at Ohio State from 2002-05. Here is a video of the interview and some of Stroud's best quotes:
On how he has assimilated into the NFL
"It goes back to playing at Ohio State. I wanted to play on a bigger stage against the best competition. Everybody who has played at Ohio State knows that every day in practice you're playing against first-rounders or somebody who is really good on the other side. The competition was bred at practice, which definitely helped. And then having Coach Day. God blessed me with the opportunity to go to a school like that. And then I learned my lessons in the preseason. It was big for me to have a little trouble at first and then grow each week because I wanted to get better. It's been a blessing, man."
On earning a leadership role with the Houston Texans
"It's been a learning process for me. I appreciate Coach DeMeco (Ryans). He kept it real with me when I got in. He said, 'I want you to be a leader, but you have to earn it.' I've always wanted to earn stuff. I've never been given anything. I wanted to build trust with my teammates and bond with guys on and off the field. ... When we get on the field, man, we want to go to battle for each other. When you want to be a leader, it means more when the guy who is saying something is actually doing it on the field. The proof is in the pudding."
On the older quarterbacks he's leaned on as a rookie
"I had a lot of opportunities in the offseason to meet with former quarterbacks and athletes from other sports. ... (I went to the) White Party, which was a good time. The whole time I was around Joe Burrow, and I talked to him the whole time. He gave me a lot of great feedback, a lot of advice. As a former Buckeye who went to LSU and was the first pick in the draft, he understands where I am at now. I also talked to Michael Vick, who was my hero, my idol growing up – somebody who was my favorite player in sports, along with Kobe (Bryant) and Kevin Durant. He had a lot of really good advice for me. I actually talked to Tom Brady. Michael Rubin, who is a friend of mine, threw a lunch for me, Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson in LA. ... For me, I am trying to be a sponge and soak in knowledge and wisdom."
On if he had doubts that he would be a great NFL quarterback
"No, sir. ... I've been doubted my whole career since I've been in high school. My dad gave me a quote that I use now, 'Comparison is the thief of joy.' ... I don't want to prove anybody wrong. I want to prove myself right. If you try to prove everybody wrong, you'll be sleepless, restless because everybody always has something to say. ... I knew that if I put in the work and God put me in the right situation, which I felt like he has done – man, I've had nothing but success on the way, and I am super blessed to have that mindset and let all that stuff go. I don't care at the end of the day. Those people (who have criticized me) have a job to do. The more criticism they have, the more they are probably paid, but I'm making them write a different story now."
On how disappointment at Ohio State led him to mature quicker
"Those first couple of games in my career (Minnesota, Oregon and Tulsa in 2021) were really hard on me. I went through a lot. I received harsh comments, death threats – you can name it, man. At the time, I didn't understand what I was going through. But God was putting me through a process where he was trying to put that callous on me and make sure that I was tough enough to be ready for what he was preparing me for. It helped me be humble once I did get success. I would never go back and change anything. I definitely think everything that happened was on purpose. ... In Columbus, man, a lot of people didn't want me there, but I wanted to be there, and I knew that I would fall in love with it. I fought for those people to rep the Buckeyes. That time definitely prepared me for where I'm at now."
Stroud has a fantastic future ahead of him. I do not doubt that.
He is a special, special kid.
Am I becoming a Texans fan?
THAT'S A LOT OF WINS. Earlier this week, Fox College Football posted a tweet that ranked Big Ten schools according to their conference record since 2015. It should be no surprise that Ohio State – the school with four Big Ten Championship Game victories in the past eight years – was ranked No. 1.
A look at the best @B1Gfootball conference records since 2015
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 3, 2023
What surprises you most? pic.twitter.com/T3ZAVSsY6u
Here is a super-detailed analysis of each team's record:
Ohio State: That's a lot of wins! #GoBucks
Michigan: [REDACTED]
Penn State, Wisconsin and Iowa: More average than I remembered.
Michigan State, Northwestern, Minnesota: So close to .500!
Purdue, Nebraska, Indiana, Maryland and Illinois: Ouch!
Rutgers: Thanks for starting college football, but you don't belong in the Big Ten.
That's all, folks.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.
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