Welcome to the Skull Session.
Ohio State plays football today.
"It's always been Ohio Against the World. It will be Ohio Against the World. That's the way it goes."
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 5, 2023
Ohio State 2023, Vol. 5 coming soon.pic.twitter.com/3xqMuF23eU
Let's have a good GAMEDAY, shall we?
GET DUMPED THEN, TWERPS. After Ohio State defeated Maryland 43-30 in College Park last season, the Terrapins started a seven-game win streak with dubs over Rutgers and NC State (in the Duke's Mayo Bowl) in 2022, and Towson, Charlotte, Virginia, Michigan State and Indiana in 2023.
Impressive.
Most impressive.
But the streak will end on Saturday.
I like quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. I like some of the weapons around him in wide receivers Jeshaun Jones, Tai Felton and Kaden Prather. I like some of the pieces on defense in defensive end Donnell Brown and cornerbacks Tarheeb Still and Ja'Quan Sheppard.
However, if Ohio State's offense protects the ball and finishes off drives, and its defense makes Tagovailoa a pocket passer, there is almost no chance Maryland beats Ohio State. The Terrapins' chances seem even slimmer with the matchup in Columbus, as the Buckeyes have defeated the Terps 49-28 (2015), 62-14 (2017), 73-14 (2019) and 66-17 (2021) at Ohio Stadium since Maryland became a Big Ten school in 2014.
Still, there's a chance...
Here is how Ohio State beats Maryland:
TAKE CARE OF THE FOOTBALL
Kyle McCord has one interception in 2023, which came back in the team's Week 1 win over Indiana on Sept. 2. Since then, the Buckeyes' QB1 has attempted 101 passes and tossed zero (0) picks. But McCord will be tested versus Maryland, as the Terps' defense has recorded eight interceptions in five contests – a mark that ranks third in the FBS behind Liberty and Oklahoma. Pass the test, win the game.
FINISH OFF DRIVES, SUCCEED IN THE RED ZONE
Ohio State turned the ball over on downs twice inside Notre Dame’s 20-yard line in Week 4. Twice! That was one of the reasons the Buckeyes needed Chip Trayanum's last-second, 1-yard touchdown to defeat the Irish in South Bend, Indiana. After five weeks of college football, Ohio State ranks 97th in red-zone scoring percentage (76.9%) – NOT GREAT, BOB! – and Maryland ranks 57th (86.4%). In a matchup with a talented offense, the Buckeyes cannot leave points off the board and allow the Terps to hang around.
KEEP TAULIA IN THE POCKET
On Tuesday, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said Maryland's offense is unique because of how Tagovailoa extends plays, running outside the pocket and delivering strikes down the field. That said, Ohio State cannot let him run wild. Last season, he did that early and often, throwing and running for three touchdowns as the Terrapins went punch for punch with the Buckeyes. He will undoubtedly use the same formula to try to lead Maryland to its first-ever win over Ohio State in 2023.
If Ohio State accomplishes those three objectives, the Buckeyes should secure a comfortable win on Saturday.
I like comfortable wins.
Prediction: Ohio State 38, Maryland 17
THE MENU. On Saturday, FOX's Big Noon Kickoff is at No. 4 Ohio State vs. Maryland, and ESPN's College GameDay is at No. 3 Texas vs. No. 12 Oklahoma (Noon on ABC), also known as "The Red River Rivalry" or, in the olden days, "The Red River Shootout." Beyond those two contests, there is a lot to love in the Week 6 slate: No. 11 Alabama at Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. on CBS, No. 20 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Georgia at 7 p.m. on ESPN, No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 25 Louisville at 7:30 p.m. on ABC and more.
Here is a look at the complete schedule for Saturday:
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Toledo at UMass | 12:00pm | ESPNU |
| Boston College at Army | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| 23 LSU at 21 Missouri | 12:00pm | ESPN |
| Maryland at 4 Ohio State | 12:00pm | FOX |
| Rutgers at Wisconsin | 12:00pm | Peacock |
| Western Michigan at Mississippi State | 12:00pm | SECN |
| William & Mary at Virginia | 12:00pm | ACCN |
| 12 Oklahoma vs 3 Texas (in Dallas, TX) | 12:00pm | ABC/ESPN3 |
| Marshall at NC State | 2:00pm | The CW |
| UTSA at Temple | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Michigan at Buffalo | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| 13 Washington State at UCLA | 3:00pm | P12N |
| Howard at Northwestern | 3:00pm | BTN |
| Kent State at Ohio | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ball State at Eastern Michigan | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| NIU at Akron | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Texas State at Louisiana | 3:30pm | ESPNU |
| Bowling Green at Miami (Ohio) | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| North Texas at Navy | 3:30pm | CBSSN |
| Wake Forest at Clemson | 3:30pm | ACCN |
| Virginia Tech at 5 Florida State | 3:30pm | ABC/ESPN3 |
| Syracuse at 14 North Carolina | 3:30pm | ESPN |
| Purdue at Iowa | 3:30pm | Peacock |
| 11 Alabama at Texas A&M | 3:30pm | CBS |
| UCF at Kansas | 4:00pm | FOX |
| USF at UAB | 4:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Arkansas State at Troy | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Vanderbilt at Florida | 4:00pm | SECN |
| UConn at Rice | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Tulsa at Florida Atlantic | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Colorado at Arizona State | 6:30pm | P12N |
| 20 Kentucky at 1 Georgia | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Old Dominion at Southern Miss | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| South Alabama at ULM | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Arkansas at 16 Ole Miss | 7:30pm | SECN |
| 2 Michigan at Minnesota | 7:30pm | NBC/Peacock |
| 10 Notre Dame at 25 Louisville | 7:30pm | ABC/ESPN3 |
| 24 Fresno State at Wyoming | 8:00pm | FOX |
| Texas Tech at Baylor | 8:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Colorado State at Utah State | 8:00pm | MWN/KJZZ 14 |
| San Jose State at Boise State | 8:00pm | CBSSN |
| TCU at Iowa State | 8:00pm | FS1 |
| Georgia Tech at 17 Miami (FL) | 8:00pm | ACCN |
| 15 Oregon State at California | 10:00pm | P12N |
| Arizona at 9 USC | 10:30pm | ESPN |
MY PICKS. After a RED HOT start to the 2023 season, I cooled off in Week 4. Utah covered its spread over UCLA, but Ole Miss and Iowa failed to cover their spreads in matchups with Alabama and Penn State. The unfavorable outcome helped me learn a valuable lesson: Never bet on Nick Saban's downfall and never bet on a Brian Ferentz-led offense to score points.
With no Gameday Skull Session in Week 5, I took a break from the college football action. But fear not. I have returned to make three selections from the Week 6 slate. You'll want to tail these picks:
- No. 3 Texas (-6.5) vs. No. 12 Oklahoma: Last season, Texas defeated Oklahoma 49-0. This season, the score should be closer. The Sooners are undefeated as quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma defense are off to excellent starts in 2023. The Longhorns are also undefeated as Quinn Ewers and the Texas defense are off to excellent starts in 2023. While both teams have had the same recipe for success this season, Texas is the more complete team, and I expect the Longhorns to take care of business in Dallas.
- No. 13 Washington State (+3.5) at UCLA: It is incredibly disrespectful that Washington State – the No. 13 ranked team in the nation – is a four-point road underdog to UCLA. Yes, Chip Kelly's defense ranks No. 1 in yards per play allowed (3.75), but WSU quarterback Cam Ward will test the Bruins’ secondary, and its defensive end Ron Stone Jr. will make life miserable for UCLA quarterback Dante Moore. Give me the Cougs!
- No. 10 Notre Dame (-6.5) at No. 25 Louisville: How about another top-25 matchup for Notre Dame? Two weeks ago, a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State. Last week, a come-from-behind win at Duke. This week, a 5-0 team on the road. Next week, USC. This stretch is why the Irish went after Sam Hartman so hard in the transfer portal. He will make the difference and lead Notre Dame to a win by one touchdown or more.
BACK TO THE BUCKEYES. Ohio State fullback Caden Curry. How does that sound? Love it or hate it, we could hear a lot more of it as the Buckeyes make their run to The Game, the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.
Against Notre Dame, the sophomore defensive end Caden Curry played two snaps, and one of them was on offense. In the second quarter, Curry broke necks in the press box as the 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge rusher trotted onto the field for a 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line. He appeared in a package that featured Ohio State’s “Bison” personnel with extra tackle Luke Montgomery.
While running back Miyan Williams was stopped short of the end zone, Curry stuffed Notre Dame linebacker Jaylen Sneed, a block that impressed Ohio State's coaches.
“He’s a really good football player. We think he gives us something,” Ryan Day said when asked about Curry's involvement in the play. “The play that he was in for, it wasn’t really quite identified properly. But he I think is going to be a force for us. ... We see certain things in special teams that he can bring to the table. When we were putting a couple of packages together, we felt like he gave us some power. He’s a really good athlete. He can catch the ball well, so he’s gonna see an increased role on defense, but this is something that he can handle.”
Could we see Curry as part of the Bison personnel on Saturday? Remember: Day said he wants to see Williams run some more vs. Maryland. The Buckeyes usually go heavy when the Chop takes the field. It could happen!
SONG OF THE DAY. "Shoot to Thrill" by AC/DC.
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