Welcome to the Skull Session.
Cold Talks Vol. 4.
Roll the tape.
Cold Talks Vol.4
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 12, 2024
Lemon Lime or Glacier Cherry Gatorade pic.twitter.com/frQqimVNIW
Have a good Tuesday.
BEST OF THE BEST. College football coaches and the Associated Press believe Ohio State is the second-best team in America behind Georgia. However, FanDuel Sportsbook thinks it's the Buckeyes – not the Bulldogs – who have the best chance to reach the College Football Playoff in 2024.
According to recent odds from FanDuel, Ohio State has the best odds to make the 12-team CFP at -650. Georgia, who remains the favorite to win the national championship (+280 to Ohio State's +400), has the second-best odds at -600. Oregon (-300), Texas (-200), Notre Dame (-165), Penn State (-145), Ole Miss (-130), Alabama (+100), LSU (+125), Michigan (+150), Florida State (+160) and Missouri (+180) round out the top 12.
While I looked over FanDuel's lines, I also observed some new Heisman Trophy odds. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel remains the favorite at +700. Behind him are Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (+750) and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (+1000). Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, Tennesee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart are all tied for the fourth-best odds at +1400.
I wrote the word "quarterback" seven times there. In fact, if I were to continue down the list, the next 16 names would have the word "quarterback" ahead of them. The first non-quarterback listed is Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter at +6000.
And people claim it's not a quarterback award...
BACK LIKE HE NEVER LEFT. According to Matt Miller of ESPN, there are 10 NFL draft prospects under pressure to perform this college football season. Among them were Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards. So was Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Ohio State has claimed the title of WRU, having four wide receivers drafted in the first round of the past three drafts, and a year ago it looked like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Egbuka would be the next dynamic Buckeyes duo a la Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
Harrison lived up to expectations and was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft, but Egbuka battled an ankle injury that limited his availability and effectiveness. He, and the rest of the offense, also felt the loss of quarterback C.J. Stroud to the NFL, as replacement Kyle McCord struggled to generate explosive plays in the passing game. With 41 catches for 515 yards and four scores, Egbuka saw his production almost cut in half from his breakout 2022 season (74 receptions, 1,151 yards and 10 TDs).
Egbuka's toughness and savvy presence as an underneath route runner are starter-level traits. He doesn't possess game-changing speed or size (6-1, 203), but he is a great downfield blocker and a valuable punt returner. His feel for soft zones and expertise as a slant route runner are what you want in a WR2.
Ohio State's quarterback situation isn't completely settled as the season approaches, which could threaten Egbuka's numbers. But the most important thing for him is a healthy showing in 2024. A return to his sophomore production could get him back into the first-round discussion.
As Miller mentioned, Egbuka collected 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022. He entered the 2023 season as a preseason All-American selection and preseason candidate for the Biletnikoff Award. Yet, some bumps, bruises and a procedure on his ankle limited his effectiveness as Ohio State's second-best pass catcher behind all-world receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Now, and this feels impossible for someone as good as him, but it's still somehow the case, Egbuka enters his fourth season under the radar from a national perspective. He's still a preseason candidate for the Biletnikoff, but college football and NFL analysts have ranked wide receivers like Luther Burden III (Missouri), Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), Evan Stewart (Oregon) and Bond ahead of him on preseason All-American lists and 2025 mock drafts.
Egbuka knows that.
But he doesn't care.
He's focused on becoming the best version of himself this fall. And what is the best version of the 6-foot-1, 205-pound receiver from Steilacoom, Washington?
"Playing stronger, faster and getting my body healthy from the little hiccups I had last year," Egbuka said at Big Ten Media Days. "Just being someone who can be explosive, make those 50-50 plays, turn those hitches into touchdowns and a stout blocker on the perimeter."
If he can do all that, he'll remind the college football world of this: Emeka Egbuka is a top-two receiver in college football, and he's not two.
WELL, THAT'S AWKWARD. Justin Fields was Ohio State's quarterback for two seasons in 2019 and 2020. In those years, he faced Michigan once, helping Ryan Day secure his lone win over the Wolverines in his five seasons as the Buckeyes' head coach.
(One could argue Michigan ducked out of The Game in 2020, blaming its absence on COVID. One could also argue the Wolverines cheated the three years Connor Stalions was on staff, which helped them capture three consecutive wins over the Buckeyes.)
In Ohio State's 56-27 win over Michigan, Fields completed 14 of 25 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns while running the ball six times for 25 yards. His performance, which included suffering and enduring through a painful sprain, cemented the Georgia transfer's legacy in The Game forever.
Yet, Fields now lives in a world where his little sister, Jessica, will represent the school he sent to the Shadow Realm five years ago, as Jessica committed to Michigan women's basketball on Sunday.
— jessica r fields (@JessicaF2025) August 11, 2024
The holidays should be fun in the Fields household.
JUST A KID FROM BELLEFONTAINE. ICYMI: Five-star Ohio State quarterback commit Tavien St. Clair became the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class on Rivals. Following the Rivals update, Bellefontaine head coach Jason Brown shared the good news with the entire Chieftain team.
Tavien St. Clair finds out hes the new No. 1 player in the Rivals250 pic.twitter.com/PMeTBia7QY
— Rivals (@Rivals) August 12, 2024
Things you love to see?
This.
You also love to see an Ohio kid remain in Ohio.
As the nation's No. 1 overall prospect, St. Clair could have transferred to Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California), Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida), St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California) or another national high school football powerhouse. Instead, he will continue to represent his hometown and the state of Ohio.
I admire that.
Cheers, Tavien. Cheers.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Little Lion Man" - Mumford and Sons.
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