Welcome to the Skull Session.
GAMEDAY. GAMEDAY. GAMEDAY.
Ohio State 2024 Trailer Vol. 2
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 5, 2024
You know what? We got goals, man. We got all these things that were thinking about. Theyre standing in our way of what we want to get to, man.
Will Howard
pic.twitter.com/ieG8cmywXT
Have a good Saturday.
GIDDY UP, BUCKEYE NATION. I have one comment to make about Ohio State-Western Michigan – just one.
I want to see Ohio State start fast. A touchdown on offense, a three-and-out on defense and some mistake-free football from that point forward. That's all I want to see this week because that's all Ryan Day wants to see this week.
"I want zero mistakes, zero penalties, zero pre-snap procedures," he said Thursday. "Those are things that irritate you. You have to clean them up. We want to be really, really clean. We have no tolerance for those mistakes. If it's effort, you know, Davison (Igbinosun), he's all jacked up. Do I think he should have come at (Akron quarterback Ben Finley) that late? No. Do I think he should have even been in that situation? No. But he's playing really, really hard. He has to be smart. He has to be disciplined. But it's the procedural stuff that drives you insane. I think we all can be better."
If Ohio State can have a nice, clean game on Saturday, the Buckeyes will tame the Broncos with ease – with ease!
As five-touchdown favorites over Western Michigan, Ohio State should have success passing and running the football. Don't be surprised if the Buckeyes look to establish their dominance in the latter (Chip Kellly said Tuesday he would call 83 runs a game if he could) and allow the threat of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins to unlock passes for Will Howard, Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate and the new kid on the block, Jeremiah Smith. All the while, the defense should dominate (per usual) as Ohio State barely – just barely – clears the 38-point spread in Columbus.
Ohio State 48 - Western Michigan 9
THE MENU. This week's college football schedule is loaded, especially for fans of The Big Ten Conference™.
No. 3 Texas at No. 10 Michigan (Noon on FOX), Iowa State at No. 21 Iowa (3:30 p.m. on CBS), Colorado at Nebraska (7:30 p.m. on NBC) and a really good Boise State team at No. 7 Oregon (10 p.m. on Peacock).
Here is a look at the complete schedule on Saturday:
| MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV / STREAMING |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island at Minnesota | 12:00pm | Peacock |
| Bowling Green at 8 Penn State | 12:00pm | BTN |
| 3 Texas at 10 Michigan | 12:00pm | FOX |
| Akron at Rutgers | 12:00pm | BTN |
| Army at Florida Atlantic | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| Troy at Memphis | 12:00pm | ESPNU |
| Pitt at Cincinnati | 12:00pm | ESPN2 |
| 17 Kansas State at Tulane | 12:00pm | ESPN |
| Arkansas at 16 Oklahoma State | 12:00pm | ABC/ESPN+ |
| Merrimack at UConn | 12:00pm | WSFB-3 / WWAX / UConn+ |
| 23 Georgia Tech at Syracuse | 12:00pm | ACCN |
| McNeese at Texas A&M | 12:45pm | SECN |
| Tennessee Tech at 1 Georgia | 2:00pm | SECN+/ESPN+ |
| Missouri State at Ball State | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Saint Francis U. at Kent State | 2:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Utah Tech at UNLV | 3:00pm | SSSEN/MWN |
| UMass at Toledo | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Temple at Navy | 3:30pm | CBSSN |
| Iowa State at 21 Iowa | 3:30pm | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Idaho at Wyoming | 3:30pm | truTV/Max |
| Eastern Michigan at Washington | 3:30pm | BTN |
| Michigan State at Maryland | 3:30pm | BTN |
| South Carolina at Kentucky | 3:30pm | ABC/ESPN+ |
| Baylor at 11 Utah | 3:30pm | FOX |
| Duquesne at Boston College | 3:30pm | ACCNX |
| South Dakota at Wisconsin | 3:30pm | FS1 |
| Jacksonville State at 22 Louisville | 3:30pm | ACCNX |
| NIU at 5 Notre Dame | 3:30pm | NBC/Peacock |
| California at Auburn | 3:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Charlotte at North Carolina | 3:30pm | ACCN |
| UTSA at Texas State | 4:00pm | ESPNU |
| Middle Tennessee at 6 Ole Miss | 4:15pm | SECN |
| Marshall at Virginia Tech | 4:30pm | The CW |
| East Carolina at Old Dominion | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Michigan at FIU | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UAlbany at West Virginia | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| South Alabama at Ohio | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Florida A&M at 12 Miami (FL) | 6:00pm | ACCNX |
| Gardner-Webb at James Madison | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Sam Houston at UCF | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Northern Colorado at Colorado State | 7:00pm | MWN |
| 19 Kansas at Illinois | 7:00pm | FS1 |
| Chattanooga at Georgia State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Samford at Florida | 7:00pm | SECN+/ESPN+ |
| Eastern Kentucky at WKU | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Southeastern La. at Southern Miss | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| USF at 4 Alabama | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Tulsa at Arkansas State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Buffalo at 9 Missouri | 7:00pm | SECN+/ESPN+ |
| UAB at ULM | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| William & Mary at Coastal Carolina | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Georgia Southern at Nevada | 7:00pm | truTV/Max |
| Louisiana at Kennesaw State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Texas Southern at Rice | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Virginia at Wake Forest | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |
| San Jose State at Air Force | 7:00pm | CBSSN |
| Cal Poly at Stanford | 7:00pm | ACCNX |
| Nicholls at 18 LSU | 7:30pm | SECN+/ESPN+ |
| Stephen F. Austin at North Texas | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Alcorn State at Vanderbilt | 7:30pm | ESPNU |
| 14 Tennessee vs 24 NC State (in Charlotte, NC) | 7:30pm | ABC/ESPN+ |
| Western Michigan at 2 Ohio State | 7:30pm | BTN |
| Colorado at Nebraska | 7:30pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Houston at 15 Oklahoma | 7:45pm | SECN |
| LIU at TCU | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Appalachian State at 25 Clemson | 8:00pm | ACCN |
| Southern Utah at UTEP | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Sacramento State at Fresno State | 10:00pm | CBS47 |
| Texas Tech at Washington State | 10:00pm | FOX |
| Boise State at 7 Oregon | 10:00pm | Peacock |
| Northern Arizona at 20 Arizona | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Liberty at New Mexico State | 10:15pm | ESPN2 |
| Oregon State at San Diego State | 10:30pm | CBSSN |
| Mississippi State at Arizona State | 10:30pm | ESPN |
| Utah State at 13 USC | 11:00pm | BTN |
MY PICKS. OK. Remember how I talked mess after a 26-12 record selecting spreads in 2023? Well, I was humbled last weekend as West Virginia and Miami (Ohio) failed to cover in their showdowns with Penn State and Northwestern. Special thanks to Marcus Freeman and the Golden Domers, who came in clutch and secured a win over Texas A&M at Kyle Field and helped me record at least one correct pick in Week 1.
- Texas (-7.5) at Michigan: Yes.
- Iowa State at Iowa (-3): In the past eight meetings between Iowa and Iowa State, the Hawkeyes have won seven times. With another Phil Parker masterclass of a defense and an offense that can at least score, like, 17 points (?) against a battered and bruised Cyclone defense, I think Iowa will secure another win in front of a home crowd at Kinnick Stadium.
- Tennessee at NC State (+7.5): For those who have EA Sports College Football 25, ever noticed how NC State is a lock to make the College Football Playoff in the 2024 season? It's weird. But I digress. I was impressed with Tennesee quarterback Nico Iamaleava in Week 1, and I think he'll be great on the road in Raleigh. However, I think Grayson McCall and Jordan Walters will be great, too. The Volunteers win the game, but the Wolfpack cover the 7.5-point spread at home.
BACK TO THE BUCKEYES. Eleven Warriors reporter Dan Hope obtained Day's summer performance reviews for 10 assistants, strength coach Mick Marotti and general manager Mark Pantoni. While I encourage all readers to look at the entire performance review for each coach, I want to make note of Day's review for offensive line coach Justin Frye.
Frye was the lone assistant coach not to receive a “performance exceeds expectations” classification on his summer performance review. Instead, Day wrote that Frye's "performance meets expectations." The head coach then listed goals for Frye – the only returning assistant not to receive a new contract this offseason – as building the offensive line to “championship level play – physical, tough, and dependable,” recruiting and signing the “best OL class in the nation” and “enhancing Run Game game plan and creativity.”
All of Ohio States returning coaches except Justin Frye received ratings of exceeds expectations in their annual performance reviews this summer. https://t.co/uRVWYn4X1k
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 6, 2024
And what did Frye write in his self-assessment? That he needs to “continually adapt and adjust to the new recruiting ways of college football” and that he plans on “building this room and team back to championship level this season.”
Day knows the expectations.
Frye knows the expectations.
Now, it's up to Frye to not only meet them but exceed them in 2024.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Save a Horse" - Big & Rich.
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