I'm here to end all rumors and speculation – I will not be opting out of the Rose Bowl. I am here with your game day Skull Session and will be Tweeting through it, as usual.
I've been honest with you guys all week and I'm not going to stop now: this is the Rose Bowl, but it feels a bit hallow. After losing to Michigan and failing to win the conference, something about it just feels a little bit wrong. And I'm not gonna deny that.
But you know what would feel extremely right? Winning.
I'm not gonna waste valuable online words waging Internet war on Utah, because frankly, this ain't about them. They just happen to be the unfortunate squad that's standing between the Buckeyes and a bit of redemption.
Ohio State got manhandled for 60 minutes in the most important game of the season the last time it took the field. There's nothing about today's outcome that's going to make that go away. But what it can do, for better or for worse, prove that what we saw at the end of November is not the identity of this team.
I've seen a lot of people suggesting this is a nightmare matchup for Ohio State with Utah's excellent power running game facing off against a Buckeye defense that couldn't stop Michigan's rushing attack even if you told them the play before the snap, But I think it's a perfect matchup because this is the only way for any sort of redemption.
Playing a finesse, speedy team wouldn't do anything for this team's reputation. Playing another prolific passing attack or spread team isn't going to change anybody's mind. But if Ohio State comes out and owns the trenches in this game – that means something.
Want people to stop calling you soft? Go out and shut them up. Let's finish this right, and start on next year.
Remember, the Buckeyes are undefeated in 2022...
Word of the Day: Granddaddy.
TODAY'S MENU. It's an abbreviated college football Saturday, but it's a college football Saturday nonetheless – and the last one for nine months, sadly.
| Bowl | Location | Time (ET) / TV |
|---|---|---|
|
Outback Bowl Penn State vs. #21 Arkansas |
Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL |
12:00 pm ET ESPN2 |
|
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl #9 Oklahoma State vs. #5 Notre Dame |
State Farm Stadium Glendale, AZ |
1:00 pm ET ESPN |
|
Vrbo Citrus Bowl #15 Iowa vs. #22 Kentucky |
Camping World Stadium Orlando, FL |
1:00 pm ET ABC |
|
Rose Bowl Game #11 Utah vs. #6 Ohio State |
Rose Bowl Stadium Pasadena, CA |
5:00 pm ET ESPN |
|
Allstate Sugar Bowl #7 Baylor vs. #8 Ole Miss |
Caesars Superdome New Orleans, LA |
8:45 pm ET ESPN |
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN. Chris Olave's opt out means Ohio State won't have the chance to have three 1,000-yard receivers for the first time in program history, but there's still a chance we see some history made, courtesy of the team's only remaining starting receiver.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is only 11 catches and 177 yards away from being Ohio State's single-season record-holder in both categories.
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) December 30, 2021
Considering he's averaging 11.3 catches and 152.8 yards in his past four games, neither are out of the question on Saturday.
It's never going to stop being hilarious to me that Ohio State just had *two* receivers opt out of a bowl game to become first-round picks, and neither of them are the one on the verge of breaking two single-season receiving records.
It's unfair to college football that he's going to be back next year, but *extremely dad voice* life ain't fair.
PICKS! Only one game is the Granddaddy Of Them All, but I'm aware enough to know that a healthy number of you are going to have some action on some of the others. So here's how I'm rolling.
- Penn State +3 against Arkansas. This one's pretty simple; Arkansas is overrated, Penn State is underrated. I will not overthink.
- Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma State Under 46. This is a low number, but fear not! Neither of these teams have terribly prolific offenses, and both defenses like to control the game. Don't expect a lot of fireworks.
- Iowa +3 against Kentucky. I'm trusting Iowa's defense here, cause lord knows I ain't trusting the offense! This defense is legitimately good and will keep the offense in it long enough to make like, three plays.
- Baylor +3 against Ole Miss. I'm mostly riding with Baylor here because everybody else on the planet seems to be picking Ole Miss. And in my brief gambling experience, "everyone" is generally an idiot.
- Utah vs. Ohio State Over 64. You watched the same Ohio State vs. Michigan game that I did; Utah's rushing attack is going to put up points. Thankfully, you've also watched the same Buckeye offense that I have all year – Ohio State's going to put up points, too. If either team gets to 40 points, I think this over hits comfortably.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison.
NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. A man claims he was dropping used condoms in temple donation boxes to spread the message of Jesus... Sausage vending machines are now a thing in Germany... An unusual phenomenon causes fish to rain from the sky... Why diet sodas are disappearing from shelves... How to purge risky chemicals from beauty products...
