Welcome to the Skull Session.
No days off for Ohio State.
Whatever it Takes. pic.twitter.com/1hJacl2wOB
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) May 19, 2025
Have a good Tuesday.
SILENCE THE CRITICS. At Ohio State, JT Tuimoloau saved his best for last. In the Buckeyes’ first 12 games, he collected six sacks. Then, in Ohio State’s four-game run to a national championship, Tuimoloau recorded 6.5 sacks with 11 tackles for loss and two pass breakups.
“He played his best ball down the stretch when they needed him the most in their biggest games,” Colts scout Mike Lacy told ESPN’s Stephen Holder this week.
Tuimoloau’s performance in the College Football Playoff was, in part, what drove the Colts to select him with the No. 45 overall pick in the NFL draft.
“I know the (early) production doesn’t show it, but I think the playoffs was just a little glimpse of who I am,” Tuimoloau said.
“He was outstanding,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said.
As Holder’s article continued, he explained that there’s a reason for Tuimoloau’s production, or lack thereof. “It’s somewhat related to the philosophy of former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who arrived in Columbus in 2022 and broadened the responsibilities of his defensive ends,” Holder wrote.
“He came in my sophomore year and challenged us to drop (in coverage), to be man-on-man in certain plays, to stick, to redirect — all the above,” Tuimoloau said. “And that was just a way to showcase who I was as a player. There was nothing I was limited to doing. He trusted me with everything.”
Tuimoloau’s assorted responsibilities cost him some sacks and tackles for loss at times. However, it also rewarded him with one of the best individual performances of all time — that is, when he collected two sacks, two interceptions (including one pick six), two pass breakups (including one that led to a Zach Harrison interception), one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in Ohio State’s 2022 win over Penn State.
No matter how Tuimoloau performed for the Buckeyes, he managed to keep it all in perspective.
“Whatever the team needs me to do, I’ll do it,” Tuimoloau told Holder. “I’ll sacrifice my own to make sure we get a win.”
I know the Colts love to hear that.
They drafted a good one!
THE KIRK FERENTZ EXPERIENCE™. Thanks be to ESPN for another section of #content. This one will be far more brief than the last, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.
This week, David Hale ranked all 136 FBS quarterback situations entering the 2025 season. Ohio State fell in Tier 4’s “The Young Pups,” which ranked behind Tier 1’s “Top of the Class” and “So Hot Right Now,” Tier 2’s “Pretty Darned Good” and Tier 3’s “Buckle Up.”
But that’s not even the #content I want to discuss. No, instead of breaking down where either Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz would rank among college quarterbacks, I want to share this state from Hale:
Iowa has only 47 touchdown passes in the past five seasons combined. In that same span, Ohio State has 173.
Geez ow, Hawkeyes!
Iowa hasn’t averaged 1.0 passing touchdowns per game since… 2019.
Geez ow!
I knew Iowa’s passing game was bad, but not that bad. I guess that’s The Kirk Ferentz Experience™.
SEMIFINALS BOUND? On Monday — AKA May 19, AKA 94 sunrises and 95 sunsets until the next college football season — On3’s Ari Wasserman predicted the 12-team CFP bracket in 2025.
“While it’s certainly understandable to think it’s insane to attempt to predict the results of next year’s games,” Wasserman wrote, “it’s a fun exercise that allows us to dig into schedules and project which teams will have the best personnel.”
I think it’s insane.
But I also think it’s fun.
Here’s the future Wasserman has predicted for Ohio State in 2025:
First Round
No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 5 Ohio State
Boise State makes its second consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately for the Broncos, they will have to face another monster from the Big Ten in their first game. Boise State didn’t measure up with Penn State in the postseason last year, so this year it’s hard to imagine the Broncos will play their way into another first-round bye. Boise State meets Ohio State, and the Buckeyes out-talent the Broncos.
Quarterfinals
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 BYU in the Cotton Bowl
Ohio State gets the Penn State’s path from last year because in this simulation the seeding hasn’t been fixed yet. BYU made it out of the Big 12 and got the bye as one of the most exciting offensive teams in the country, but then reality sets in when a loaded team is standing on the other sideline. Ohio State won’t be what it was last year, but the Buckeyes — who still have perhaps the two best players in college football — aren’t going down to a Big 12 team in the quarterfinals.
Semifinals
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Texas in the Fiesta Bowl
There have been a lot of familiar matchups in this CFP projection, both in terms of 2025 rematches and games from last year’s Playoff popping back up again. But even though the CFP has expanded, there are still going to be usual suspects in the semifinals. So we get another Ohio State-Texas game, which is expected given the talent both teams possess. This year, though, Texas finally gets over the hump and knocks off the Buckeyes to advance to the title game.
Although Wasserman has Ohio State falling in the semifinals, here’s the championship matchup for the heck of it:
National Championship Game
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Clemson in the national title game
It has been 20 years since Texas won the national championship and it has been a rough two decades for Longhorns fans. But Steve Sarkisian has built a program that was good enough to consistently knock on the door before finally kicking it down. Manning becomes the next star of the sport and Texas asserts itself as one of the premier programs in college football, conquering the SEC and the nation. Clemson, though disappointed, has regained confidence in Swinney and his plan.
Look, I know that at Ohio State anything less than a national championship is considered a "failure," but reaching the CFP semifinals one season after losing 14 players selected in the NFL draft and three more signed to undrafted free agent contracts would be quite the accomplishment for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. If that happens following a win over That Team Up North in the regular season, I think most Ohio State fans would be thrilled with the season as a whole.
AWARDS, AWARDS AND MORE AWARDS. If Wasserman can predict next season’s 12-team CFP bracket, CBS Sports’ Will Backus can predict college football’s award winners.
Spoiler: Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs were prominently featured in the article.
Heisman Trophy
Prediction: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Smith's already the best player in college football and he's only been in the sport for just over a full year. Though the Heisman rarely goes to a wide receiver, Smith has the aura, media recognition and talent befitting college football's top award. It's not hard to see him collecting at least 1,500 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns for the Buckeyes in 2025, especially with fellow top option Emeka Egbuka off to the NFL. And it's not like defenses can key in on Smith alone; Ohio State's wide receiver room is packed to the gills with talent. He's an unstoppable force and -- so long as he meets expectations -- he'll be in New York by year's end. Smith is the smartest bet to win the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, as well. A +1400 bet to win the award according to FanDuel Sportsbook, Smith is behind three quarterbacks in Texas' Arch Manning (+700), LSU's Garrett Nussmeier (+900) and Clemson's Cade Klubnik (+900). That adds even more value to an already smart preseason bet.
Biletnikoff Award
Prediction: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Let's go ahead and get this entry out of the way, as well. If Smith wins the Heisman, there's no question he'll add the Biletnikoff to his trophy case. Even if Smith somehow falls out of Heisman contention, he's the clear favorite for his position-specific award.
Bednarik Award
Prediction: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
If you haven't noticed, there's a glut of talent in Columbus. Downs doesn't boast the counting stats one would expect from a player with so much hype -- he finished the 2024 season with 48 tackles and two interceptions -- but that's because opposing offenses know not to test him. Given all that Ohio State has to replace defensively 2025, Downs should be more of a leader and focal point. That also means he'll put up some big numbers while running all over the field for the Buckeyes.
Thorpe Award
Prediction: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
As with Smith, so with Downs. If Downs is going to win one of the awards given to college football's top defender, he'll be more than worthy for the honor bestowed upon defensive backs at the end of the year.
Smith and Downs are the best players in college football, so I don’t expect Backus’ predictions to be too far off. As he mentioned, quarterbacks Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) and Cade Klubnik (Clemson) are all preseason contenders for the Heisman. There will be more that emerge as candidates during the regular season, much like Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, Army quarterback Bryson Daily and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, among others.
However, outside of the Heisman, I think it would take a series of unfortunate events to keep Smith’s hands off the Biletnikoff and Downs’ hands off the Bednarik and Jim Thorpe awards in 2025.
SONG OF THE DAY. "luther" - Kendrick Lamar and SZA.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Shipment of thousands of chicks found abandoned in USPS truck now overwhelming an animal shelter... Man who tried to sell $6.4m gold toilet stolen from English country house is spared jail... The historic Notre Dame-USC rivalry series is in danger of ending... Sweets and treats special edition.
