Welcome to the Skull Session.
The two best players in EA Sports College Football 26 play for Ohio State.
The two highest-rated players in CFB 26 belong to Ohio State
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) July 1, 2025
Jeremiah Smith: 98 overall
Caleb Downs: 96 overall@EASPORTSCollege | @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/Lt6e2hqGll
Is that good?
Have a good Wednesday.
“I JUST HATE THEM.” Oh, Jeremiah Smith. You continue to amaze.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Manny Navarro at the OT7 playoffs, Smith called his shot: He will not lose to Michigan the rest of his college football career.
“I’m not a sore loser, but I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy,” Smith said. “In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn’t want to go to Ohio State and lose to that team up north. I just hate them. Just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can’t lose to them in the next two years.”
Jeremiah Smith has called his shot.https://t.co/g4iqDKfmLA pic.twitter.com/B8uIr7FIhO
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 1, 2025
I love it.
I love it so much.
Make it happen, JJ!
“THAT ARM IS DIFFERENT.” Also featured in Navarro’s article was a comment from Smith about Julian Sayin that made me do a double-take. When Navarro asked Smith about the second-year quarterback, who is in a battle with third-year quarterback Lincoln Kienholz to be the team’s starter, Smith said he has complete confidence in Sayin to win the competition and lead the offense.
“That arm is different,” Smith said. “He can make any and every throw. Just a smart quarterback. Like me, he’s a little quiet. But he’s starting to come out of (his) shell. He’s definitely going to be a guy. It’s going to be scary for opponents.”
Scary? Scary sounds good. Smith having confidence in Sayin also sounds good. If the California kid has Smith’s approval, then he has mine!
AGE IS BUT A NUMBER. OK, one last section about Smith. One last section!
This week, CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer ranked the top 25 true freshmen of the 21st century. His list featured two Ohio State players, with running back Maurice Clarett coming in at No. 17 and Smith coming in at No. 2 behind only Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Here’s what Hummer wrote about the pair of Buckeyes:
No. 17 - Maurice Clarett, 2002
One of the most famous true freshmen in college football history, Clarett starred for the Buckeyes' 2002 national title team. He ran for 1,237 yards and 16 touchdowns that season on 5.6 yards per carry across 11 games. He ended that season in the sweetest way possible: A 5-yard touchdown run in double-OT against Miami to win the national championship.
That would prove to be the last carry of Clarett's college football career. Ohio State suspended him before the 2003 season for receiving thousands in improper benefits — how crazy is that sentence in 2025? Then Clarett hired an agent and attempted to challenge the NFL rule that requires players to wait until three years after high school to enter the NFL Draft. He failed and was eventually drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
No. 2 - Jeremiah Smith, 2024
You could argue Jeremiah Smith, perhaps sans Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty, was already the best player in college football at the end of his true freshman campaign. He dominated from the jump with a 76-catch, 1,315-yard (third nationally) and 15-touchdown (second nationally) debut season that ended in a national championship.
Both Clarett and Smith were integral to their Ohio State teams, both of which won national championships. Interestingly, Clarett and Smith also both had moments that, for lack of a better term, “saved” the Buckeyes’ chances at winning a title.
No one would argue that Clarett’s moment was far more impactful, as he stripped Sean Taylor and regained possession for Ohio State moments after the Miami All-American defensive back intercepted Craig Krenzel in the end zone.
Still, Smith’s 56-yard reception to end Notre Dame’s ferocious second-half comeback in the national championship game should also be remembered for always and eternity.
THE ARIZONA BUCKEYES. They’re called the Arizona Buckeyes for a reason.
In an article detailing how Arizona has become “Ohio State West,” Zach Gershman of the Cardinals’ official website detailed how the Cardinals now have six Ohio State Buckeyes on their roster, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the second-most of any NFL team (behind the Cleveland Browns, who have seven). Former Ohio State offensive tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Josh Fryar, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., linebackers Baron Browning and Cody Simon and cornerback Denzel Burke are all currently on the Cardinals’ roster.
“There is value in coming from a winning organization with guys that are used to winning, having seen it, (and having) played at the highest level,” Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort told Gershman last week regarding the team’s strategy to draft Ohio State players. “I think another added benefit is the competition that those guys practice against every day.”
Yet another benefit is culture, Harrison told Gershman.
“When you go to Ohio State, obviously the goal you want to get to is getting to the next level,” Harrison said. “We’re able to resonate with a culture, understanding what culture is, and being able to be leaders of that culture.”
And what is culture? It’s how players “work, train, and the standard they have for themselves, on and off the field,” Johnson said. That’s Ohio State, for sure. That’s the People, the Tradition and the Excellence to a T!
SONG OF THE DAY. “Upside Down” – Jack Johnson.
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