Welcome to the Skull Session.
Brice Sensabaugh has been cooking in the Summer League.
Brice Sensabaugh, certified bucket. #GoBucks | #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/Kqqo2WqBhm
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) July 8, 2025
Have a good Wednesday.
“A THREAT TO REPEAT.” In his college football preview magazine, Phil Steele ranked Ohio State No. 5 behind Penn State, Notre Dame, Texas and Alabama. The Buckeyes checked in ahead of Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Florida in the top 10, with some other notables – well, Big Ten notables – including Michigan at No. 12, Oregon at No. 13, Indiana at No. 16, Illinois at No. 17 and USC and No. 21.
Even though he ranked Ohio State behind Penn State and Texas, two of the Buckeyes’ regular-season opponents in 2025, Steele still considers Ryan Day and his team a national championship contender this fall.
“Despite dropping from No. 47 to No. 105 in my ‘Experience Chart’ (a formula Steele uses to assess a roster’s returning production), OSU could be favored in all 12 regular-season games,” Steele wrote. “They get Penn State and Texas at home and are a threat to repeat as national champs.”
Skull Session: Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs lead PFFs Top 50 players, Phil Steele names 11 Buckeyes preseason All-Big Ten and Kelsey Mitchell earns her third All-Star bid. https://t.co/nBEUAuLaY8
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 7, 2025
It’s as I’ve said 100 times: Ohio State will go as far as its quarterback and defensive tackles allow them.
Julian Sayin earned Jeremiah Smith’s stamp of approval last week, so the quarterback question seems answered unless Lincoln Kienholz cannot and will not be denied in preseason camp.
“That arm is different,” Smith told The Athletic’s Manny Navarro. “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.”
However, the defensive tackle questions, particularly the ones about depth behind Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston…
Mmmmmm.
Those are still questions.
Big ones.
THE B1GGEST, THE LARGEST. Speaking of big, Navarro ranked the top 25 players in the Big Ten entering the 2025 college football season. Four Buckeyes appeared on the list, including Jeremiah Smith at No. 1, Caleb Downs at No. 2, Sonny Styles at No. 7 and Max Klare at No. 11.
Here’s what Navarro wrote about each of them (I also included the Big Ten players that surrounded them in the rankings):
No. 1 - Jeremiah Smith
It’s hard not to start this list with the highest-rated player in the EA Sports College Football 26 video game. Smith, the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2024, caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns en route to earning first-team All-America honors and winning a national title as a freshman. It’s scary to think the 6-foot-3, 225-pound South Florida native turned 19 last November and is just getting started.
No. 2 - Caleb Downs
Few would argue the defending champions have the best returning offensive and defensive players in the league. Downs, who starred as a freshman at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State, tallied 82 tackles, 7 1/2 TFLs, six pass breakups and two interceptions and also scored on a punt return in 2024. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projects Downs to be a top-10 pick in next year’s draft.
No. 3 Penn State running back Nick Singleton, No. 4 Oregon edge Matayo Uiagalelei, No. 5 Indiana edge Mikail Kamara and No. 6 Penn State quarterback Drew Allar
No. 7 - Sonny Styles
Who is the best linebacker in the Big Ten? In today’s pass-happy game, you can make the argument that the 6-4, 235-pound former safety has all the ingredients needed to fill the role. The second-team All-Big Ten selection produced 100 tackles, including 10 1/2 for loss and six sacks, and tied for fifth among all Power 4 linebackers with 16 coverage stops last season, according to PFF.
No. 8 Iowa offensive tackle Gennings Dunker, No. 9 Minnesota safety Koi Perich (man, remember when Ohio State almost flipped him?!) and No. 10 Penn State guard Vega Ioane
No. 11 - Max Klare
The former three-star recruit from Cincinnati was a third-team All-Big Ten pick as a sophomore at Purdue before leaving for Columbus in late December. He caught 51 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns, including 34 receptions that went for first downs. He could be the biggest beneficiary of all the double teams Smith draws in Brian Hartline’s offense.
No. 12 Penn State edge Dani Dennis-Sutton, No. 13 Illinois edge Gabe Jacas, No. 14 Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, No. 15 Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, No. 16 Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris, No. 17 Illinois cornerback Xavier Scott, No. 18 Oregon guard Emmanauel Pregnon, No. 19 Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher, No. 20 Oregon running back Makhi Hughes, No. 21 Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, No. 22 Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher, No. 23 Iowa defensive lineman Aaron Graves, No. 24 Iowa center Logan Jones and No. 25 USC wide reciever Makai Lemon
I bolded all of the players Ohio State will face during the regular season, and I bolded a lot of names. But look, to be the best, you have to beat the best, amiright?
GREAT SCOTT! Gee Scott Jr. is engaged.
The former Ohio State and current New England Patriots tight end proposed to his then-girlfriend, Olivia, over the weekend. She said yes.
“Here’s to FOREVER! Thank you, Lord,” Scott said in an Instagram post, which received congratulatory comments from several familiar names:
- “Congrats, brother!” - C.J. Stroud
- “Yuhhhh” - Marvin Harrison Jr.
- “Let’s go!!!! Congrats y’all!!” - Will Howard
- “My brother… congrats to yall” - Emeka Egbuka
- “Congrats, brother!!” - Ty Hamilton
- “Congrats, family!!” - Lathan Ransom
- “Yeaaa geeski!!!” - Jordan Hancock
- “YESSIR BRO” - Tyleik Williams
- “Congrats!!” - Cody Simon
- “Picture perfect…” - Xavier Johnson
- “Congratulations!!!” - Sonny Styles
- “Yes!!” - Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
- “Yessir geeskkiiiiii” - Lincoln Kienholz
- “Yeaaa Gee!!!” - James Peoples
- “Congrats fam!” - Kyle McCord
That’s the Brotherhood at work!
J.K. ALL DAY! The Eleven Warriors staff has another big announcement: In a little over 48 hours, 12th Warriors will have the chance to go behind the scenes with an Ohio State legend. On Friday, we will continue the 12th Warrior Happy Hour, an exclusive new series where members of our selfless perks program will have direct access to Buckeye greats in a live, exclusive Q&A.
Andy Katzenmoyer was our lead-off man for the Happy Hour series, and following him in the order is former Ohio State All-American and current Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbin, who will appear on Friday at 5 p.m.
During the relaxed, interactive experience, 12th Warriors will hear untold stories, have the opportunity to ask questions and connect with Ohio State history like never before. It's our way of saying thank you for backing independent coverage, representing 11W and being like the great state of Ohio – The Heart of It All.
So, 12th Warriors, select a drink of choice, log on and let’s make some memories. We'll share further details in the Premium Lounge.
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For $85 a year (just 23 cents a day), you can join a selfless perks program designed to flip the paywall system, keeping our coverage free for all, by paying it forward. Membership includes perks like admission to 12th Warrior Happy Hour, a voucher for $40 off a purchase from Eleven Warriors Dry Goods, access to the fabled Premium Lounge and more.
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SONG OF THE DAY. "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" - Cage The Elephant.
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