Welcome to the Skull Session.
Good news, we got a Skull Session out today!
You can now go about your morning (or afternoon, evening, whichever time you're reading) routine like nothing happened, right?
Better news, Chase is back today, so he'll have you covered for the rest of the week with no schedule mixups.
Best news of all, Ohio State has decided on its quarterback for Aug. 30.
JULIAN SAYIN IS QB1. Ryan Day officially announced Monday what many Ohio State fans and analysts alike figured was only a matter of time: Julian Sayin is the winner of the Buckeyes' quarterbacks competition and will start week one against Texas on Aug. 30.
Day said Sayin started to really separate from challenger Lincoln Kienholz this week, but in all honesty, the California product was the better signal caller in the first three practices that were open to the media, too. Though I fully believe Day when he said this was a legit QB competition, Sayin was the heavy favorite to win the job, and here we are.
Once you get over FOX announcers calling Sayin an Alabama transfer multiple times on gameday despite him spending all of five minutes on campus in Tuscaloosa, you'll have a chance to be captivated by his lightning-quick release and cannon for an arm on display in meaningful action for the first time. Oh yeah, the fact he's throwing to Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss, Carnell Tate and Max Klare doesn't hurt, either.
As for Kienholz, Day said he expects the South Dakota native to play week one against Texas and didn't rule out incorporating some red zone packages for him, which makes sense given his athleticism.
FOX is already calling Texas vs. Ohio State the biggest season-opener ever and the fact that we'll have two quarterbacks ranked the top signal callers in their respective recruiting classes go head-to-head certainly won't slow down any of the hype.
SARK WANTED SAYIN IN HIGH SCHOOL. Turns out Ohio State and Alabama weren't the only blue blood programs that pursued Sayin hard as a recruit. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian met with reporters shortly after Day announced his starting signal caller and recalled his experience with Sayin on the recruiting trail.
#Texas HC Steve Sarkisian speaking on Ohio State naming Julian Sayin their starting QB.
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) August 18, 2025
Says Texas wanted Sayin out of HS and he camped with the Longhorns two years in a row. @ontexasfootball pic.twitter.com/in0Vj8autz
"Ton of respect for Julian," Sarkisian said. "We recruited him hard. He was a really gifted passer, really good player. He came to camp with us, I want to say, two years in a row. So we've got a lot of familiarity with him. He's a very good player, an elite passer. Very good arm talent, a quick release and a really accurate guy. Obviously, he's got great weapons around him and he's the type of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system. He presents a challenge."
How much Texas really went after him is open to interpretation, considering it had Arch Manning already and that's a tough sell to a recruit one cycle after him, but Sarkisian and the Longhorns certainly aren't taking their week one opponent lightly.
JOEL KLATT WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU'LL GET AN OSU TATTOO LIVE ON STAGE. I have no idea what segment this could possibly be for, but attention Buckeye fans, FOX's top analyst wants to know if anyone is interested in getting an Ohio State tattoo live on air two days before the Buckeyes' season opener, and is taking requests via Twitter DMs to select one candidate. (No idea if FOX is footing the bill for the tattoo or if you're stuck with the cost, but get some free PR out of the ordeal).
Looking for a super fan who is willing to get an Ohio State tattoo LIVE on stage during our live show on August 28th. DM the @JoelKlattShow telling us why youre interested!
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) August 18, 2025
Maybe it's just me, but isn't it ironic that the most overblown scandal in NCAA history, tattoogate, occurred in Columbus and drew all kinds of outrage from national pundits, but years later a prominent college football personality is openly soliciting someone to get a tattoo? Oh well, good for whoever is chosen.
Speaking of tattoogate, since the NCAA has proven itself to be more toothless than ever, I'll go on record once again and advocate for college football's governing body to do the right thing and restore Ohio State's wins taken away by the faux scandal since the "crimes" committed by the student-athletes back in the day are practically a normal Tuesday in today's landscape. Just a thought.
THE BIG TEN WANTS HOW MANY TEAMS IN THE PLAYOFFS? Siri, what's the latest on College Football Playoff expansion talks?
Hm, let's see. The Big Ten and the SEC can't agree on the format of a potential 16-team field, so each has gone back to the drawing board and the CFP will stay with a 12-team field if no agreement can be made by Dec. 1. Right, makes sense.
Not bad, I think all of us wouldn't mind if this thing stays at 12 for a little bit.
Wait, you're telling me a new CFP idea has entered the fold? Sigh. Alright, what fun idea has the Big Ten come up with this tim...
Sources: The Big Ten has begun populating an expanded College Football Playoff idea, which could include 24 or 28 teams. Just an idea at this point. pic.twitter.com/0NlTQ1BN8F
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 16, 2025
You're joking, right? TWENTY-FOUR and TWENTY-EIGHT team playoff models are being discussed?
Lol. OK.
Tired: The AP Top 25
Wired: The CFP Top 28, according to the Big Ten, apparently.
Listen y'all, I'm going to save most of my ranting and raving until if this poppycock model becomes official, but off the top of my head, I can't envision many Power Four Athletic Directors in the ACC and Big 12 would hate this, considering they'd be guaranteed five bids apiece in one model.
I was admittedly pro-expansion when the number was 12, but 28 feels insanely bloated. You'd hope common sense prevails and we aren't watching the seventh-place and eighth-place Big Ten and SEC teams duke it out for a playoff spot in November, but perhaps that's too much to ask.
SONG OF THE DAY. "I'm Just Sayin" - Key Glock. I picked it for the song title and absolutely no other reason, I'm sure you need one guess why!
A HODGEPODGE OF LINKS. Ohio State bans chalking on campus ... A library book was returned 82 years late. The borrower’s family left a note trying to explain ... Scientists discover an ancient whale with a Pokémon face and a predator bite ... A zoo in Denmark asked patrons to donate their pets. Not as attractions, but for food ... An Australian woman is found guilty of murdering her in-laws by toxic mushrooms.
