Welcome to the Skull Session.
Four more sleeps.
Game week is finally here pic.twitter.com/1OoFsb9XER
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 25, 2025
Have a good Tuesday.
"ONE OF THE MOST RESILIENT, TOUGHEST PEOPLE." This week, ESPN's Jake Trotter published an in-depth, 2,000-word feature on how Ryan Day manages pressure at Ohio State. While the broad strokes of the story have been told many times since the Buckeyes’ national championship, Trotter added fresh perspective with new insights from Day, Jack Sawyer and Will Howard.
Fans were ready to run Ohio State coach Ryan Day and his family out of Columbus last November. Inside how he and the Buckeyes remained resolute. -- 'I think now people realize we've got the right guy.' https://t.co/k6v9MJ6chm
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) August 25, 2025
The feature starts with Ohio State's loss to Michigan, an unthinkable 13-10 defeat at the Horseshoe. What started with jeers toward Day inside the Horseshoe turned into death threats on the internet. Armed guards had to be stationed at Day's home because crazed fans leaked his address on social media.
"Fans were yelling at his wife in stores, his kids were getting messed with at school," Sawyer told Trotter. "The things that he and his family had to go through were just absurd -- it's just insanity."
Despite their circumstances, Day and his family carried on. So did the Buckeyes. The following week, Day and the players had a three-hour meeting that "began with screaming and tears" and "ended with everyone clasping hands in prayer," Trotter wrote.
Following the meeting, Sawyer told Trotter that he tried to apologize to Day for the criticism he had faced both inside and outside of the Ohio State football program. Day didn't let him finish the apology.
"He cut me off: 'I'm a grown man. I can handle this stuff — this is what comes with the job,'" Sawyer recalled Day telling him. "He's one of the most resilient, toughest people I've ever met in my life — and they've got one of the toughest families that I've ever been around."
As Day reflected on his conversation with Sawyer and the meeting with his players, the head coach expressed deep gratitude for last year's team.
"It was a great lesson," Day told Trotter. "When things aren't right, you've got to have honest conversations, even if it's uncomfortable."
The remainder of Trotter's article covers Ohio State's unprecedented run to a national championship. It also looked ahead to the Buckeyes' title defense — excuse me, attack — in 2025.
LEANING FORWARD FROM his office couch, Day notes that his biggest fear isn't losing games -- it's losing the opportunity to impact players.
"That's the No. 1 goal and focus," he said. "And you have to win in order to continue doing that. It's not about the championships, as much as so many people want to focus on that — that's just the prerequisite."
This offseason, he had his players read "Chop Wood, Carry Water," which teaches that big successes stem from a commitment to completing a series of simple, mundane tasks.
The Buckeyes face a big task Saturday. The Longhorns are hungry for revenge after Ohio State ended their last postseason run.
Day knows better than anyone the Buckeyes can't bask in their national title.
"We lose the first [game]," he said, "and we're going to be hearing about it real fast. ... That's the way it goes here — more here than anywhere else."
Day welcomes it. He also welcomes the pressure that comes with the Michigan game. Through four straight losses, he sees an "unbelievable opportunity" ahead.
"That's it, man," he said with a big smile. "Gotta go win that game — and I can't wait to play it."
Reason No. 1,031 I'm thankful that Day is Ohio State's head coach.
He gets it.
He just gets it!
THE COMPUTERS! Last week, ESPN updated the Allstate Playoff Predictor for the 2025 season.
According to the model, Ohio State holds the fourth-best odds to reach the College Football Playoff at 69 percent, trailing Texas (87 percent), Georgia (76 percent) and Alabama (72 percent). Of course, those odds — for the Buckeyes as well as the Longhorns, Bulldogs, Crimson Tide, and others — will shift based on regular-season results. The Predictor highlights Texas, Penn State and Michigan as Ohio State’s most important matchups, with the Big Ten Championship Game also carrying weight if the Buckeyes qualify.
With that in mind, here’s how the outcomes of those games could shape Ohio State’s postseason path in 2025.
| SCENARIO | TEXAS | PENN STATE | @MICHIGAN | BIG TEN TITLE | CFP% | BYE% | SIMULATION RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | 100 | 100 | L, TEXAS (CFP SEMIS) |
| 2 | WIN | WIN | WIN | LOSS | 99 | 99 | L, USC (CFP QUARTERS) |
| 3 | WIN | WIN | LOSS | WIN | 100 | 100 | L, TEXAS (CFP SEMIS) |
| 4 | WIN | LOSS | WIN | WIN | 100 | 100 | L, OLE MISS (CFP QUARTERS) |
| 5 | WIN | LOSS | LOSS | WIN | 100 | 100 | L, GEORGIA (CFP SEMIS) |
| 6 | WIN | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | 93 | 33 | NATIONAL CHAMPIONS |
| 7 | WIN | WIN | LOSS | LOSS | 99 | 64 | L, MICHIGAN (CFP QUARTERS) |
| 8 | WIN | LOSS | WIN | LOSS | 99 | 69 | L, SOUTH CAROLINA (CFP QUARTERS) |
| 9 | LOSS | WIN | WIN | WIN | 100 | 100 | L, TCU (CFP SEMIS) |
| 10 | LOSS | WIN | WIN | LOSS | 99 | 53 | L, NOTRE DAME (CFP SEMIS) |
| 11 | LOSS | WIN | LOSS | WIN | 100 | 63 | NATIONAL CHAMPIONS |
| 12 | LOSS | LOSS | WIN | WIN | 100 | 68 | L, OREGON (CFP SEMIS) |
That's 12 scenarios..
How about 12 more?
| SCENARIO | TEXAS | PENN STATE | @MICHIGAN | BIG TEN TITLE | CFP% | BYE% | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | LOSS | WIN | LOSS | LOSS | 80 | 3 | L, TEXAS (CFP SEMIS) |
| 14 | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | WIN | 99 | 8 | NATIONAL CHAMPIONS |
| 15 | LOSS | LOSS | WIN | LOSS | 89 | 5 | L, PENN STATE (CFP QUARTERS) |
| 16 | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | 0 | 0 | MISS PLAYOFFS |
| 17 | WIN | WIN | WIN | DNQ | 99 | 99 | L, GEORGIA (CFP SEMIS) |
| 18 | WIN | WIN | LOSS | DNQ | 99 | 97 | NATIONAL CHAMPIONS |
| 19 | WIN | LOSS | WIN | DNQ | 99 | 93 | L, NOTRE DAME (CFP SEMIS) |
| 20 | WIN | LOSS | LOSS | DNQ | 99 | 27 | L, TEXAS (CFP FINAL) |
| 21 | LOSS | WIN | WIN | DNQ | 99 | 53 | L, TENNESSEE (CFP QUARTERS) |
| 22 | LOSS | WIN | LOSS | DNQ | 99 | 18 | L, BOISE STATE (CFP FIRST ROUND) |
| 23 | LOSS | LOSS | WIN | DNQ | 98 | 11 | L, CLEMSON (CFP FIRST ROUND) |
| 24 | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | DNQ | 38 | 0 | L, PENN STATE (CFP SEMIS) |
All 24 scenarios are wild.
None of them would leave 100 percent of Buckeye Nation pleased.
In the Playoff Predictor's over 200,000 simulations, Ohio State falls in the semifinals a lot. When it doesn't, the Buckeyes lose to teams like Boise State (?!) and Clemson in the first round or USC, Ole Miss, Michigan, South Carolina and Tennessee in the quarterfinals. Oh, and the four scenarios in which Ohio State won the national championship all involved regular-season losses to Michigan. Nice!
Good news: Simulations are simulations. I'm not sure many simulations had Ohio State beating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame en route to a national championship last season, but the Buckeyes shocked the world and won it all!
THE COMPUTERS, PART TWO! The same message applies here: simulations are simulations. Still, my analytical mind can’t help but fawn over what the computers think of Ohio State football this fall. The Worldwide Leader's latest update to ESPN Analytics included the debut of this season's Matchup Predictor. Here are the outcomes The Computers! predict for each of the Buckeyes' 12 regular-season games:
| OPPONENT | DATE | LOCATION | PREDICTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEXAS | 8/30 | COLUMBUS, OH | TEXAS 53.3% |
| GRAMBLING | 9/6 | COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO STATE 99% |
| OHIO | 9/13 | COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO STATE 96.6% |
| WASHINGTON | 9/27 | SEATTLE, WA | OHIO STATE 77.6% |
| MINNESOTA | 10/4 | COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO STATE 89.6% |
| ILLINOIS | 10/11 | CHAMPAIGN, IL | OHIO STATE 80.8% |
| WISCONSIN | 10/18 | MADISON, WI | OHIO STATE 80.9% |
| PENN STATE | 11/1 | COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO STATE 57.2% |
| PURDUE | 11/8 | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | OHIO STATE 95.9% |
| UCLA | 11/15 | COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO STATE 92.9% |
| RUTGERS | 11/22 | COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO STATE 87.1% |
| MICHIGAN | 11/29 | ANN ARBOR, MI | OHIO STATE 63.1% |
I like, hmmmmmm, 11 of the 12 predictions.
Texas 53.3 percent?
At the Horseshoe?
Naaahhh.
DOWNS TO BUSINESS. Caleb Downs and his brother, Josh, have entered the podcast game.
The Ohio State defensive back and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver will debut their podcast, Downs2Business, on Wednesday. The first episode, which was filmed inside the team room at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, looks like it will feature a special appearance from Ryan Day.
Introducing Downs2Business hosted by Colts WR @joshdowns & Ohio State S @caleb_downs2
— Downs2Business (@downs2business) August 25, 2025
2 Brothers.
2 Football Journeys.
1 Family Story.
Episode 1 premieres Wednesday, August 27th pic.twitter.com/Dd9i5GZgVh
I like this show's chances to be a hit. I really do!
DAILY DUBCAST. Today's Eleven Dubcast brings on football scheme and film analyst Kyle Jones for the first time this Ohio State football season to discuss a pair of intriguing takes relative to Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith, James Peoples and C.J. Donaldson.
SONG OF THE DAY. "I'll Make a Man Out of You" - Mulan.
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