All In the Family
Three-star 2027 defensive back Angelo Smith, brother of Jeremiah Smith, commits to Ohio State.
Welcome to the Skull Session.
Jeremiah Smith → Ohio State
All in the family.
#BOOM 2027 safety Angelo Smith, the younger brother of Jeremiah Smith, commits to Ohio State.https://t.co/HxDAB9Puqd pic.twitter.com/yXcLxWl7BC
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 22, 2025
Have a good Monday.
PEOPLE. PASSION. PRIDE. This Ohio State football trailer has me feeling juiced as the Buckeyes prepare to face Washington this week.
Before the noise, before the lights, there’s a pulse that beats across our state. With grit in the dirt, strength in our cities, and pride in the people, we come from all walks of life. Different shifts, different stories. We are farmers and founders, steel workers and scientists, industrialists and innovators, groundbreakers and leaders. No matter the color of our collars, our sleeves are always rolled up and our blood is scarlet and gray. If the Shoe is the heart, then Buckeye Nation, you are the heartbeat. Turning Saturdays into holidays, gathering far and wide to cheer us on and challenging us to the high standard that this university, this state and this family deserves. Your cadence, your rhythm, echoes in our hearts and fuels us in our fight. Outside, they don’t know. And what we have, we can’t explain. It’s our people, our passion, the pride passed down from generation to generation. This isn’t just a game. Every snap, every drive, every moment, we fight for the ones beside us. And this fight is only just begun.
Fire me up!
“THIS IS A BAD, BAD FEELING.” Hop in the DeLorean with me. Let’s travel to Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025 — when I wrote about Dabo Swinney and Clemson’s 1-2 start to the season.
From 2021 to 2024, Clemson went 40-14 and made just one College Football Playoff appearance — last year, thanks only to the field expanding from four to 12 teams. Now, three weeks into 2025, the Tigers are 1-2, with losses to then-No. 9 LSU at home and Georgia Tech on the road.
While times have been tough at Clemson… Swinney delivered a sweeping defense for himself and his program on Tuesday.
“If they want me gone, if they’re tired of winning, they can send me on my way because that’s all we’ve done is win. So if they’re tired of winning, we’ve won this league eight out of the last 10 years. Is that not good? I’m just asking. Is that good?” Swinney said. “To go to the playoff seven out of 10 years, be in four national championships, win it twice?
“If Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way, but I’m gonna go somewhere else and coach. I ain’t going to the beach. Hell, I’m 55. I’ve got a long way to go. Y’all are gonna have to deal with me for a while. I’m just getting going. I’m just now good enough to be a head coach. I just now am figuring it out. So we’ll be around awhile. Let’s hang in there. … I got a long way to go, boys. Long way to go. Hate to disappoint all the haters out there.”
The flux capacitor will now take us to Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 — when Swinney and Clemson fell to 1-3, losing to Syracuse 34-21 at home. As a Clemson hater, I was not disappointed with the Tigers’ performance. Swinney’s postgame press conference didn’t disappoint, either.
“This is a bad, bad feeling. Terrible,” Swinney said. “This is what we do. This is our passion. We work incredibly hard to get the results that we want to get, and when we don’t get them, it’s a pain that’s hard to describe. But it comes with the territory. So we got to flush it. That’s all we can do. There’s no hope for a better yesterday.”
Later, Swinney added he felt “disappointed” and “hurt” as Clemson’s alma mater played following the game. “I’m human. I’m not a cyborg. This is my life. I’ve been here 23 years. I love this place. I give this place the best I’ve got every single day. I’ve invested my life here, and when I don’t get the job done, I’m responsible. I feel pain. Not just my pain; I feel everybody’s pain. That comes with my job, and I don’t run from that.”
** ahem **
Ohio State broke Clemson.
Genuine question: If Eleven Warriors made “We Broke Clemson” shirts in the same style as our “We Broke the U” shirts, would you buy one? Let me know in the comments.
“GREAT NIGHT FOR INDIANA HOOSIER FANS.” When Curt Cignetti said, “I win. Google me.” in his introductory press conference at Indiana, he wasn’t kidding. All he does is win.
Indiana obliterated then-No. 9 Illinois, 63-10, at home on Saturday. Fernando Mendoza had a near-perfect performance, completing 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns, establishing himself as the Heisman frontrunner at +800 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Indiana’s run offense and defense were also dominant, as the Hoosiers collected 312 yards on 49 carries and held the Illini to 2 yards (!) on 20 carries. (Illinois had 161 total yards of offense.)
But wait! There’s more!
The Hoosiers had seven sacks and held the Illini to 1-for-10 on third-down conversions. What was supposed to be a competitive conference matchup turned into one of the most lopsided box scores of the 2025 season.
Indiana looked like a complete team. Offense, defense, special teams — well, kind of, the Hoosiers had nine extra points, but punter Quinn Warner blasted two 52-yard punts. Still, IU had the depth and discipline to make the Hoosiers fire on all cylinders.
“Great night for Indiana Hoosier fans. Stadium was hopping. I’m really proud of the team. Dominant performance,” Cignetti said after the game. “We made a lot of explosive plays, pressured the quarterback — I think we sacked him seven times. Really tried to get out of the game and shorten the game at the end and broke their will, I think. It’s a great win, and proud of the coaches and the players.”
If this is the version of Indiana we see for the rest of the season, the Hoosiers will contend with Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State for the Big Ten title, and could make the College Football Playoff for the second straight year.
Indiana! In the College Football Playoff! For the second straight year!
What a world.
THE DUBGATE IS BACK. You ready for Eleven Dubgate XIII?!
On Oct. 4, hours before Ohio State faces Minnesota, the Eleven Dubgate returns behind the Varsity Club for another perfect fall Saturday with the Eleven Warriors community.
SAT, OCT 4 2025 | TIME TBD - OSU/MINNESOTA KICKOFF
Tuttle Park & Norwich
Tuttle Park & Norwich
Every dollar raised goes to Special Olympics Olentangy, which provides year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Suggested donation: $20 — good for food and drink tickets from sponsors like City Barbeque, Garage Beer, Land-Grant and Sun Cruiser. More tickets will be available on-site. Donations can also be made via cash at the event or Venmo (@OSSOSTORM).
The Dubgate has raised thousands over the years, including support for the nation’s first centralized biobank for Down Syndrome research. Be a part of a great event that benefits an even greater cause!
SONG OF THE DAY. "Birds of a Feather" - Billie Eilish (Rindue Cover).
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