Skull Session: Jeremiah Smith Breaks Down Flipping Off Michigan Fans in The Game, Jordan Thomas Shines in the Navy All-American Bowl and Ohio State's Olympic Sports Had an Epic Weekend

By Chase Brown on January 12, 2026 at 5:00 am
Jeremiah Smith
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

This is a big, big BOOM.

Keep 'em coming.

Have a good Monday.

 “I GOT SOMETHING FOR ‘EM.” Over the weekend, Jeremiah Smith appeared on I Am Next with former Clemson running back Darien Rencher to discuss his Ohio State career and life outside of football.

As he and Rencher walked through the Horseshoe, Smith shared what went into his decision to flip off Michigan fans after he scored a touchdown in The Game. Smith started his explanation by admitting he forgot that cameras would capture the moment.

“Actually, I didn’t even know they had a picture of that until we got in the locker room after the game,” Smith said with a smile, “and then all my teammates were showing it to me and everybody was posting it on Twitter.”

But why did Smith do it?

“All Michigan fans were right there at the bottom, so we out there warming up and they're talking, talking cash money or whatever they were saying, so I was like, ‘OK, I’ll score. I got something for ‘em.’ I scored. I ran up and I flipped ‘em off.”

Smith said Ohio State’s coaches “got on me a little bit” for his celebration, especially when he made the image of him flipping off Michigan fans his profile picture on X. Still, the coaches let him keep the profile picture — briefly.

“When I made it my profile picture, they was like, ‘You can keep it up for a little bit, but you got to take it down,” Smith said with a laugh.

“That’s legendary,” Rencher said.

“It was,” Smith said.

Yes, it was!

I agree!

Smith and Rencher discussed many other topics in the episode. I included some of the hits below, including Smith’s Ohio State Mount Rushmore, what makes the Buckeyes special and more.

On his Ohio State Mount Rushmore

“One guy would be Archie Griffin, two-time Heisman winner. You got to throw Eddie George in there, he won a Heisman. Troy Smith was, too, he a Heisman winner… Imma go Orlando Pace.”

When asked who he would pick from the newer generations of Ohio State football players, Smith said Braxton Miller. “Everybody love Braxton Miller here. He was crazy.”

On his favorite touchdown from this season

“I’d say my touchdown against Team Up North, Michigan. I was ready. That was probably my best one. … It was good. I mean, we hadn’t beat them guys in four years. For us to go up there and do what we did to them guys, it was something special. We got our Gold Pants. Something special, for sure.”

Smith added that he made a “promise” to Buckeye Nation that he would beat Michigan for the rest of his Ohio State career, and now he has to “stand on it” in 2026. “I got to hold my word. That’s what I gotta do.”

On what makes Ohio State special

“The people. The people that’s in the program. We got a great head coach, Coach Ryan Day. We got a good strength and conditioning coach, Coach Mick Marotti. We just got a great staff. The people around us is pretty special at what they do, so I feel like that’s what make Ohio State special is the people.”

 EARN YOUR (SCARLET) STRIPES. With Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles Jr. entering the NFL draft and Aaron Scott Jr. and Bryce West entering the transfer portal, Ohio State’s cornerback depth looks thin this offseason. 

While there’s still plenty of time for the Buckeyes to bolster their depth behind Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Devin Sanchez — and I fully expect them to — Ohio State may need to lean on top-125 prospects Jay Timmons and Jordan Thomas to contribute in year one.

Freshmen playing rotational roles can be a scary proposition at the college level, but Timmons and Thomas may not be ordinary frosh. Timmons — the son of former Florida State and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons — checks in at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, runs a 10.9-second 100 meters and boasts a nearly 21-foot broad jump. Thomas, meanwhile, brings a 6-foot, 190-pound frame, a jaw-dropping 78-inch wingspan (!) and a natural nose for the football.

Thomas put that skill set on full display Saturday at the Navy All-American Bowl, which also featured Ohio State signees Chris Henry Jr., Jerquaden Guilford and Sam Greer. According to Rivals’ Chad Simmons and Cody Bellaire, Thomas was one of the event’s top three performers alongside USC signees Luke Wafle and Jaimeon Winfield.

A top-three performer and a captain?

Yeah. I’ll be watching Thomas’ career with great interest.

 WAIT… WHAT NOW? You all see this Marcus Freeman news?

In one of the more bizarre stories of the college football season, The South Bend Tribune reported Sunday that Freeman was accused of battery in a police report filed Jan. 3 following an incident at his son’s high school wrestling match.

According to the Tribune, the alleged incident occurred after Freeman’s son, Vinny, lost a match. As Freeman and Penn wrestling coach Brad Harper escorted Vinny out of the gym, New Prairie High School assistant wrestling coach Chris Fleeger allegedly began to “exchange words” with the group.

Once in the hallway, Fleeger and Freeman’s wife, Joanna, started shouting at each other before local law enforcement and Mishawaka school officials separated the groups, according to the Tribune.

Notre Dame shared the following statement about the alleged incident on Sunday: “Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman’s son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach. Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation. At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are totally unfounded.”

No charges are expected against Freeman, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich, so this situation should disappear sooner rather than later. Still, what a bizarre story involving the former Ohio State linebacker and current Notre Dame head coach.

 OLYMPIC VILLAGE. Ohio State’s Olympic sports had an epic weekend.

First, Ohio State men’s hockey upset No. 2 Michigan State thanks to a go-ahead goal from captain Davis Burnside. Freshman goaltender Sam Hillebrandt also had 26 saves in his first-career win.

Then, Ohio State wrestling blanked No. 23 Indiana 45-0 at the Covelli Center. The No. 2 Buckeyes recorded three decisions, two major decisions, two technical falls and three pins in the win, which improved the team’s dual record to 12-0.

And last but certainly not least, Ohio State women’s basketball took down No. 8 Maryland on the road, 89-76, for its best win of the season to date. Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes with 28 points after becoming the fourth player in program history to score 40+ points earlier in the week when Ohio State beat Illinois, 78-69.

Good stuff, Buckeyes! Good stuff!

 NEW DUBCAST. The first Eleven Dubcast of the week discusses how the current chaos of the transfer portal may indicate a larger issue for college football than one exclusively giving Ohio State fans cause for concern.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "I Just Might" - Bruno Mars.

 CUT TO THE CHASE. Golden Globes 2026 full winners list... California homeowner rolls out "unwelcome" mat for black bear living under his house... 49ers’ George Kittle carted off with right Achilles tendon injury in playoff game against Eagles... Paraplegic engineer becomes the first wheelchair user to blast into space... Puppy Bowl XXII features 2 Ohio sister dogs, Derby and Summer.

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