Welcome to the Skull Session.
John Mobley Jr. has been movin' different recently.
Different @jmobleyjr pic.twitter.com/dfP90rzvQo
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) January 21, 2026
Have a good Thursday.
“IT’S OBVIOUS.” Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.
Who is him?
Jokes aside, him is ESPN’s Sean McDonough, who told The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman on Monday that the Big Ten is the best conference in college football, even though his employer (and the leagues it televises) would very much prefer he say otherwise.
During Indiana’s 56–22 beatdown of Oregon in the CFP semifinals, McDonough — who said during Indiana’s CFP loss to Notre Dame a year earlier that the Big Ten was closer to the ACC and Big 12 than the SEC — told Greg McElroy that the Big Ten had “established itself as the premier conference in college football.”
It’s unclear whether ESPN or SEC officials reprimanded him for the comment, but he stood behind it after the national championship game.
“I don’t regret what I said,” McDonough told The Athletic. “It’s a year later, they’ve won the last two national championships, and they have the No. 1 team in the country. You go down below that, they’re winning the other bowl games.”
McDonough continued, “I have no anti-Big Ten vibes. We don’t have their games. But, and I’m sure some of the conferences we are affiliated with probably I’d rather not say the Big Ten is the best conference right now, but it’s obvious.”
Yes, yes, it is!
Dochterman wrote that the Big Ten lacks “cheerleaders” publicly to make its case — and I agree, beyond FOX, the conference's primary media rights stakeholder — but said the programs have let their results do the talking.
“I think it shows that the Big Ten’s taking over for real,” former Ole Miss and current Indiana safety Louis Moore told Dochterman. “They’re always trying to compare like the top two conferences, obviously the SEC and the Big Ten. It’s always been like back and forth with them, too, to be honest. But now it shows that the Big Ten’s taking over, that’s how it’s gonna be.”
Yes, yes, it is!
HEISMAN ODDS. There are 218 days until the 2026 college football season, yet FanDuel Sportsbook has already released odds for the next Heisman Trophy winner.
Leading the way are Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and Texas quarterback Arch Manning, last year’s preseason favorite, both at +800. Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has the third-best odds at +1100, followed by five players tied for fourth at +1300: Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt and Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava and Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed round out the top 10, each at +2000.
For the WHAT IT’S WORTH DEPARTMENT™, former Ohio State and current Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has +6000 odds to win the Heisman. The only other Buckeye with a line on FanDuel is Bo Jackson, who has +8000 odds to hoist the stiff-arm trophy.
A MAN OF THE PEOPLE. A video of Jeremiah Smith at a South Florida Express event surfaced over the weekend. In the clip, Smith walks along the sidelines of a tournament as children of all ages swarm him, phones in hand, hoping to take photos or videos and get items signed.
WTF MAN @Jermiah_Smith1 pic.twitter.com/t3QwSE3xJh
— SFE (@SouthFLExpress) January 17, 2026
Whether or not Smith wins a Heisman in 2026, he is undeniably one of the best players in college football — and one of the most influential players, too.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Remember Joe Bauserman?
The former Ohio State quarterback started the Buckeyes’ 2011 season opener against Akron, completing 12 of 16 passes for 163 yards and three touchdowns. After leading Ohio State to a narrow 27–22 win over Toledo, Bauserman made one more start — a 2-of-14 passing performance for 13 yards against Miami — before Braxton Miller replaced him as QB1. But it wasn't the last set of meaningful reps Bauserman took that season.
Miller sustained an injury during the Buckeyes' game at Nebraska later that year, forcing Bauserman back into action, where he finished 1-of-10 with a few comically bad overthrows in a 34-27 loss. Thus spawned one of the great Ohio State football memes.
But where is Bauserman now? The Columbus Dispatch’s Anna Lynn Winfrey had the answer on Wednesday: He’s the new general manager at SportsOhio, a 100-acre sports complex in Dublin, Ohio, that features sports facilities for baseball, football, lacrosse and soccer, as well as a nine-hole golf course and driving range.
“I am thrilled to lead our team at SportsOhio,” Bauserman said in a press release. “This facility impacts the lives of people at any age, ability, or competitive level. We will always strive to create an unforgettable experience for those who visit our facility and the great city of Dublin. SportsOhio will be a first-class facility for the local community and the sports tourism industry alike.”
Bauserman, who pitched for three seasons in minor league baseball before his Ohio State football career, has a diverse background in sports and has built most of his livelihood around them. That made him the perfect candidate to lead SportsOhio, which will undergo a 140-acre expansion in the years to come.
“Joe’s extensive background in athletics and facility management made him a perfect candidate for this exciting position,” said Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) Vice President Scott Rodgers. “His experiences with the greater Dublin area as a former Ohio State student-athlete provide an instant connection to this community and its people. We are thrilled to have Joe leading the charge as we enhance the SportsOhio experience for the community and its visitors.”
Winfrey notes in her article that the City of Dublin purchased SportsOhio in 2024 as part of a $44.6 million real estate purchase. While Sports Facilities Companies continues to operate the facility, the city has plenty of input on what’s to come. Dublin city manager Megan O’Callaghan told The Dispatch that it trusts Bauserman to “advance our vision for a premier athletic and recreation campus” that connects the community.
The Joe Bauserman meme will live forever, but so will his Buckeye ties. From internet legend to leading one of central Ohio’s largest sports complexes, Joe Bauserman’s second act is a pretty good one!
SONG OF THE DAY. "Dial Drunk" - Noah Kahan and Post Malone.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Baker Mayfield slams Kevin Stefanski over trade: "Can’t wait to see you twice a year"... Charles Bediako has been granted a TRO and is immediately eligible to participate for Alabama basketball... As Indiana, Miami clash, "4K couple" steals attention on ESPN broadcast... Extreme cold, major snow likely for millions across the United States.
