THE BEST OF THE BEST. ESPN's college football staff ranked the top 50 players in the College Football Playoff. Spoiler: The list was terrible, if only for one reason, and that reason is Caleb Downs was ranked No. 19 overall!
Here's where all six Buckeyes rank, according to the Worldwide Leader:
A transfer from Kansas State, Howard stepped into a high-profile role and generally handled himself well. He completed 72.3% of his passes for 2,860 yards and 27 touchdowns. Howard had some tough moments in Ohio State's losses to Oregon and Michigan, and even in a win at Penn State, but his accuracy stands out, and he rushed for touchdowns in seven games. A third-team All-Big Ten selection, Howard had multiple touchdown passes in 10 of 12 games and has 66 touchdown passes over the past three seasons.
Sawyer nearly came up with the game-changing play, intercepting a pass at the goal line in the fourth quarter against Michigan, but the Wolverines wound up winning anyway 13-10. Sawyer has had an impactful senior season, with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles on the way to earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Simon can be overshadowed by Ohio State's other big-name players, but he is quietly having a fantastic senior season. Though only a third-team All-Big Ten selection, the team captain is second on Ohio State with 74 tackles and five sacks. Simon came up with several huge plays late to help the Buckeyes stave off an upset bid from Nebraska in a 21-17 victory in late October.
Jackson's versatility helped the Buckeyes weather the season-ending injury to left tackle Josh Simmons. After Jackson slid from left guard to left tackle, the Buckeyes defeated Penn State, then Indiana to earn the home playoff game. Regardless of position, Jackson has given up only seven quarterback pressures and three sacks all season.
Downs has made an impact in his first season at Ohio State, both on defense and special teams. Downs, the SEC Freshman of the Year last season at Alabama before transferring, is third on the Buckeyes with 61 tackles to go along with two sacks and an interception. He also had a punt return touchdown that ignited a 38-15 rout of Indiana.
The Big Ten Freshman and Receiver of the Year shattered all of Cris Carter's Ohio State true freshman receiving records set in 1984. On a Buckeyes offense loaded with playmakers, Smith is the most dangerous, highlighted by an ability to bring down one-handed catches or break off big runs after the catch.
Downs at No. 19 infuriates me.
I have contained my rage for as long as possible, but I shall unleash my fury upon you like the crashing of a thousand waves. Be gone, ESPN college football staff! Be gone from me! No. 19?! No. 19?! Downs is the best player in the playoff! I am untethered, and my rage knows no bounds!
*whispers*... but I am glad to see Smith receive the recognition he deserves.
REVENUE SHARING SZN. Skull Session readers know I love a good quote. I love book quotes, movies quotes, television quotes - all kinds of them. That includes quotes from obscure books, movies, and television shows, such as The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. A Disney Channel show in the 2000s, Suite Life had some iconic moments. Few were more iconic than the one to deliver the line, It's the law! which I still quote with friends often.
Obscure and perhaps ineffective introduction aside, revenue sharing is now a law in Ohio. On Thursday, Ohio lawmakers approved changes that will allow colleges and universities to pay students for their name, image and likeness. The new legislation is one response to the NCAA's $2.78 billion settlement, which will allow schools and collectives to pay student-athletes next summer.
According to court documents related to the NCAA's settlement, schools will be allowed to distribute between $21 million and $22 million to college athletes in the first year. While schools are not required to distribute that much, Ross Bjork said this past summer that he and the Ohio State athletic department are committed to the full revenue-sharing amount.
In addition to the NCAA's settlement, here is what Ohio lawmakers passed on Thursday, according to documents Jessie Balmert of the Cincinnati Enquirer obtained:
On Nov. 26, Bjork testified before the Ohio House of Representatives about the importance of these changes and called the court's decision "the most transformational action in the history of collegiate athletics." Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham backed Bjork in a letter to lawmakers, explaining that the changes will help rein in the "Wild West of athletics, where opportunities are rife for unscrupulous actors to take advantage of student-athletes because of the lack of clarity."
Before the NIL and revenue-sharing changes officially become law, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine must sign the document, also known as House Bill 315. Considering DeWine already signed an executive order related to the topics on Nov. 18 - and the fact that it received bipartisan support in both chambers - his signature is all but guaranteed.
So, the next time we discuss NIL and revenue sharing in these parts, remember: It's the law!
$1.32 BILLION! The Austin Powers movies are also full of excellent quotes. One I tend to recall often is when Dr. Evil hatches a plan to steal a nuclear warhead and hold the world ransom for... $1 million! When he learns $1 million would be inconsequential, Dr. Evil increases the ransom to... $100 billion!
Don't blame Dr. Evil. He spent six years at Evil Medical School, not Evil Economics School.
On Thursday, CNBC ranked the 75 most valuable college athletic programs in the United States (excluding military academies). While no school is worth... $100 billion! ... Ohio State ranked No. 1 among all athletic programs with a valuation of $1.32 billion. The Buckeyes came in ahead of Texas ($1.28 billion), Texas A&M ($1.26 billion), Michigan ($1.06 billion) and Alabama ($978 million) in the top five. The remainder of the top 10 included Notre Dame ($969 million), Georgia ($950 million), Nebraska ($943 million), Tennessee ($940 million) and Oklahoma ($928 million).
Here is how Michael Ozanian of CNBC described Ohio State's place at No. 1:
Ohio State University is the most valuable athletic program, worth an estimated $1.32 billion. The Buckeyes had $280 million in revenue in 2023, the most of any school. Other factors that helped propel the Buckeyes to the top of the rankings are an alumni base of over 600,000, a fan base of more than 11 million, boosters that donated nearly $60 million last year, and a football team that routinely has attendance of over 100,000 at its games.
It sure sounds like you are the reason Ohio State is the most valuable college athletic program in the United States, so make sure Bjork and Ted Carter express their gratitude the next time they are humbled to be in your presence.
"WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM." I went back and forth on whether to write about this. Back won. Or forth won. One of them won. I don't know which. Here's the topic: Kirk Herbstreit appeared on Barstool's Pardon My Take podcast this week and discussed his son Chase's commitment to Michigan. In the process, he continued to become one of the most polarizing people in the Ohio State fandom.
"What an opportunity for him," Herbstreit said. "You know that this is a kid who grew up a lifelong Ohio State fan. Of all my kids, he's the guy that cried when they lost games. Like, he's the Ohio State junkie. Ohio State did not really pursue him to the point of offering him a scholarship."
But Michigan did.
"Sherrone Moore and his staff believe, and I think they saw his competitive spirit and his fire and what he did on the field this year to give him an opportunity," Herbstreit said. "It's very different for our family because behind the scenes it's scarlet and gray our entire lives."
Outside the circumstances, which are unfathomable in and of themselves, Herbstreit's comments featured above shouldn't ruffle feathers. However, this one did:
"There was a family-only event (Senior Tackle) this past Sunday, and I went in there really nervous to wonder how the Ohio State coaches - because none of them texted me, 'Hey, congratulations on Chase. I didn't hear anything from anybody."
Did... did he expect someone from Ohio State would text to congratulate him that his son committed to Michigan? I don't understand how he could. Then again, I haven't understood most of Herbstreit's recent moments involving the Buckeyes, all of which seem wilder and wilder as time continues.