Remember When: Ohio State Shut Out Purdue in 1968 to the Delight of Donn F. Eisele and the Apollo 7 Crew in Space

George Eisner — Saturday, May 23, 2026 - 14:35

After spending years of my life as an American in both areas, I have gradually observed several ties between Central Ohio and South Florida. Jeremiah Smith probably comes to mind at the moment as the most high-profile link between the two baskets of football talent, but there are many more examples of overlap that extend well beyond even Ohio State athletics. One of the best examples of that remains the life of Col. Donn F. Eisele — a proud son of Columbus and one of three astronauts that launched on the Apollo 7 mission in 1968 a day before the Buckeyes hosted No. 1 overall Purdue.

The legacy of the Apollo 7 mission has layers of complicated emotions and events surrounding its materialization, the tensions between its on-board crew versus the ground control, and public perception of NASA at the time. Even so, the mission still proved to be an effective success and often receives memory for Eisele emceeing alongside his crewmates Walter M. Schirra and R. Walter Cunningham in the first television broadcast ever from space. Their orbital check-in proved so popular after the first transmission aired on October 14th that NASA made them a daily reoccurrence for the remainder of the mission to the great annoyance of Eisele and the crew.

In October 1968, Apollo 7 became the first crewed Apollo mission, taking off from the Kennedy Space Center, one of this years Americas Field Trip destinations!

Students can enter for a chance to visit this historic site.

Submit your entry now at https://t.co/UI9LGj5p6b pic.twitter.com/0Me93W3SWE
— America250 (@America250) October 30, 2025

Two days prior to the initial transmission, the team that would eventually earn legendary distinction within college football as the "Super Sophs" prepared to play in their third football game of the season. Ohio State had risen from outside the preseason top 10 to No. 4 overall after two games, but would now need to take down the top team in the country if Woody Hayes and the bunch were to realize their destiny as eventual national champions.

This game almost certainly lives fondly in the memories of several readers in the Eleven Warriors audience. You can find comments sprinkled across Buckeye sports forums online of fans insisting they attended the showdown between top-five teams that day and witnessed the incubation of Jack Tatum becoming an institution within the magnificent lore of football's hardest hitters.

Bearing that in mind, I will defer to former 11W contributor Joe Beale in recalling the on-field details of this 13-0 victory as he did for the site all the way back in 2009 on the game's 41st anniversary.

"To start the game, OSU took over after receiving the kickoff and immediately started running a no-huddle offense. Hayes had felt that the Purdue linemen were slow and out of shape, so he wanted the offense to move at a quick pace to keep them moving. They would call three plays in the initial huddle and then run them consecutively without huddling. On the first drive, the Buckeyes moved relentlessly down the field as Brockington repeatedly gashed the Purdue defense with his hard running style. But the drive stalled at the Purdue 4-yard line, and then OSU missed the field goal. Other drives in the first half would end in similar fashion, but the defense was giving Purdue all they could handle. Tatum focused on stopping Keyes and wherever the star halfback tried to go, 'The Assassin' was waiting for him.

The entire first half was a defensive struggle that ended in a 0-0 tie. OSU had controlled the tempo and had numerous opportunities, but they were unable to punch it in or even convert a field goal. But the Buckeyes were much more opportunistic in the second half. Purdue started with the ball, but on their 4th play from scrimmage Phipps would make a critical error. The previous play, Tatum had jumped an out pattern and nearly intercepted the ball. On the next play, Tatum and fellow DB Ted Provost switched assignments, and Phipps read it as a change in coverage. He attempted the same out pattern as before, but this time Provost jumped the route and made the interception. He returned it 35 yards for the touchdown and Ohio State was suddenly holding a 6-0 lead (after a missed PAT).

Later that same quarter, Phipps would compound his error with another interception as the future Cleveland Browns QB would be picked by Stillwagon. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Rex Kern would be injured on a QB keeper to the right sideline, thus forcing Hayes to go with little-used senior backup Bill Long. Ohio State had the ball at the Purdue 14-yard line, and Hayes had always been averse to passing. But he crossed up the defense by calling a pass play. Seeing all of his options covered, Long tucked the ball and ran through the confused defense and into the end zone. After the successful PAT kick, OSU held a 13-0 lead. The defense continued to thwart the Boilermakers on offense, and Ohio State held on for an improbable 13-0 victory." — Joe Beale, Eleven Warriors

Immediately following the victory, The Lantern reached out to then-Ohio State professor of military science Col. Arthur von Rohr about relaying the score of the game to Eisele, figuring he would appreciate the information as a native of Columbus that had just left Earth the previous day. Von Rohr laughed off the request at first before ultimately realizing it was offered up in earnest. He then had to do some of his own convincing towards the duty officer stationed at the Lockbourne, OH Air Force Base — now known as Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, today — before the request could reach the tracking station in Colorado Springs, CO.

From the Front Page of The Ohio State Lantern — October 14th, 1968 Edition

In an amusing twist, The Lantern recalls Cunningham was by far the most enthusiastic and grateful of the crewmembers to receive an update on the college football landscape despite the intended recipient being Eisele. Upon hearing of OSU's shutout win, he reportedly remarked, "eat 'em up, Buckeyes!" Cunningham then booed the result of the UCLA vs. Penn State game that saw his alma mater PSU lose by two scores.

Eisele returned to his home world 10 days later and continued to represent Columbus brilliantly across the globe, but particularly in South Florida just a few hours drive away from where he fashioned an enduring legacy for himself at Cape Canaveral. In 1972, he became the director of the U.S. Peace Corps in Thailand shortly after retiring from NASA and the Air Force. Wilton Manors, FL commissioned one of area's many beautiful and well-maintained residential parks in Eisele's name and honor after a year of service in 1981 on the city's commission.

In 2007, two decades after his death, Eisele's wife — Susan Eisele Black, acting on his behalf — donated a moon rock sample to the Broward County Library in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Nearly another 20 years later, the contribution remains the only one of its kind in the United States that has allowed a library to display a lunar rock, a distinction often only bestowed upon public buildings such as schools or museums.

Eisele passed away after suffering a heart attack while visiting Tokyo, Japan in 1987 on a Space Camp-related business trip. He was cremated abroad before having his ashes returned to the United States, where he remains interred with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery alongside over 400,000 additional American heroes.

Ohio State Opens As 49.5-Point Favorite Over Ball State in Season Opener

Josh Poloha — Saturday, May 23, 2026 - 08:35

The opening lines for Week 0 and Week 1 of the college football season are here.

Fourteen weeks. That's how long we have until Week 0. More importantly, we are 15 weeks away from the Buckeyes' 2026 season kicking off.

With that, DraftKings has released its opening lines for the first two weeks of the season, which include Ohio State's season opener against Ball State. The Buckeyes open as 49.5-point favorites over the Cardinals to begin the season, according to DraftKings.

While DraftKings has only given out the opening lines for Week 0 and Week 1, FanDuel has already given out its lines for some of the biggest games of the regular season, including three that involve Ohio State.

Along with being more than seven-touchdown favorites over Ball State, the Buckeyes are also listed as 1.5-point underdogs at Texas and at Indiana, and 12.5-point favorites in The Game against Michigan, according to FanDuel.

OHIO STATE BETTING ODDS FOR 2026 SEASON
DATE	OPPONENT	POINT SPREAD
SEPT. 5, 2026	BALL STATE	-49.5 (DRAFTKINGS)
SEPT. 12, 2026	AT TEXAS	+1.5 (FANDUEL)
OCT. 17, 2026	AT INDIANA	+1.5 (FANDUEL)
NOV. 28, 2026	MICHIGAN	-12.5 (FANDUEL)

When Ball State travels to Columbus for the season opener, it will mark the first time Ohio State and the Cardinals have ever played each other in football.

While the Buckeyes are underdogs in two of the four games that spreads have already opened for, Ohio State is the favorite to win the CFP national championship at season's end, both at DraftKings (+650) and FanDuel (+550). OSU is the favorite to win the Big Ten as well (+180 on DraftKings, +190 on FanDuel).

For those curious, FanDuel lists Ohio State's over/under for regular-season wins at 9.5.

Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

Chase Brown — Friday, May 22, 2026 - 14:31

Ohio State could have back-to-back Lott IMPACT Trophy winners.

After Caleb Downs took home the award in 2025, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Jermaine Mathews Jr. were named to the watch list entering the 2026 season.

Lott Impact Trophy Watchlist
@kjacksonjr_
@Jr2Maine pic.twitter.com/INUu7f7ccn
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) May 22, 2026

This past winter, Jackson and Mathews decided to return to Ohio State for another year — Jackson his fifth, and Mathews his fourth.

Jackson was a backup defensive end during his first three seasons with the Buckeyes but emerged as a starter opposite Caden Curry when Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau declared for the 2025 NFL draft. In his first year among the top 11, Jackson recorded 28 tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Mathews was in a similar spot to Jackson during his first two seasons at Ohio State, providing depth behind Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun. With Igbinosun locking down the No. 1 cornerback spot as a senior in 2025, Mathews slid comfortably into the second position while also moving inside during different parts of the year. Mathews had 23 tackles, three pass breakups and two interceptions and was a third-team All-Big Ten honoree.

Both Jackson and Mathews are poised for more production in 2026 as the players with the most experience in their position rooms. Jackson will have either Beau Atkinson, Qua Russaw or Zion Grady as his fellow starting defensive end this fall, while Mathews will have Devin Sanchez, Dominick Kelly and Cam Calhoun as his running mates.

The Lott IMPACT Trophy is the first national award to announce its 2026 watch list. Far more will come when the season draws closer in July and August.

Skull Session: The 2026 College Football Season is in 99 Days, a 24-Team CFP Could Fundamentally Weaken the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry

Chase Brown — Friday, May 22, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

DeShaun Thomas has got jokes.

After 16 seasons, Ill officially be returning to The Ohio State University with 1 year of eligibility left.

Man after a great conversation with Coach Diebler, Im excited to announce Ill be coming back home to suit up for the Buckeyes one more time. After a long career pic.twitter.com/krRt8QL3NF
— DeShaun Thomas (@Deshaunthomas_0) May 21, 2026

Have a good Friday.

~~100~~ 99 DAYS AND COUNTING. Thursday marked 100 days until the 2026 college football season. ESPN’s writers celebrated with an article on the top storylines and predictions for this fall, and it’s no surprise that the World Famous Ohio State Buckeyes were prominently featured in the piece.

First, three Ohio State matchups were among the top-10 must-see games:

No. 6 - Oregon at Ohio State

Oregon has lost only to eventual national title finalists over the past three seasons -- Washington in 2023, eventual champs Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana in 2025. If this is the season Dan Lanning's Ducks finally take that last step, this trip to Columbus will be awfully telling.

No. 3 - Ohio State at Indiana

Ohio State's second huge road trip of the season takes the Buckeyes to Bloomington to face Hoover, Turbo Richard and the new-look Indiana offense. Curt Cignetti & Co. will have already traveled to Nebraska and Michigan, but this is the biggest game of the year for the defending champs.

No. 2 - Ohio State at Texas

Ohio State is the No. 1 team in Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Top 25, and the Buckeyes play three other teams in the top six. This one will serve as a measuring stick, both for Ohio State's remodeled defense and for Manning and the new weapons he has been given.

Next, two Buckeyes were among the top-10 Heisman contenders. Want to guess who those Buckeyes were? It’s super difficult!

No. 6 - Julian Sayin

In his first season as the starter, Sayin beat Texas, snapped the losing streak to Michigan, quarterbacked the Buckeyes back to the playoff, nearly broke the FBS record for completion percentage in a season and became a Heisman finalist. With a season of experience and wideout Jeremiah Smith returning alongside him, Sayin could be in for a dominant second season.

No. 5 - Jeremiah Smith

Whether he wins the Heisman or not, Smith remains the best player in college football. In just two seasons, he has 163 receptions, including 27 touchdown grabs. He could become the third receiver to win the Heisman this decade, joining Travis Hunter and DeVonta Smith.

Next, Ohio State’s latest five-star wide receiver appeared among the top-10 freshman to know.

No. 9 - Chris Henry Jr.

The No. 6 prospect and top receiver in the class, Henry has rare physical tools at 6-foot-5 with surprising fluidity after the catch. His blend of size and movement skills evokes Tee Higgins comparisons. Ohio State's loaded receivers room could slow his early production, but he projects as the program's next star wideout once Jeremiah Smith moves on.

And last but not least, the Buckeyes were among the top teams expected to receive a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.

No. 2 - Ohio State

The Buckeyes will have one of the nation's top offenses, but their schedule is daunting, with trips to Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC and Nebraska. Ohio State should be a playoff team, but a top-four seed won't be easy with that lineup.

Just 99 days, folks. Just 99 days.

SAVE THE GAME. One of the more interesting arguments against a 24-team College Football Playoff came this week from The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode, who framed the debate through the lens of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.

The central point: The Game became college football’s greatest rivalry because losing carried catastrophic consequences.

The article points back to 1969, when first-year Michigan coach Bo Schembechler stunned Woody Hayes and No. 1 Ohio State, costing the Buckeyes a national championship. That moment helped elevate the rivalry into something bigger because the stakes were enormous — and for decades afterward, they usually stayed that way.

That’s why Rexrode believes a 24-team playoff would fundamentally weaken the rivalry.

Under the proposed format, Ohio State and Michigan would often enter the game already safely in the field, perhaps even locked into first-round byes regardless of the result. The article used the 2021, 2022 and 2023 matchups as examples: Michigan won all three top-five meetings, but Ohio State still would have comfortably made a 24-team playoff every season.

In other words, some of the biggest editions of The Game ever would not have truly been elimination games.

The piece also notes that expanded playoffs have already softened the impact of rivalry losses. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes lost to the Wolverines in 2024, faced intense criticism from Ohio State fans, and then turned around to win a national championship in the 12-team format weeks later. A 24-team field, the argument goes, would dilute the stakes even further.

Another concern is the possibility of increasingly meaningless rematches. If both teams are playoff locks, “The Game” could shift from winner-take-all drama into little more than a seeding battle before a second meeting in December or January.

The article ultimately argues that while 12 teams may already be a major compromise from the old system, 24 risks crossing the line from expanding access to devaluing the regular season — especially for rivalries that helped build the sport in the first place.

“THE HATRED I HAD FOR THAT SCHOOL.” Urban Meyer was a maniac when it came to The Game.

During his seven seasons as Ohio State’s head coach, he hated The Team Up North with every fiber of his being. He considers his 7-0 record in the rivalry game one of, if not the crowning achievement of his coaching career. Meyer discussed his distaste for the Wolverines during his appearance on The Script with Cardale Jones and Beanie Wells this week.

.@CoachUrbanMeyer hated TTUN and went undefeated against them for a reason @CJ1two @BeanieWells26 @DaveHolmesTV @3xOptionShow pic.twitter.com/XznuAc552E
— THE SCRIPT (@TheScriptOSU) May 20, 2026

“When you’re the head coach at Ohio State, and you’re an Ohio guy, grew up in the 10-year war, the 7-0 is something that — please don’t touch that one, man — I mean, that’s something I’ll take with me the rest of my life,” Meyer said. “The hatred I had for that school, and notice I said ‘had,’ you know, I’m not in that chair anymore. When you’re in that chair, you feel it every day.

“Part of it was my fault. I mean, I made that whole facility all about that game. We never went more than a week without talking about The Game, practicing for The Game. I would have Tim Hinton, one of our assistant coaches, that’s all he would do — he would watch film, and I would be working on (another) game, and I’d walk in and spend some time watching (TTUN). I’m talking about September or even spring practice. What are they doing? What are they doing? What are they doing?”

To be clear, Meyer’s hatred for TTUN hasn’t ended — it’s just settled to a level where it doesn’t make him collapse, which is probably a good thing. I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder, however. Some fans carry that kind of hatred without ever having been in Meyer’s shoes, and that’s what makes this rivalry the greatest in all of sports.

NO GRIEVANCE HERE. Urban Meyer has been in the news more than once this week. On Monday, On3’s Brett McMurphy reported that Meyer lost his grievance against the Jacksonville Jaguars regarding whether he should receive the remaining balance of his contract following his 2021 firing. (The irony that the persona non grata was the person to report the news is not lost on me).

According to McMurphy, an independent arbiter ruled the Jaguars were able to fire Meyer with cause and would not have to pay him more than $30 million for the final four years of his contract.

The Jaguars fired Meyer on Dec. 16, 2021, ending an 11-month tenure that included a 2–11 record, multiple off-field incidents, and kicker Josh Lambo’s allegation that Meyer kicked him in the leg while he was stretching during warmups before a practice.

Become a 12th Warrior ›

Lambo filed a lawsuit against Meyer and the Jaguars in May 2022, alleging Meyer created a hostile work environment and that the team did nothing to stop it. Lambo voluntarily dismissed all claims against the franchise with prejudice on Feb. 20, but his case against Meyer is still pending, according to documents obtained by ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. A trial date has been set for Aug. 3.

Meyer’s tenure in Jacksonville included many missteps.

He hired Chris Doyle, who had been accused of making racist remarks and bullying Black players at Iowa, as his director of sports performance. Doyle later resigned.

Meyer also didn’t fly back to Florida with his team after a Thursday night game in Cincinnati, drawing widespread criticism. That weekend, videos went viral showing him at a Columbus bar with a woman who was not his wife. Jaguars owner Shad Khan reprimanded him for his behavior, and Meyer later apologized to the organization.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits/Sting.

CUT TO THE CHASE.... Coke vs. Pepsi was once the big soda debate. Now there’s a Coca-Cola civil war... NASCAR icon Kyle Busch dies at the age of 41... Kyle Busch's last tweet will break your heart... Why Google's Gemini Spark AI agent could be a game changer... Eagles LB Nolan Smith Jr. was recently arrested for speeding and reckless driving in Georgia.

Better Know a Buckeye: Emanuel Ruffin Has Quickness, Explosiveness to Be Dynamic Run Stopper in Middle of Ohio State’s Defensive Line

Josh Poloha — Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 10:10

Better Know A Buckeye is our look at every member of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class and how they became Buckeyes as they prepare to begin their OSU careers this fall.

One of three defensive tackles to sign with Ohio State in the cycle, Emanuel Ruffin changed his mind multiple times throughout his recruitment – both with his commitment and his finalists – but the mutual interest between Ohio State and Ruffin ultimately won out in the end to bring the four-star defensive tackle from Alabama to Columbus.

Emanuel Ruffin

Size: 6-3/282
Position: DT
School: Bessemer City (Bessemer, Alabama)
247 Sports Composite: ★★★★
Composite Rank: #251 (#27 DL)

Background

Ohio State started recruiting Ruffin late in the process, as the Buckeyes offered the defensive lineman in May 2025, but Larry Johnson made it up in no time.

After an official visit to Columbus last June that was sandwiched between OVs to LSU and Alabama, Ruffin announced that he would make his decision on July 4. But that got pushed back by four months after he decided he wasn’t ready to commit. With the delayed commitment date, Colorado offered Ruffin on Sept. 16 and the four-star prospect committed to the Buffaloes on Sept. 23.

Even with that commitment, Ohio State continued to make Ruffin a priority target, and Johnson and Co. did enough to flip the former Colorado pledge to the Buckeyes, as Ruffin committed to OSU on Nov. 9. He was the third commitment in four days for OSU, joining cornerback Jay Timmons and offensive lineman Mason Wilhelm.

After originally having Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Texas as his original finalists, the Buckeyes were the only school to remain a finalist from the original group after he pushed his commitment back four months. Ruffin ultimately chose OSU over Colorado, Missouri and Ole Miss.

Ruffin had a productive high school career, recording more than 160 tackles over his final three seasons at Bessemer City. As a sophomore, Ruffin had 52 tackles (five tackles for loss) and a sack. In his junior season, he recorded 51 tackles (two tackles for loss) and a fumble recovery. Then, as a senior, Ruffin totaled 60 tackles (four TFL), three sacks and two fumble recoveries in 11 games.

Bessemer City 2026 DL Emmanuel Ruffin @emanuel_ruffin has been a stand out at Under Armour Nashville.

Ruffin has official visits to Alabama and Tennessee locked in. pic.twitter.com/t0GzIiUmtf
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) March 30, 2025

Scouting Report

Time and time again, Ruffin used his quickness off the snap and explosiveness off the line to get into the opponents' backfield in high school, becoming a dominant run stopper. While he will go against bigger and quicker offensive linemen in the Big Ten, Ruffin has shown the ability to use a variety of moves to get past opponents and disrupt plays at the line of scrimmage. And if a play gets passed him, he has the pursuit ability and speed to make a play downfield.

Ruffin must continue to develop as a pass rusher to become a three-down defensive tackle and needs to improve on his pad level to reach his ceiling, as he tended to just overpower his opponents without needing to bend much in high school. That said, the 6-3, 282-pounder has plenty of tools in his skill set to be a menace at defensive tackle for Ohio State as he develops his game early on as a Buckeye.

Depth Chart Outlook

While he played all over the defensive line for Bessemer City, Ruffin will be an interior defensive lineman for the Buckeyes, likely a nose tackle. With that, he’s competing with fellow freshmen Damari Simeon and Jamir Perez for the sixth DT spot on the three-deep this season behind James Smith, Eddrick Houston, Jason Moore, John Walker and Will Smith Jr.

With a good first year of development, Ruffin will have a chance to compete for a spot in the regular rotation in 2027 and a possible starting job as an upperclassman in 2028.

Player Comparison: Davon Hamilton

Better Know A Buckeye

After playing in only one game in his first season as a Buckeye in 2015 (a redshirt year), Hamilton gradually improved as he gained more and more snaps throughout his five seasons in Columbus. In his final four years at Ohio State, the 6-4, 320-pounder totaled 66 tackles (21 for loss), seven sacks, three fumble recoveries and one touchdown.

Even though it took him some time to reach his full potential with the Buckeyes, Hamilton dominated in the middle of Ohio State's defensive line as a fifth-year senior, notching 28 tackles (10.5 for loss), six sacks and a fumble recovery, leading to a third-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft.

Ruffin's career trajectory at OSU could resemble Hamilton's as long as Ruffin continues to develop his skill set and add muscle to his frame. He likely won’t play much as a freshman, but has the tools to emerge as a high-level starter in his later years for the Buckeyes.

Expanded Playoffs and the Impact on Ohio State Teams During the BCS and CFP Eras

Matt Gutridge — Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 08:35

Which Ohio State teams from the BCS and CFP era (1998-today) that did not make college football's postseason tournament would have benefited the most from expanded playoffs?

With talk of the College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams heating up, let's take a look at the Buckeye teams who were on the outside looking in and could have made a legitimate run at a national championship had the postseason not been limited to only two or four teams.

Honorable Mentions

Since 1998, 13 Ohio State teams failed to qualify for the postseason tournament, but would have under an expanded playoff format. Narrowing the field to five teams was difficult, and arguments could certainly be made for the 2017 and 2010 Buckeyes to crack the list. But which of the five teams below would you remove?

Other Ohio State teams that didn't make the cut were: 2023, 2021, 2017, 2009, 2008 and 2000.

No. 5: 2005

Record: 9-2
Final regular season ranking: No. 4 BCS

Jim Tressel’s fifth Ohio State team lost two games by a combined ten points. A heartbreaking 25-22 home loss to No. 2 Texas in the second game of the season and a 17-10 defeat at Penn State were the only blemishes keeping the Buckeyes from playing for a national title.

Troy Smith, Antonio Pittman, Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes and Anthony Gonzalez provided plenty of offensive firepower, while A.J. Hawk, Anthony Schlegel, Bobby Carpenter, Donte Whitner, Malcolm Jenkins and Ashton Youboty anchored a loaded defense. How would things have played out if this team had access to an expanded playoff?

Four-Team CFP

As the No. 4-ranked team in the final BCS standings, Ohio State would have faced No. 1 USC in the semifinal. Pete Carroll’s Trojans were loaded and formidable, but their swagger could have opened the door for Tressel’s disciplined Buckeyes. It would have been viewed as an upset on the level of Ohio State’s 2002 win over Miami, but it was certainly within reach.

If the Buckeyes pulled it off, a rematch would have awaited them in the championship game. The other semifinal would have featured No. 2 Texas against No. 3 Penn State. Ohio State came painfully close against both teams during the regular season and could very realistically have walked away with a national championship in a second meeting.

12-Team CFP

As the No. 4-ranked team, Ohio State would have received a first-round bye and faced the winner of No. 5 Oregon and No. 12 LSU.

Mike Bellotti’s Ducks featured a dangerous offense, while Les Miles’ Tigers ranked third nationally in scoring defense. Either matchup would have posed a challenge, but Ohio State had enough talent to beat both.

The semifinal likely would still have featured USC unless the Trojans were upset by the winner of No. 8 Miami and No. 9 Auburn. Southern California would have been a difficult hurdle, but not an impossible one.

The national championship matchup could have come against No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Penn State, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 7 Georgia, No. 10 Virginia Tech or No. 11 West Virginia. With Vince Young at quarterback, a rematch with Texas probably would have been the most likely outcome.

24-Team CFP

The 24-team playoff bracket has numerous variations. Instead of breaking down every possible matchup, we will provide Ohio State's potential opponents for each round.

Round 1: Bye
Sweet 16: No. 13 Alabama or No. 20 Michigan
Elite Eight: No. 5 Oregon, No. 12 LSU, or No. 21 Boston College
Final Four: No. 1 USC, No. 8 Miami, No. 9 Auburn, No. 16 UCLA, No. 17 Florida, or No. 24 Georgia Tech
Championship: No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Penn State, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 7 Georgia, No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 11 West Virginia, No. 14 TCU, No. 15 Texas Tech, No. 18 Wisconsin, No. 19 Louisville, No. 22 Florida State, or No. 23 Oklahoma

No. 4: 2018

Record: 12-1
Final regular season ranking: No. 6 CFP

Ohio State’s 49-20 loss at Purdue derailed the Buckeyes’ national title hopes during Urban Meyer’s final season in Columbus. The Buckeyes rebounded to beat Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game and Washington in the Rose Bowl, but the shocking defeat to the Boilermakers kept Dwayne Haskins and Ohio State out of the four-team CFP.

Four-Team CFP

With a final CFP ranking of No. 6, Ohio State narrowly missed the four-team field used during the 2018 season.

12-Team CFP

At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Buckeyes had two players battling to be the team's starting quarterback in 2018: Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow. Haskins won the job, and Burrow headed to Baton Rouge.

Had there been a 12-team tournament in '18, Ohio State would have hosted Burrow and LSU in the first round. At this point, Burrow wasn't the Heisman version of himself, but he did have a full regular season under his belt. This would have been a fun matchup on and off the field.

After defeating the Tigers, a favorable matchup against Notre Dame would have been on the slate. Considering Ohio State hasn't lost to the team from South Bend since 1936, it's safe to assume Meyer's team would have taken care of business. Next up would be No. 2 Clemson, No. 7 Michigan, or No. 10 Florida.

Considering Clemson led the nation in scoring defense, was fourth in scoring offense, and won the national championship in 2018, Dabo Swinney's team likely would have dispatched either Michigan or Florida. Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Tee Higgins, and Justyn Ross would have been a tall order to take on, but this Buckeye team might have been able to outscore them.

If the Buckeyes defeated LSU, Notre Dame, and Clemson, No. 1 Alabama would have likely been the opponent for the national championship. If an upset on the other side of the bracket happened, Ohio State could have faced: No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Georgia, No. 8 UCF, No. 9 Washington, or No. 12 Penn State.

This would have been a challenging road to a title, but the 2024 Buckeyes proved it can be done.

24-Team CFP

Round 1: Bye
Sweet 16: No. 11 LSU, or No. 22 Northwestern
Elite Eight: No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 14 Kentucky, or No. 19 Texas A&M
Final Four: No. 2 Clemson, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Florida, No. 15 Texas, No. 18 Mississippi State, or No. 23 Missouri
Championship: No. 1 Alabama, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Georgia, No. 8 UCF, No. 9 Washington, No. 12 Penn State, No. 13 Washington State, No. 16 West Virginia, No. 17 Utah, No. 20 Syracuse, No. 21 Fresno State, or No. 24 Iowa State

No. 3: 2013

Record: 12-1
Final regular season ranking: No. 7 BCS

This was Urban Meyer's second season in Columbus, and the team entered the Big Ten championship game with a school-record 24-game winning streak. A win over Mark Dantonio and Michigan State was a guaranteed ticket to the Rose Bowl and the BCS National Championship Game.

The Spartans had other ideas as the No. 10 team in the nation jumped out to a 17-0 lead on the Buckeyes after 24 minutes of play. Braxton Miller spurred a furious comeback, and after his 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, Ohio State led 24-17. However, the Spartans responded with another run, and with just under 6:00 to play, the Buckeyes were down 27-24 and facing 4th-and-2 from the MSU 39-yard line.

Needing two yards, many believed the ball would be given to Carlos Hyde, who had a knack for picking up the tough yards in tough situations. Instead, Miller came up a yard short on a QB keeper. The winning streak, the Big Ten title, and national championship dreams were gone, all gone.

The upset prevented the Buckeyes from going to Pasadena and facing Jimbo Fisher, Jameis Winston, and Florida State in the BCS National Championship Game.

Four-Team CFP

With Ohio State's end-of-season CFP ranking being seventh, the Buckeyes would not have qualified for the four-team playoff, which was still a year away.

12-Team CFP

As the seventh seed, Ohio State would have hosted No. 10 Oregon in Ohio Stadium. This would have been a tough match-up as Marcus Mariota was coming into his own at the end of his red-shirt sophomore season. The Ducks' offense also had a 1,000-yard rusher in Byron Marshall and a 1,000-yard receiver in Josh Huff.

Had the Bucks beat the Ducks, No. 2 Auburn would have been waiting in the quarterfinal. Gus Malzahn's squad was led by the legs of running back Tre Mason and quarterback Nick Marshall. Both had eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards and Marshall also kept defenses honest with his arm and his favorite target, Sammie Coates. Another tough game, but one the '13 team could have won.

The possible teams waiting in the semifinal would have been: No. 3 Alabama, No. 6 Baylor or No. 11 Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide's offense was powered by A.J. McCarron, T.J. Yelton, and Amari Cooper. Art Briles' Baylor team was pass-heavy and led the nation with over 52 points per game. Bryce Petty threw for 4,200 yards, with receiver Antwan Goodley accounting for 1,339 of those yards. This wasn't Bob Stoops' most talented Oklahoma team, but QB Blake Bell, RB Brennan Clay, and WR Jalen Saunders could hurt opposing defenses.

Facing Nick Saban and Alabama's defense would have been a challenge; the same for Baylor and its high-powered offense. Oklahoma would have been the best matchup for the 2013 Buckeyes, but Alabama would have likely been the team they faced in the semifinal.

Had the Buckeyes made it to the Rose Bowl, Florida State would have been the opponent if things went chalk. If there were upsets, the opponent could have been one of the following teams: No. 4 Michigan State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 South Carolina, or No. 12 Clemson.

24-Team CFP

Round 1: Bye
Sweet 16: No. 10 Oregon or No. 23 Northern Illinois
Elite Eight: No. 2 Auburn, No. 15 UCF, or No. 18 Louisville
Final Four: No. 3 Alabama, No. 6 Baylor, No. 11Oklahoma, No. 14 Arizona State, or No. 19 Wisconsin
Championship: No. 1 Florida State, No. 4 Michigan State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 South Carolina, No. 12 Clemson, No. 13 Oklahoma State, No. 16 LSU, No. 17 UCLA, No. 20 Fresno State, No. 21 Texas A&M, or No. 24 Duke

No. 2: 2015

Record: 11-1
Final regular season ranking: No. 7 CFP

One could make a case for the 2015 Buckeyes being ahead of the 1998 team, and you would have plenty of support. Urban Meyer's fourth team in Columbus was arguably his most talented. Many of the star players from the 2014 championship team were back.

Ezekiel Elliott, Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall, Curtis Samuel, and Braxton Miller were the playmakers J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones had at their disposal on the offensive side of the ball. As loaded as the offense was, the defense might have been better. Linebackers Raekwon McMillan, Darron Lee, and Joshua Perry played behind a defensive line that rotated Joey Bosa, Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt, Tyquan Lewis, Michael Hill, Joel Hale, Sam Hubbard, and Jalyn Holmes. In the secondary, Vonn Bell, Tyvis Powell, Eli Apple and Gareon Conley made the skies unfriendly for opponents.

The NFL certified the talent of the 2015 team as 19 players who were in Ohio State's two-deep were selected in the NFL draft between 2016 and 2018. Six of the 19 were first-round picks. With that much NFL talent, what went wrong? The ghost of Michigan State strikes again. This time, it was a combination of weather, a talented opponent and Elliott being under the weather that led to Ohio State losing 17-14 on a game-ending field goal.

Four-Team CFP

With Ohio State's end-of-season CFP ranking being seventh, the Buckeyes did not make the four-team CFP that in was in place for the 2015 season.

12-Team CFP

Ohio State would have hosted North Carolina in a game the Buckeyes should have won. Especially facing a "southern" team in a December night game in Ohio Stadium. Had Ohio State defeated the Tar Heels, the Buckeyes would have faced a stiff test against the team that won the national championship, Alabama. This would have been an intriguing match-up as Ohio State defeated the Crimson Tide in the quarterfinals of the inaugural CFP the year before.

If Ohio State was able to defeat Alabama, the Buckeyes would have played the winner of Michigan State and Stanford in the semifinal. A rematch against the Spartans or a game against the Cardinal? Yes, please.

We'll assume the other side of the bracket went chalk and Ohio State would have faced Clemson and Deshaun Watson in the championship game. Another tough match-up, but one this talented Buckeye team could have won.

24-Team CFP

Round 1: Bye
Sweet 16: No. 10 North Carolina or No. 23 Tennessee
Elite Eight: No. 2 Alabama, No. 15 Oregon, or No. 18 Houston
Final Four: No. 3 Michigan State, No. 6 Stanford, No. 11 TCU, No. 14 Michigan, or No. 19 Florida
Championship: No. 1 Clemson, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Iowa, No. 8 Notre Dame, No. 9 Florida State, No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 13 Northwestern, No. 16 Oklahoma State, No. 17 Baylor, No. 20 LSU, No. 21 Navy, No. 24 Temple

No. 1: 1998

Regular Season Record: 10-1
Final Regular Season Ranking: No. 4 BCS

When the "what if" question is asked about Ohio State teams, the 1998 Buckeyes often pop into the minds of many fans. Especially those who are old enough to have watched this squad dismantle the competition on both sides of the ball. With Ohio State leading Michigan State 24-9 with 8:03 to play in the third quarter, and the Spartans punting the ball back to the Buckeyes from deep within their own territory, a rout of the overmatched team from East Lansing was underway.

When the punt freakishly bounced off of Nate Clements, the momentum of the game switched in favor of Michigan State, and the upset loss knocked Ohio State out of the BCS Championship game. Tennessee faced Florida State and the Volunteers won the first championship in the BCS era.

With only the top two teams getting a chance to play for the title, the late-season loss to Michigan State kept the Buckeyes from having a chance to play for the title, which could have been theirs. What would Ohio State's path looked like if the three CFP models were in place 28 years ago?

Four-Team CFP

Had the four-team CFP been in place in 1998, Ohio State would have played the first round against Tennessee and then faced the winner of Florida State and Kansas State in the title game. A scenario in which the Buckeyes could have come out as the national champions.

12-Team CFP

John Cooper's team would have had a first-round bye and played the winner of No. 5 UCLA and No. 12 Virginia in the quarterfinal. Had Ohio State won, the Buckeyes would have faced the winner of No. 1 Tennessee against No. 8 Florida or No. 9 Wisconsin in the semifinal.

No. 2 Florida State was the strongest team on the other side of the bracket and probably would have earned a spot in the title game. However, other potential opponents were No. 3 Kansas State, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Arizona, No. 10 Tulane and No. 11 Texas A&M.

24-Team CFP

Round 1: Bye
Sweet 16: No. 13 Arkansas or No. 20 Texas
Elite Eight: No. 5 UCLA, No. 12 Virginia, or No. 21 Oregon
Final Four: No. 1 Tennessee, No. 8 Florida, No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 16 Michigan, No. 17 Air Force, or No. 24 Miami
Championship: No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Kansas State, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Arizona, No. 10 Tulane, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 14 Georgia Tech, No. 15 Syracuse, No. 18 Notre Dame, No. 19 Georgia, No. 22 Penn State, or No. 23 Missouri

Notes:

In 1998, the BCS only provided rankings for the 15 seeds. The teams seeded 16-24 above are placed in order of the highest-ranked teams in the final regular-season AP poll that were not in the BCS rankings.
The 2025, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2016, 2007, and 2006 teams are not part of this discussion. Each of those teams qualified for the playoffs but fell short of winning the national championship for various reasons. It could be argued that the expanded field of 24 teams could have helped the seven teams listed above achieve the ultimate goal. However, it could also be a fair point to say that the 2002, 2014, and 2024 teams might not have won the title if the playoffs had been a 24-team format. Those are topics for different articles, perhaps on another day.
The 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011, and 2012 teams did not qualify because they were not ranked in the top 24 at the end of the regular season. The 2012 team was No. 3 in the AP Poll, but was banned from postseason play.

Skull Session: Content is King in Modern College Football; the Battle for CFP Expansion is Between ESPN and Fox, Not the Big Ten and SEC

Chase Brown — Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

It's Survive and Advance for Ohio State baseball.

FINAL | SURVIVE AND ADVANCE (+ a 98-pitch complete game from @pierce_1002)

Buckeyes will play tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET against the loser of No. 7 Michigan/No. 11 Washington. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ywfaVE91v5
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) May 20, 2026

Have a good Thursday.

SAY THAT AGAIN…? Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and the conference’s 18 schools are all in on a 24-team College Football Playoff. Why? Because it benefits the league — and its television partners. More on that in a moment, but for now, here’s a quote from Petitti on how an expanded postseason makes the regular season more valuable:

“All of a sudden, your November content —”

Content?

That’s all you need to read to understand Petitti’s motivation for expanding the CFP. More teams means more games, which means more opportunities for FOX, CBS, and NBC to televise meaningful matchups in November and December.

That’s the real driving force here, even if Petitti frames it differently as this (continuing the quote from above): “Your competitiveness is way up, your stadiums are looking great, and everybody’s jumping around. Like, that’s a big piece of it… You’ve got real value there, so I think there’s more than one way to think about this from a value proposition — not just every dollar that we capture from the CFP, but also what does it mean for the short term of the regular season, and what’s the long-term value?”

Content.

Value.

Every dollar.

Expanding the CFP is just good business.

THE BATTLE INSIDE. The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel made an excellent point this week: the push to expand the College Football Playoff isn’t really about the Big Ten vs. the SEC — it’s about FOX vs. ESPN.

Because while commissioners talk about “access,” “value,” and “strengthening the regular season,” the real power centers are the television partners who ultimately decide what that value actually is.

FOX is pushing the Big Ten toward a 24-team field for one simple reason: inventory. More playoff games means more inventory, more partners involved in the product, and more opportunities to turn December into a multi-network showcase. ESPN, which currently holds the CFP’s primary rights through 2032, sees it differently. Scarcity is the product. Fewer teams means higher stakes, bigger exclusivity, and more control over the sport’s most important window.

And just like Petitti framed expansion in terms of “content” and “value proposition,” the networks are doing the same thing — just with different incentives attached. FOX believes more access creates more value. ESPN believes too much access dilutes it.

That’s the real divide here.

Not conferences.

Not even competitive balance.

It’s who gets to define what “value” in college football actually means.

THIS FERTILE GROUND. Last weekend, Ohio State landed a commitment from four-star defensive end Wyatt Smith, the No. 11 defensive end and No. 78 overall prospect in the 2027 class.

Smith hails from Florida, a land known for its oranges — and its elite high school football talent. Ohio State has long recruited the Sunshine State, with Joey Bosa and Nick Bosa among the most notable Buckeyes to come out of Florida pipelines. (Fun note: the Bosa brothers came from the same high school as Smith).

In recent years, however, the Buckeyes have made Florida a clear priority on the recruiting trail, landing high-end prospects such as Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (Miami Gardens), Brandon Inniss (Hollywood), Jeremiah Smith (Miami Gardens), TJ Alford (Port St. Lucie) and Simeon Caldwell (Jacksonville). They’ve also added Florida talent through the transfer portal, including Earl Little Jr. (Plantation) and Ja’Kobi Jackson (Pensacola).

#BOOM Four-star defensive end Wyatt Smith, the No. 11 edge and No. 78 overall prospect in the 2027 class, commits to Ohio State.https://t.co/cYe16cvYys pic.twitter.com/zani0QADdc
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 17, 2026

According to a recent analysis from The Athletic’s Manny Navarro, the move makes even more sense for Ryan Day and his staff. Since 2015, 13 Florida regions have produced 334 NFL Draft picks, including 47 first-round selections:

Broward County (69)
Miami-Dade (50)
Tampa/St. Petersburg (50)
Orlando/Central Florida (49)
Jacksonville (31)
Panhandle (23)
Palm Beach County (21)
Naples/Southwest Florida (14)
Gainesville/Ocala (13)
Treasure Coast (4)
Bradenton (4)
Big Bend (3)
Melbourne/Space Coast (3)

That production will include a growing pipeline of future Buckeyes in 2026. Jeremiah Smith is a guaranteed first-round pick down the line, while Jackson, Inniss and Little could all elevate their draft stock with strong seasons this fall.

Regardless, Ohio State would be wise to continue returning to this fertile ground. It consistently produces elite football talent.

“I AIN’T COME HERE TO PLAY SCHOOL!” Cardale Jones has one of the best tweets of all-time.

On Oct. 5, 2012, Jones — then a backup Ohio State quarterback, two years before his national championship run with the Buckeyes — posted this: “Why should we have to go to class if we can here to play FOOTBALL, we ain’t come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS”.

This week, Jones and his Ohio State head coach, Urban Meyer, discussed the tweet during Meyer’s appearance on The Script. Meyer shared his reaction to seeing the post 14 years ago, and what he thinks of it now:

.@CoachUrbanMeyer didnt mind @CJ1twos legendary tweet @3xOptionShow @BeanieWells26 @DaveHolmesTV pic.twitter.com/Vt2j4MXvMj
— THE SCRIPT (@TheScriptOSU) May 20, 2026

“I guess I’ve never overreacted. Was I upset? No. I mean, it’s stupid stuff, and we’ve all done stupid stuff,” Meyer said with a smirk.

Stupid?

Yes.

Iconic?

Also yes.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Twenty-Four" - Switchfoot.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Bret Bielema talks AFCA recommendations, CFP expansion: "As many teams included as humanly possible"... The origin story of Caitlin Clark's competitiveness totally tracks... Nutrition science’s most preposterous result: Studies show a mysterious health benefit to ice cream. Scientists don’t want to talk about it... Very difficult and extremely cool: how to start doing pull-ups... Missouri's Ahmad Hardy starts road to rehab, thanks supporters

Big Ten’s 18 Schools, Commissioner Tony Petitti Unanimously Support 24-Team CFP: “We Feel Strongly About It”

Chase Brown — Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 12:47

The Big Ten has made its stance clear: Bigger is better when it comes to the College Football Playoff.

During an hour-long meeting with reporters at the Big Ten meetings in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, commissioner Tony Petitti said all 18 conference schools unanimously support expanding the CFP to 24 teams — a format that would dramatically reshape the postseason and further cement the Big Ten’s influence over the future of college football.

“That’s having been incredibly successful in the 12-team format,” Petitti said, per The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman. “The willingness to make a change and consider giving up our championship game to get to the right postseason, I think our coaches and our administrators understand that tradeoff.”

The ACC and Big 12 also support a larger CFP; however, the SEC has yet to take an official stance, creating a roadblock to the Big Ten’s plans. The two conferences will need to agree on a new structure, or the CFP will remain at its current 12-team format.

“We feel strongly about it, and we’re working really hard with our colleagues and the other conferences,” Petitti said. “Obviously, the way this is structured, we understand that the SEC and the Big Ten have to come to an agreement, and we’re working hard to figure out ways to get to a solution. But inside our league, there is a deep commitment to 24 and the access.”

“We feel strongly about it, and we’re working really hard with our colleagues and the other conferences... inside our league, there is a deep commitment to 24 and the access.”– Tony Petitti on the CFP expanding to 24 teams

While Ryan Day has questions about whether a 24-team format benefits Ohio State, other Big Ten coaches have little doubt.

“I don’t think we like the 24-team playoff; we absolutely love the 24-team playoff, especially at the University of Minnesota,” Gophers coach P.J. Fleck told Dochterman this week. “It allows us to have a way better chance to be able to play in the College Football Playoff every single year, based on the resources that we have and the challenges we have.”

Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald agreed, pointing to 2025 Iowa as an example of a team that would have been a threat in an expanded format.

“Go to that Indiana game or that Oregon game in Kinnick (Stadium). Those are Playoff-level games,” Fitzgerald said. “Those were as a good of football games as I’ve ever seen, two really good teams going at it. If Iowa would have got in there, nobody would want to play them.”

Petitti diminished any concern that an expanded format could make the regular season less important. In fact, he argued the opposite would be true.

“All of a sudden, your November content, your competitiveness is way up, your stadiums are looking great, and everybody’s jumping around. Like, that’s a big piece of it,” Petitti said. “You’ve got real value there, so I think there’s more than one way to think about this from a value proposition — not just every dollar that we capture in the CFP, but also, what does it mean for the short term of the regular season, and what’s the long-term value?”

He added, “I’m just in a very different place, but those who feel like it hurts the regular season, I have a hard time understanding.”

Skull Session: Ryan Day Says Eliminating the Big Ten Title Game Would Keep the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry “As Fierce As It’s Ever Been,” Jakub Dobeš Loves Being the Villain for the Canadiens

Chase Brown — Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

I don't know what to say at this moment. I truly don't.

BRUNSON BURNER IN GAME 1 TO COME BACK FROM 22-POINT DEFICIT

JB leads the way to take a lead in the ECF pic.twitter.com/OcQEhezhhx
— ESPN (@espn) May 20, 2026

Have a good Wednesday.

“THE STAKES JUST AS HIGH.” Ryan Day seems intent on eliminating the Big Ten Championship Game for several reasons. One of them is to keep The Game “as fierce as it’s ever been.”

“I think it could even be more important,” Day told The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman this week. “You’re playing for either a chance to get into the Playoff or a chance to get seeded high to get a first-round bye. Or, if you are already maybe predicted to be one of the top eight schools, then you’re fighting for a high seed. So, all those are critically important to your success in the Playoff.”

The head coach added, “I think with the elimination of the championship game, it keeps that rivalry as fierce as it’s ever been, the stakes just as high.”

In his article, Dochterman wrote that Ohio State-Michigan is “arguably” college football’s greatest rivalry. While he’s wrong about that — it’s clearly the sport’s best — he is right about this: since the Big Ten instituted a title game following the 2011 season, neither the Buckeyes nor the Wolverines has hoisted a league championship trophy after The Game. The last winner-take-all battle for the conference came in 2007, the year after The Game of the Century.

Ryan Day: Eliminating Big Ten championship game could make Ohio State-Michigan even more important https://t.co/ORIA6PpyeL
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) May 19, 2026

Like in his interview with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg (more on that in a moment), Day was measured in his support for a 24-team College Football Playoff, though he supports the idea overall. His conviction lies with a plan that would end the postseason in early January and avoid stretching the season into the third and fourth weeks of the month.

“I feel very strongly about that,” Day said. “To let the season go all the way into th the third and fourth week of January doesn’t make sense. So, the sooner we can get the season over with, the better, so that we can get into putting our next year’s roster together and bringing in our freshmen, because that all happens the first week of January. So, can we be finished by the first week there in January? I think that would be ideal.”

I agree.

If the 24-team CFP happens, launch the regular season in August and the postseason after Thanksgiving, play three weekends on college campuses, hold the semifinals at traditional bowl sites (Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Sugar), and play the national championship game at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

See how easy that is?

THE BEST OF THE BEST. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg also interviewed Day and Dan Lanning on Monday. The Ohio State and Oregon head coaches said a 24-team College Football Playoff would be good for the sport; however, both Day and Lanning said further expansion of the postseason model should not meaningfully alter the Buckeyes’ and Ducks’ chances of competing for a national title.

“It’s debatable whether it’s best for Ohio State — you can go back and forth on that — but it’s certainly best for the conference and great for college football in general,” Day said. “It engages more fan bases late in the season.”

Ryan Day believes a 24-team College Football Playoff would be good for college football, but its debatable whether its best for Ohio State. https://t.co/lVUzSozAIp
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 19, 2026

In an article I wrote for Eleven Warriors, I mentioned that Ohio State would have made a 24-team CFP in 26 of 28 seasons dating back to the start of the BCS era in 1998.

That’s absurd consistency.

Only Georgia would have come close with 23 appearances. Then there’s Alabama, Oklahoma and LSU at 21; Florida at 20; Penn State, Oregon and Michigan at 19; Clemson and Texas at 18; and Wisconsin at 17.

The Buckeyes aren’t just in the mix year after year — they’re the standard bearer for sustained contention in modern college football. Ohio State’s success should continue to carry the program however the sport evolves.

“I LIKE WHEN YOU’RE THE VILLAIN.” Jakub Dobeš loves being the villain.

The former Ohio State goaltender delivered a bounce-back performance for the lifetime on Monday for the Montreal Canadiens, who defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 on the road in overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Dobeš, who allowed six goals and was pulled from Game 6 on Saturday, recorded 37 saves, including a huge stop on Tage Thompson in overtime, to secure a matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL playoffs.

His efforts were fueled by Sabres fans, who trash talked him all evening, especially when the Canadiens surrendered a 2-0 lead in the second and third periods.

The 24-year-old Dobeš never wavered. In fact, he welcomed their chirps.

“I like that,” he said. “I like when you’re the villain.”

Jakub Dobe is a rookie standing tall in the Stanley Cup playoffs pic.twitter.com/bTul9LqPTl
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 19, 2026

Canadiens forward Zachary Bolduc said he had no doubt Dobeš would bounce forward — a term often used by head coach Martin St. Louis — after his poor performance in Game 6.

“He’s been our best player since the first game of the playoffs,” Bolduc said. “We had all our confidence in him. … We’re not surprised the way he bounced forward.”

Forward Josh Anderson agreed.

“He’s been great the whole playoffs, honestly,” he said. “We have the utmost confidence in him back there. He’s made some huge saves in both series. You just knew he was going to have a big night.”

Looking ahead, Dobeš faces a tremendous challenge against the Hurricanes, who swept the Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers in Rounds 1 and 2 while outscoring both teams 24-10 across eight games. The series kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina. The game will be broadcast on TNT and truTV.

SIGHS HEAVILY... Well, at least one “football” knows how to punish its teams for cheating.

BREAKING: Southampton banned from play-off final pic.twitter.com/9BgIJUHgOU
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) May 19, 2026

Southampton cheats and the English Premier League levies a postseason ban and a four-point reduction in the Championship. Michigan cheats and it gets a slap on the wrist.

I will never forgive the NCAA for what it has become.

All bark, no bite.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Come A Little Closer" - Cage The Elephant.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Lettuce introduce you to the frog found in this grocery store salad bag... Two humpback whales set records swimming between Australia and Brazil... A de-extinction company has hatched chicks from an artificial eggshell... This famous beer is about to be brewed for the last time... A newly discovered asteroid estimated to be about 62 feet wide has zoomed near Earth, coming within about 57,000 miles of our planet.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Reveals “Disrespectful” Mistake on His NFL Offensive Player of the Year Trophy

Chase Brown — Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - 12:12

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been slighted once again.

After comedian Druski appeared to intentionally mispronounce the star wide receiver’s name during the NFL Offensive Player of the Year presentation, Smith-Njigba later shared a video on Instagram showing that the trophy itself had also been mislabeled.

Congrats to JSN for receiving his Defensive Player of the Year trophy pic.twitter.com/riZI4QcmK9
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 19, 2026

“I really want to expose them,” Smith-Njigba said in the video. “It’s getting disrespectful, guys.”

He also pointed out a separate typo on the trophy, where “THE YEAR” appeared to be incorrectly printed as “THEYEAR” with no space.

“One word? Man,” he said while highlighting the error. His caption on the post read: “It’s getting disrespectful at this point.”

Smith-Njigba followed it up with a second Instagram Story, posting a photo of himself alongside the caption: “Just keep the award at this point. Leave it in the history books tho.”

The Seattle Seahawks star is coming off a dominant season in which he recorded a career-high 119 receptions for a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns en route to winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl title. In three postseason games, JSN added 17 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

In March, he made history with a four-year, $168.6 million extension with the Seattle Seahawks that reset the wide receiver market. The deal carries an average annual value of $42.15 million and includes $120 million guaranteed, both records for the position, surpassing Ja’Marr Chase’s previous benchmark deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Remember When: Ohio State Shut Out Purdue in 1968 to the Delight of Donn F. Eisele and the Apollo 7 Crew in Space

Ohio State Opens As 49.5-Point Favorite Over Ball State in Season Opener

Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

Skull Session: The 2026 College Football Season is in 99 Days, a 24-Team CFP Could Fundamentally Weaken the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry

No. 6 - Oregon at Ohio State

No. 3 - Ohio State at Indiana

No. 2 - Ohio State at Texas

No. 6 - Julian Sayin

No. 5 - Jeremiah Smith

No. 9 - Chris Henry Jr.

No. 2 - Ohio State

Better Know a Buckeye: Emanuel Ruffin Has Quickness, Explosiveness to Be Dynamic Run Stopper in Middle of Ohio State’s Defensive Line

Emanuel Ruffin

Background

Scouting Report

Depth Chart Outlook

Player Comparison: Davon Hamilton

Better Know A Buckeye

Expanded Playoffs and the Impact on Ohio State Teams During the BCS and CFP Eras

Honorable Mentions

No. 5: 2005

Record: 9-2 Final regular season ranking: No. 4 BCS

Four-Team CFP

12-Team CFP

24-Team CFP

No. 4: 2018

Record: 12-1 Final regular season ranking: No. 6 CFP

Four-Team CFP

12-Team CFP

24-Team CFP

No. 3: 2013

Record: 12-1 Final regular season ranking: No. 7 BCS

Four-Team CFP

12-Team CFP

24-Team CFP

No. 2: 2015

Record: 11-1 Final regular season ranking: No. 7 CFP

Four-Team CFP

12-Team CFP

24-Team CFP

No. 1: 1998

Regular Season Record: 10-1 Final Regular Season Ranking: No. 4 BCS

Four-Team CFP

12-Team CFP

24-Team CFP

Skull Session: Content is King in Modern College Football; the Battle for CFP Expansion is Between ESPN and Fox, Not the Big Ten and SEC

Big Ten’s 18 Schools, Commissioner Tony Petitti Unanimously Support 24-Team CFP: “We Feel Strongly About It”

Big Ten’s 18 Schools, Commissioner Tony Petitti Unanimously Support 24-Team CFP: “We Feel Strongly About It”

Ryan Day Says 24-Team CFP Would Be Great for College Football But “Debatable Whether It’s Best for Ohio State”

Skull Session: Ryan Day Says Eliminating the Big Ten Title Game Would Keep the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry “As Fierce As It’s Ever Been,” Jakub Dobeš Loves Being the Villain for the Canadiens

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Reveals “Disrespectful” Mistake on His NFL Offensive Player of the Year Trophy

Record: 9-2
Final regular season ranking: No. 4 BCS

Record: 12-1
Final regular season ranking: No. 6 CFP

Record: 12-1
Final regular season ranking: No. 7 BCS

Record: 11-1
Final regular season ranking: No. 7 CFP

Regular Season Record: 10-1
Final Regular Season Ranking: No. 4 BCS