Welcome to the Skull Session.

Question: Is 14 pressures in two games good?

Leaders in QB Pressures This Post-Season:

JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State: 14@OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/XV2ttAJkWW — PFF College (@PFF_College) January 7, 2025

Have a good Wednesday.

GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS. It’s Wednesday. In the regular season, that meant a section on SP+ and the College Football Power Index in the Skull Session. After a long hiatus, I think it’s time for a brief look at how the computers have viewed the Buckeyes’ postseason dominance.

SP+

RANK TEAM SP SCORE OFFENSE DEFENSE SPECIAL TEAMS 1 OHIO STATE 30.9 39.3 (3) 8.6 (1) 0.2 (64) 4 TEXAS 26.1 38.2 (9) 10.3 (2) -1.8 (120) 6 PENN STATE 25.8 38.2 (7) 12.3 (5) -0.1 (67) 7 NOTRE DAME 25.5 38.5 (6) 12.1 (6) -0.9 (92)

College Football Power Index

RANK TEAM FPI WIN OUT WIN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF 1 OHIO STATE 26.8 48.4% 28.4% 2 TEXAS 25.9 51.6% 26.9% 3 NOTRE DAME 25.7 58.1% 29.1% 7 PENN STATE 22.5 42.0% 15.6%

ESPN Matchup Predictor

BOWL GAME LOCATION AWAY TEAM HOME TEAM ESPN PREDICTION COTTON BOWL DALLAS, TX OHIO STATE TEXAS TEXAS 50.6%

ESPN Matchup Predictor likes Texas…

How about that?

Steve Sarkisian told me the Longhorns were massive underdogs…

THE GAMES WITHIN THE GAME. You all know the love-hate relationship I have with Pro Football Focus. In this Wednesday Skull Session, it will be all love between me and PFF as I share some advanced analytics from Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman.

This week, Chadwick and Wasserman released a College Football Playoff semifinal preview episode of the PFF College Football Show. In it, the analysts discussed four matchups to watch in the battle between Ohio State and Texas: Quinn Ewers vs. Jim Knowles’ new favorite coverage, Texas’ outside-zone heavy scheme vs. Ohio State’s front six, Ohio State’s receivers vs. Texas’ defensive backs, and Ohio State’s counter-heavy schemes vs. Texas’ front seven.

Here’s a breakdown of each matchup:

NOTE: All statistics come from PFF

Quinn Ewers vs. Jim Knowles’ new favorite coverage

In the CFP, Knowles has used his Cover 2 most often at 25.5 percent. Usually, the Buckeyes run a Tampa 2 scheme in a traditional look where Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom are both responsible for a deep half of the field, and a linebacker covers seam routes between them. However, against Tennessee and Oregon, Knowles placed Ransom and Jordan Hancock in the deep halves and let Downs lurk over the middle of the field. This allowed Ohio State to limit deep balls as Downs defended the seams and helped in run support with his (unanimous) All-American capabilities.

Ewers and Texas have had issues against Cover 2 this season, with the veteran quarterback having a 55.8 passing grade with five turnover-worthy passes across 56 dropbacks. As a team, the Longhorns rank 51st in the FBS against two-high defenses compared to fifth against one-high defenses. Expect a lot of two-high from Ohio State on Friday.

Texas’ outside-zone heavy scheme vs. Ohio State’s front six

Texas has called outside zone on 34 percent of its rushing attempts this season, the 17th highest rate in the FBS. The concept worked wonders against Clemson, as the Longhorns ran it 23 times for 249 yards and two scores in the contest. However, Texas had little to no success with their ol’ reliable against Arizona State, as the Longhorns ran it nine times for 15 yards.

A reason for that split could be right tackle Cameron Williams’ absence from the Peach Bowl. The future first-round pick has an 84.5 run-blocking grade on outside zone (14th among tackles), while his replacement, Trevor Goosby, has a 52.1 mark (251st). Williams should be back for the Cotton Bowl. His presence would provide a boost to the Texas offense, but it may not add success to the Longhorns’ outside zones.

Why?

Ohio State leads the Power Four with a 90.7 run-defense grade against the concept, allowing only 0.2 yards before contact per attempt. Cody Simon also ranks third among FBS linebackers with an 89.9 run-defense grade against outside zone. Meanwhile, JT Tuimoloau (86.4) and Jack Sawyer (82.4) rank first and sixth among FBS defensive ends.

Ohio State’s receivers vs. Texas’ defensive backs

No one can slow down Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate – except maybe Texas. (I don’t believe that, but I’ll still share what PFF presented.)

This season, Texas has led college football with a 92.5 coverage grade, a product of three defensive backs with above-85 grades: cornerback Jahdae Barron and safeties Andrew Mukuba and Michael Taaffe. The Longhorns also rank first in the FBS with a 59.8 passer rating allowed and third with a 9.3 percent explosive pass rate allowed.

Ohio State’s counter-heavy scheme vs. Texas’ front seven

In the regular season, Ohio State ran counter schemes 10 percent of the time. In its two CFP games, that number ballooned to 49 percent. The payoff for the Buckeyes has been evident in their production against Tennessee and Oregon, with 30 counters leading to 7.3 yards per attempt and three touchdowns. Considering Texas has seen just 55 counters this season, recording a respectable 83.8 run-defense grade, Chip Kelly could lean on the concept again in the Cotton Bowl – and maybe even add some wrinkles to it. He is one of the best offensive coordinators in college football, after all.

“IF TEAM A SHOWS UP…” Enough with the analytics! Now, it’s time for opinions!

In the latest episode of The Triple Option podcast, former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer picked the Buckeyes to win the national championship. That is, if “Team A” shows up in the Cotton Bowl, Meyer said.

“If Team A shows up… this will be a wrap,” Meyer told his co-host Rob Stone. “Ohio State will lift the gold trophy. If the best roster in the country plays like the best roster in the country, they’ll be national champs in a few weeks, and we’re witnessing it. I witnessed it in person the last two weeks. They took Tennessee – I stood right there – and it was not close. The game against Oregon was much worse in person. … Every skill player at Ohio State, I think, will be playing substantially in the National Football League. That’s how good they are.”

Hard to argue with that.

It’s also hard to argue Meyer’s take that the era of SEC dominance in college football has ended.

“It’s over,” he said. “Now, next year’s another year. But for the last two years, it’s over.”

Meyer admitted that he used to be part of the “SEC bandwagon” earlier in his coaching career. I can’t blame him. He won two national titles at Florida, including one where he and the Gators whooped Ohio State up and down the field. Still, almost two decades later, Meyer said the gap between the SEC and Big Ten isn’t as wide as some make it seem.

“I coached in (the SEC) and, top to bottom, it wasn’t even close when I got to the Big Ten in 2012. Even (my wife) Shelly, who watched the games, said, ‘What is this? The speed on the field doesn’t even look the same.’ And it wasn’t,” Meyer said. “You can say what you want, but in 2012, the Big Ten was not a good conference relative to the SEC. Not even close.

“I think what’s happened is there’s been some additions. Obviously, Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC, but also people have really committed in the Big Ten. The upper-echelon Big Ten schools have really jumped on recruiting. You saw the Wolverines last year were one of the most dominant programs of the last decade. The Buckeyes have the best roster — I don’t think it’s close — in college football. Penn State has really put together a hell of a team. And then you have Illinois beating South Carolina. Think about that. … There’s a good argument now (for the Big Ten).”

A NEW FACE OF THE SPORT. Four teams remain in the CFP. Regardless of which team wins… Ohio State… the coach who hoists the CFP Trophy will join Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Georgia’s Kirby Smart as the only active FBS head coaches to win a national championship. That will make said coach… Ryan Day… a new Face of the Sport, Chris Vannini of The Athletic wrote Tuesday.

When a coach wins a national championship, his status changes. People want to know what Smart and Swinney have to say. Smart is on the NCAA’s rules committee. Swinney is less involved legislatively but plenty vocal. On issues like name, image and likeness rules, the transfer portal and the future of the sport, there are few leading voices left among coaches at a crucial time. That’s where whoever wins it all this year can step in. Nick Saban, the greatest coach in the sport’s history, retired last year and continues to vent about the state of the game on ESPN. The quirky Jim Harbaugh won last year’s title at Michigan and successfully left for the NFL in his third attempt to go back to that level. The grandfatherly Mack Brown was pushed out at North Carolina at the end of this season. That’s nine national championships out the door of the active coaching pool, and with them went some legitimate power to drive conversation. Saban continues to be that voice at ESPN and periodically on Capitol Hill, but he still left the sideline in order to not deal with these issues directly anymore. Urban Meyer is also on TV. Les Miles is done with college football. Ed Orgeron is enjoying the buyout life. Jimbo Fisher was fired at Texas A&M a year ago with the largest buyout in college football history. … College football is about to gain a new Face of the Sport in whoever wins this national championship. All four faced plenty of doubters in getting here. Pundits questioned Day’s job status at Ohio State after his fourth consecutive loss to Michigan. Sarkisian hadn’t won 10 games in a season through his first nine years as a head coach and was fired from USC for issues related to alcohol abuse, working his way back to a head coaching job after stints on Saban’s Alabama staff and in the NFL. Freeman’s future at Notre Dame was questioned after the Irish’s loss to Northern Illinois in September, two years after a similar loss to Marshall. Franklin has been maligned for his 4-16 record against Ohio State and Michigan. But the creation of the 12-team CFP helped all four rack up some notable wins, pad their resumes and quiet the haters. Whoever wins the semifinals will have proven they’re the right man for the job. And whoever wins it all will make history.

What a turnaround that would be for Day. One moment, more than half his fan base wants him fired. The next, he becomes a new Face of the Sport.

Life moves pretty fast.

SONG OF THE DAY. “Blitzkrieg Bop” – Ramones.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Kyle McCord’s 5 TD passes earn him a spot on AP’s all-bowl team… Deion Sanders received “multiple threats” during season, bodyguard says… Viola Davis and Ted Danson celebrated for career achievements in film and TV at Golden Globes… The Hollywood slog that led Adam Scott to “Severance” (one of my favorite shows at the moment!)…NASA hedges its bets on costly Mars rock mission.

Dec 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; FOX Sports analyst Urban Meyer before the Big Ten Championship between the Michigan Wolverines and the Purdue Boilermakers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State football blew out the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Closing as about a field goal favorite, the Buckeyes ended the first quarter and a half up 31-0.

The Buckeyes eventually won by a 20-point margin, finishing the game up 41-21. It was a monster effort from wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Will Howard. The defense stood strong consistently as well.

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Ohio State looked unstoppable in the quarterfinal against Oregon, and it obliterated top ten opponent Tennessee in the first round of the playoff as well. The Buckeyes have more than proven themselves in the College Football Playoff.

Former head coach and current analyst, Urban Meyer, gave his take on this Buckeyes team ahead of taking on the Texas Longhorns. It may be no surprise, but Meyer is bullish on the Buckeyes per Athlon Sports’ Cole Sullivan.

“Yeah, if Team-A shows up, this will be a wrap. Ohio State will lift the gold trophy,” Meyer said. “If the best roster in the country plays like the best roster in the country, they’ll be national champs in a few weeks, and we’re witnessing it. Every skill player on Ohio State, I think, will be playing substantially in the National Football League. That’s how good they are.”

Urban Meyer Predicts Winner of Ohio State-Texas Playoff Game Without Hesitation

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Meyer isn’t wrong either. This team has the talent that will undoubtedly be playing at the next level, and players like Smith and Emeka Egbuka could already be there.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Urban Meyer gives strong take about Ohio State’s football CFP chances

Urban Meyer Reveals Best Conference in College Football Without Hesitation originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Florida Gators were a force of nature under head coach Urban Meyer, winning two national titles in 2006 and 2008.

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In 2012, Meyer left the SEC for the Big Ten when he accepted the head coaching position with the Ohio State Buckeyes. While he agreed that the SEC was the better conference at the time, he shifted gears on a recent episode of “The Triple Option.”

Meyer said that the Big Ten was now the premier conference in college football, especially after passing the SEC in the national titles.

Despite programs like the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs having dominant stretches, the Big Ten has 32 national titles to the SEC’s 27.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“In 2012, I went to the Big Ten,” Meyer said. “I think you came 2 or 3 years later. I was shocked when I first got there, coming from the SEC, at just the quality of football from stadium experiences. You know, there were great players, but not enough great players. Now, fast forward, and I think the Big Ten has passed the SEC. Obviously, they have in national championships.”

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Ohio State was last season’s national champion after beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23. It was the Buckeyes’ first national title since 2014, when Meyer was still the head coach in Columbus.

Since the introduction of the College Football Playoff in 2014, other conferences, such as the Big Ten and ACC, have had teams win national titles. The Clemson Tigers won titles in 2016 and 2018, defeating Alabama both times.

Michigan last won a title in 2023, defeating the Washington Huskies 34-13.

Meyer had some kind words to say about his former program, Florida. On a recent episode, he said that former Gators receiver Percy Harvin was the greatest player of all time.

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Things are looking up for Florida after Billy Napier secured his first winning season and bowl win.

The Gators are targeting massive recruits like five-star safety Jireh Edwards from the 2026 class. Edwards recently announced Florida as one of his finalists.

Florida opens the 2025 season against Long Island on August 30.

Related: Florida Makes Top 5 for Elite College Football Prospect on Thursday

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer salutes the fans chanting his name during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is still revered in Columbus for his transformation of the Buckeyes’ program during his seven-year tenure. The 2024 National Champion is respected, and despite his tumultuous exit from the program, is still a presence who hovers over Ryan Day and his team to this day.

One of the best collegiate coaches of all time, Meyer was part of a Life Surge event that was held this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Life Surge has held several sermons and events across the country with local celebrities rotating as special guests.

For example, this past event had Meyer, Kirk Herbstreit, Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith, Roy Hall, and Tavien St. Clair.

Meyer had an interesting story where he revealed what became a hard line for him when it came to spending students’ time.

Meyer said he needed “bring church” to players because they didn’t have time for it during their weekly schedules. But to pull that off, he had to circumvent calling it church service.

“I said, ‘I’m really busy, we’re doing it’. She got our athletic director,” he said. Gene (Smith) comes over, I haven’t told this story many times. But, he comes over … and he’s like ‘OK’, and I said ‘Gene, we’re doing this, if not, you gotta let me go’. He’s like, ‘We’re good, let’s go talk.

So, the compromise was that we had to call it ‘reflection.’ I don’t know, in this day and age, you’re 18 to 21 years old, we take every second of their time. How can you not do that? That’s more of the question. Instead of saying, ‘How do you do it?’ How do you not do it?”

Hall, the former Buckeyes receiver, is the team’s chaplain under Ryan Day, actually chided Meyer for spilling his ‘secrets’ for how to get around the rules.

Meyer began his coaching career in the 1980s as an assistant at various institutions, including Ohio State, Illinois State, Colorado State, and Notre Dame. His first head coaching role was at Bowling Green State University in 2001, where he quickly revitalized a struggling program, achieving a 17-6 record in just two seasons.

In 2003, Meyer took the helm at the University of Utah, where he gained national acclaim. By implementing his signature spread offense, he guided the Utes to an undefeated 12-0 season in 2004, culminating in a victory at the Fiesta Bowl. This success earned him numerous accolades, solidifying his status as one of college football’s top coaching talents.

Meyer’s most notable tenure came at the University of Florida from 2005 to 2010. During his time in Gainesville, he secured two national championships (in 2006 and 2008) and coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. His teams were characterized by their dynamic offenses and tenacious defenses, often dominating the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

After a brief break from coaching, he returned in 2012 to Ohio State University, where he further solidified his legacy. Under his guidance, the Buckeyes enjoyed an undefeated season in 2012 and won a national championship in 2014 as part of the newly implemented College Football Playoff system.

During his seven years at Ohio State from 2012 to 2018, Meyer posted an impressive record of 83-9, never losing more than two games in a single season and maintaining an undefeated streak against Michigan. Although his 2012 team was undefeated, it was ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA violations committed during Jim Tressel’s tenure.

There have been some amazing stories that stem from the 2013 National Championship between Alabama and Notre Dame

Urban Meyer might have the best one

🎥: The Triple Option on TikTok pic.twitter.com/8rN1OksCCA — Nick Perkins (@NickyPerkss) September 20, 2024

Urban Meyer knows something about success. A winner of three national championships, he left his mark on both the Florida and Ohio State football programs.

Yet, he revealed on “The Triple Option” there was a time where he was “pissed” at Alabama because, quite frankly, it was so far ahead of his program. Reality hit hard one January night in 2013.

Back in 2012, his first year at Ohio State, his Buckeyes were undefeated but were ineligible for postseason due to sanctions. He was invited to call the BCS Championship Game between Notre Dame and Alabama. It was then, he knew, his program was nowhere close to where it needed to be, and he wasn’t happy.

“I walk in that stadium, and I watch Notre Dame warm up, then I see the Tide roll out,” Meyer said during the “The Triple Option” podcast. “I’m watching their coaches. I’m watching the technique of the hands, the way they warm up. Everybody does it on the team.

“And I’m sitting there and I’m getting so pissed off as I’m watching, and I’m thinking we’re not even close to that.”

He said he spent most of Alabama’s 42-14 win texting his players and coaches.

What was born from the experience was something he called, “The Chase.” Meyer decided at that point to recruit the best in the nation. Not the best in the conference or in the region, but the best, period. He put up a sign in the football facility. Only the players and coaches knew the message was about Alabama.

“Our goal is to chase that team right there,” Meyer said.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.