Sleep three more times.

Tennessee
December 21st
Ohio Stadium
ESPN
8:00 p.m pic.twitter.com/NfOWhMe76L

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 17, 2024

Have a nice Wednesday.

JJ IS BUILT DIFFERENT. This is a friendly reminder that Jeremiah Smith is built differently and he deserves at least 10 goals against Tennessee.

All 4 scarlet pic.twitter.com/ynAEJnm5P6

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 17, 2024

That’s all.

Thanks.

“HE absorbs everything.” Nico Iamaleava… ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va … This debate is something you should know before Saturday, as the Tennessee quarterback could be the difference between a win or a loss for the Buckeyes.

Iamaleava completed 199 of 303 passes (65.7 percent) for 2,512 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2024. This weekend, the sophomore, who signed an $8 million name, image and likeness deal with the Volunteers, can make his mark with a win on one of the best college football teams in one of the best colleges -Football venues.

“That’s why I came to Tennessee, not to break records or anything like that or to be known by all the fans out there,” Iamaleava told ESPN’s Chris Low. “It’s about this team, my brothers. We want to win the last game of the season. I think I’ve gotten better every game. I still feel like I haven’t played my best game yet, our entire team has actually, but we’re trying to put it together.”

Iamaleava’s teammates believe in him.

“When I first met Nico in person, I knew he had the right stuff,” said senior center Cooper Mays. “There was no claim to it, none of it. He wanted to earn everything. He wanted to grow as a player. You saw him do that. I think this is probably the best thing yet, his comfort level and his command. I think the most important thing for us is that we were able to protect him better. … He has that experience now and is just able to play ball. This will increase your well-being exponentially.”

His coaches also believe in him.

“He soaks up everything, wants to learn everything, absorbs everything he can from coaches and teammates,” said McKenzie Milton, an offensive analyst at Tennessee this season before becoming quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, UCF. “Yes, he may be the frontrunner, but watching him bring people along – maybe people who are struggling a little bit – and at the same time remain humble and just be a sponge, is the definition of a leader.”

Later in Low’s article, Milton added, “He’s still young in the sense that he can still get a lot better in certain areas.” But the thing about him, and you’re talking about a kid who has everything, and I think “He’s one of the most, if not the most, talented boy I’ve ever been around.”

Ohio State respects that talent, as it should.

In press conferences on Monday and Tuesday, Ryan Day, Jim Knowles and Sonny Styles said Iamaleava was an X-factor for the Volunteers.

“It takes all 11 forces (to defend him),” Styles said. “It starts with the rush line, where everyone is where they’re supposed to be. And then when he actually comes out of the pocket because he’s a great athlete, you have a chance to make some great plays. You have to be able to persevere and persevere.

“Whoever you are, stay with him. Be disciplined in your reporting. It sucks for a defense when you feel like everyone is covered and he comes out of the pocket and runs for 20 yards. That sucks for a defense. It’s difficult to work with. We will have a plan to address this.”

Part of that plan – a big part of that plan, I think – calls for Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun to be at their best on Saturday. Knowles is confident that both will be the case.

“Great trust in both of them. Jermaine (Mathews Jr.) too. It doesn’t matter who we play,” he said. “Tennessee will challenge us in some ways, but these guys are on an island all the time. I mean, like I said, forget who you’re playing. It’s often one on one out there. Anyone can step back and throw the ball in the air.

“We have full confidence in our corners. In every season and in every career there are ups and downs, but these guys are great players and really good people. They work hard. They are resilient. They recover. They’re going to have a great game.”

I really hope so!

An unbearable fan base. Ohio State fans have a bad reputation. People think that Buckeye Nation is full of arrogant, loud, and obnoxious people. And yes, of course, we are Sometimes! But my goodness, they are Tennessee fans all the time.

ICYMI: Some Tennessee fans have hatched a plan to steal the goalposts from Ohio Stadium and throw them into the Olentangy River if the Volunteers beat the Buckeyes this weekend.

Now I’m going to the game

Should we? pic.twitter.com/bDhSWp7Hxb

— Tri Star Tim (@TriStar_Tim) December 17, 2024

I have about a thousand problems with it. I will share three of them.

First, Ohio State is a touchdown favorite over Tennessee. It’s ridiculous for volunteer fans to expect their team to come to Columbus and beat the Buckeyes with no problem.

Two, even if Tennessee beats Ohio State – and that’s one solid If – are the Volunteer fans so arrogant that they would try to storm the field and steal the goal posts from the Buckeyes? (For those who think these fans are joking: I don’t think they are. These fans are rabid, remember.)

Third, even if Tennessee beats Ohio State and the Volunteer fans storm the field, do those fans think Buckeye Nation would let them walk out of the stadium without a fight? I can assure you that Buckeye Nation would make the brawl after “The Game” look like an undercard.

In all of this, my point is not to condone or incite violence. I just want to convey a simple message: Tennessee fans are insufferable. Let’s hope Ohio State puts them in their place on Saturday.

“I FEEL SO TERRIBLE FOR OUR CHILDREN.” Last week in Skull Session, I included some comments from Lane Kiffin in which the Ole Miss head coach called the current college football schedule “stupid.” There was a lot of reaction to this, most agreeing with Kiffin, so I’ll share that SMU coach Rhett Lashlee also expressed frustration with the sport’s schedule, particularly the winter transfer window.

“I feel so terrible for our children and children across the country,” Lashlee said. “There is no other sport that has free rein during the season. It’s sad. It’s terrible. You hear the story of (Penn State backup quarterback Beau Pribula) saying, ‘I have no choice.’ That’s wrong. This is unacceptable. That’s not okay. He shouldn’t have to make that decision.”

Pribula isn’t alone in his decision to leave a College Football Playoff team in search of a new goal. Some of Lashlee’s players, including backup quarterback Preston Stone, made the same choice, as did six Buckeyes: quarterbacks Devin Brown and Air Noland, wide receivers Jayden Ballard and Kojo Antwi, offensive lineman Miles Walker and linebacker Gabe Powers.

“The very simple thing is that there is no transfer portal in December. That’s the really simple answer and it solves all the problems,” Lashlee said. “Why on earth should we put kids in the position of deciding, ‘Do I go to the playoffs? Should I broadcast or play my bowl game? From a school perspective, that doesn’t make sense, because the school year ends in May and not December.”

Within a minute of starting his tirade, Lashlee continued to fire shots at the current circumstances in college football.

“I hate it. I hate it for our players. I told them on Monday, “I hate that you guys get a chance to play in the College Football Playoff and you’re still forced to decide whether I go into the portal or not.” Or let’s call it that is: people bombarding our roster and trying to cut people from our roster while we’re trying to focus on the playoffs. Oh, and they reached the finals. Oh, and – it just goes on and on. It’s really simple. Don’t have a transfer portal in December.

“In short, the simple answer is: There is no free agency, no portal window that empowers children to either make those choices or become incredibly distracted by the environment. ”

Scorched earth.

Tell ’em how it is, Rhett!

SONG OF THE DAY. “Talk Too Much” COIN.

Let’s get down to business. Tom Cruise receives a high award from the US Navy for strengthening the military with his film roles… The 13 best TV shows in 2024… “Bluey” will hit the big screen and a feature film coming in 2027… At the Florida Senior Games, pickleball is the crown jewel…Kevin McCallister’s grocery shopping in Home Alone cost $20. What would it cost in 2024?