**THE MOST HATED TEAMS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL?**
In a recent episode of *Josh Pate’s College Football Show*, Pate revealed his list of the top five most hated college football teams (in no particular order, except for Texas, which he declared the most hated). The list includes Texas, Alabama, Miami, Michigan, and Ohio State.
Here’s what Pate had to say about the Buckeyes:
“Ohio State made this list for me,” Pate said. “They’re hated because they win, obviously. But also, a lot of people respected their playoff run last season, though not everyone was happy they got in after losing two games. Many saw Ohio State as a major beneficiary of the new playoff format, which they were, but I don’t hate them for that. A lot of you do, though.
“People also hate them because they seem to whine when things don’t go their way. You hear the same complaints about Alabama—either they win, or they have a list of excuses for why they lost.
“I put Ohio State on the list because they’ve made deep runs, won a title, and there’s this narrative out there—which I don’t buy—that they ‘bought’ their championship. That’s not how it works, and it’s not what happened.”
In short, Ohio State is a polarizing program—loved by their fans, hated by everyone else.
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**THE BIG WINNER: QUINSHON JUDKINS**
The 2025 NFL Draft features an incredible running back class, with stars like Ashton Jeanty (Boise State), Omarion Hampton (North Carolina), Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) leading the pack.
According to Charles Robinson of *Yahoo Sports*, Jeanty and Hampton are the “toast of the running back class,” but Judkins is “racking up admirers across the league.” After recent free-agent moves involving running backs like Najee Harris (Chargers), Rico Dowdle (Panthers), and Javonte Williams (Cowboys), Robinson believes Judkins could sneak into the first round.
Judkins turned heads at the combine with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at 6 feet, 221 pounds, along with a 38.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot broad jump. He also impressed in interviews with his personality and competitiveness. Despite advice to skip the combine workouts after Ohio State’s national championship win, Judkins showed up and performed, earning respect from scouts.
One evaluator noted, “Teams love his physical style and willingness to compete. He’s a guy who could go in the first round to a team that needs a long-term solution at running back.” (*Cough* Pittsburgh Steelers, anyone?)
Shoutout to Judkins, but please—anywhere but the Steelers!
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**IT’S A FAMILY REUNION IN LAS VEGAS?**
The Las Vegas Raiders made a surprising move last week, trading for Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick (No. 92 overall). With one year and $31 million left on his contract, Smith will be the Raiders’ starting quarterback for at least the 2025 season—and possibly longer, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports a long-term deal could be in the works.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Todd McShay of *The Ringer* believes this move could pave the way for an Ohio State reunion in Las Vegas, involving former Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and quarterback Will Howard.
“Don’t be surprised to see a couple of things from the Raiders on draft weekend: RB Ashton Jeanty at No. 6 and QB Will Howard reuniting with Chip Kelly as a Day 2 pick,” McShay posted on X.
Howard thrived under Kelly at Ohio State, setting a program record with a 73% completion rate, throwing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2024. He led the Big Ten in all three categories and guided the Buckeyes to their ninth national championship.
“Will is as special as they get,” Kelly said after the title game. “He’s dialed in, smart as heck, and handles a ton of responsibility at the line of scrimmage. He puts us in the right play every time.”
Howard was equally complimentary of Kelly, calling him a “really, really smart dude” with quarterback-friendly schemes.
The idea of Kelly and Howard reuniting in Las Vegas is intriguing. Kelly could ease back into the NFL with a veteran like Smith, while Howard develops behind him. A few years down the line, the Ohio State duo could be back in action together. Now *that* would be special.
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