Ohio State enters every season with the same checklist: beat TTUN, win the Big Ten, and bring home a national championship. That’s the standard in Columbus, and it’s also the one box Ryan Day has yet to check off in the same year.
The Buckeyes came close last season. They rolled to a 12-0 start and closed the regular season with a win in Ann Arbor, but the finish didn’t match the beginning. Ohio State dropped its final two games, including the Big Ten Championship, and the repeat bid for a national title never got off the ground.
This year, though, the buzz around the Buckeyes is built around what they bring back on offense. The group is loaded enough that some believe it could be the best in the country, and Athlon Sports clearly bought in when it released its bowl predictions for the season.
Athlon slotted Ohio State as the No. 1 overall seed and put the Buckeyes against eighth-seeded Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl. From there, the path gets even more ambitious: Ohio State is projected to move on to face fourth-seeded Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl before beating second-seeded Georgia in the national championship game in Las Vegas.
That forecast would give Ohio State everything it wants in one season - a win over TTUN, a Big Ten title, and a second national championship in three years. It’s the kind of projection Buckeye fans would happily frame, even if the road to get there would require an undefeated run through a demanding schedule.
The confidence around the program isn’t coming out of nowhere. Ohio State believes it may have the nation’s highest-scoring offense, with Julian Sayin throwing to Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr.
On the other side of the ball, Matt Patricia is back to guide a defense that is talented but still inexperienced. The Buckeyes are expected to lean on transfer portal additions at all three levels. Even so, Patricia oversaw the best statistical defense in the country a year ago.
Special teams is another area Ohio State is hoping has finally steadied. Missed kicks have been a problem for years, and the Buckeyes believe that issue may be behind them. The offensive line remains another major question heading into the fall.
If those pieces come together, Ohio State has the kind of roster that can chase a huge season. And if Athlon’s prediction proves right, it could be the long-awaited year Day has been looking for.
In Other News...
Ohio State Recruiting Momentum Is Building Around Another Elite Pair
Ohio States recruiting board keeps trending in the right direction, and the latest buzz centers on a pair of high-end targets who could help shape the Buckeyes future at opposite ends of the roster. Wide receiver Braylon Clark in the 2028 class is drawing real attention, while defensive lineman Karlos May has emerged as one of the more important names to watch in the 2027 cycle as Ohio State continues to push for elite talent up front.
The Buckeyes are also staying active with quarterback recruiting in the 2028 class, where interest continues to build beyond Christopher Vargas and other young passers are taking notice. For a program that has made its reputation on stacking blue-chip classes, the appeal is obvious, but the next few weeks will tell whether that momentum turns into another significant addition or simply keeps Ohio State in the thick of the race. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Sent A Huge Message After Brian Hartline's Exit
Brian Hartlines move to South Florida could have sent Ohio States receiver pipeline into a spin, but the early read is that the Buckeyes have kept the room steady. Even with one of the sports most recognizable wideouts moving on, Ohio State has already landed commitments from Chris Henry Jr., Jamier Brown and Jett Harrison, a strong sign that the programs pitch at the position still carries real weight with elite prospects.
Braylon Clark is the latest name to watch, with momentum building around another potential Buckeyes commitment. There is still some uncertainty in the class, and Ohio State is not done chasing every top target, but the bigger takeaway is hard to miss: Hartlines exit has not slowed the recruiting machine in the way plenty around the sport expected. [Read more 🡒]