Urban Meyer is leaning into the preseason consensus, but he’s not handing Ohio State the 2026 national title without a warning label.
The former Buckeyes coach said he’s taking Ohio State to win it all, pointing to a roster that brings back Heisman finalist quarterback Julian Sayin, a strong line, running back Bo Jackson, and consensus top wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. But Meyer also made clear that the path is brutal.
“I’m going to pick the Buckeyes,” said the former Buckeyes coach.
Ohio State opened at No. 1 in both the preseason AP rankings and the first Coaches Poll, a familiar sign that the Buckeyes are once again viewed as the team to beat. Still, Meyer noted that top-ranked teams in August rarely finish the job in January.
And in Ohio State’s case, the schedule may be as big a threat as anything else.
“This is the toughest schedule they’ve had in a bit,” Meyer said.
“They gotta go out to USC, they go to Iowa, they gotta to go Indiana, and to Austin, Texas. That’s real.”
Ohio State is projected to face six AP-ranked opponents this season. That stretch includes three straight road games at Indiana and USC, then a home matchup with preseason No. 2 Oregon to open November, before the regular season ends against archrival Michigan.
Defensively, Meyer didn’t identify a major flaw, but he did point to the challenge Matt Patricia faces after losing a handful of elite tacklers. Caleb Downs, Caden Curry, Averell Reese, and Sonny Styles are among eight outgoing starters.
That led Meyer to a second team that he views as the clearest threat to Ohio State.
Notre Dame, in Meyer’s eyes, has built itself back into the national picture by modernizing its program and facilities. He described the changes with a memory from his time there in the 90s.
“They’ve gone from a place where they wouldn’t let us use cell phones because it wasn’t Notre Dame-ish, back when everyone was using cell phones, they didn’t have training tables,” Meyer said.
He added: “Now you’re talking about, they pay their coaches, they’ve got a great coaching staff, great head coach. They have great football players and, by the way, have the best college football facility in America. And they got a great schedule.”
The Irish do have their own questions. They no longer have the rushing punch that helped them average more than 200 yards per game last season, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price gone. But quarterback CJ Carr is back after a strong first season, and he’ll work with a promising receiver group.
On defense, Marcus Freeman has Chris Ash back for a second season as coordinator after a unit that finished 10th nationally in scoring and picked off 21 passes, the fourth-most in the country. Leonard Moore returns in the secondary, giving Notre Dame another anchor on that side of the ball.
Meyer’s final take put the two contenders side by side.
“If they stay healthy, I pick the Buckeyes. If someone gets dinged, I’m going Notre Dame.”
In Other News...
Ohio State May Have Found Jeremiah Smiths Most Dangerous New Running Mate
Ohio States preseason buzz is starting to settle around a familiar question: who lines up opposite Jeremiah Smith and gives the Buckeyes a truly dangerous second option at receiver? Eleven Warriors ranking of the programs top 20 players for 2026 points to Devin McCuin as the likeliest answer, and the UTSA transfer arrives with the kind of speed and production that makes that projection easy to understand. Over three seasons with the Roadrunners, McCuin caught 152 passes for 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns, numbers that show a receiver who has already done plenty of damage before setting foot in Columbus.
What has stood out around the program is not just the rsum, but the way McCuin has been described by Ohio States coaching staff and teammates. The Buckeyes have praised his physicality, football IQ and ability to make plays, traits that can matter just as much as raw burst in an offense trying to keep defenses from tilting everything toward Smith. If McCuin settles in the way the staff believes he can, Ohio State may end up with a much more balanced passing attack than opponents would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Quarterback Problem Behind Julian Sayin
Julian Sayin is set to open the season as Ohio States starter, but the Buckeyes still have a real question to answer behind him. Ryan Day said the backup quarterback job remains up for grabs, with freshman Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair continuing to compete for the No. 2 spot as camp and the early portion of the schedule help sort things out.
Days plan is to let both young quarterbacks get on the field early so the staff can see how they handle game speed before making a call. For Ohio State, it is the kind of depth chart decision that can feel routine in August and suddenly carry real weight if the starter ever has to miss time, which is why the Buckeyes are taking their time with it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey Is Starting To Look Worth The Hype
Legend Beys first months in Columbus have already followed a familiar Ohio State pattern for highly touted newcomers: a little adversity, a lot of attention, and then the quiet milestone that signals a freshman is becoming one of the guys. The Buckeyes removed Beys black stripe, a ceremonial but meaningful step that marks a players cultural integration into the program, and it comes after a stretch in which he had to navigate missed practice time because of injury along with a suspension.
For a member of Ohio States 2026 recruiting class, the early buzz has been easy to understand. Ryan Day has described Bey as a dynamic player with significant upside, and his path to Columbus only adds to the intrigue after a complicated recruitment that included a flip from Tennessee and a release from his original commitment before he signed with the Buckeyes. Even with some of the usual freshman bumps, Bey is already starting to look like the kind of talent that can justify the hype. [Read more 🡒]