Ohio State’s momentum on the field is rolling into another big weekend off it.
After the Buckeyes improved to 4-1 with a 31-14 win at Iowa, Ryan Day’s team is turning its attention to Maryland’s trip to Columbus for homecoming. The stadium figures to be packed with Buckeye Faithful and alumni, and the visitor list is starting to look just as crowded.
Two of the biggest names expected on campus are a pair of elite 2028 defensive linemen: Jamarcus Johnson and Kellan Hall.
Johnson, a five-star prospect from Lyons, Ga., and Toombs County, is one of the most coveted young defensive linemen in the country. He checks in as the No.
5 DL in the 247Sports Composite, the No. 29 overall recruit and the No. 4 player from Georgia. The offer sheet is stacked, with Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and others all in the mix.
Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia appear to be the biggest early competition for Ohio State, and pulling him out of SEC country won’t be easy. Still, this weekend’s visit for the Maryland game could matter a lot if the Buckeyes want to build real traction.
Ohio State’s 2028 class is already in strong shape. The Buckeyes have five verbal commits and currently sit with the No. 1 haul in the cycle. Five-star edge Jameer Whyce is already committed, and adding Johnson would give the class another elite front-line piece.
Hall brings just as much attention to the weekend. The five-star defensive lineman from Louisville, Ky., and Christian Academy of Louisville is the No.
1 DL in the 247Sports Composite, the No. 2 national recruit and the top player in Kentucky. He also has more than a reported 30 scholarship offers.
Hall laid out a game day visit schedule late in the summer that included Ohio State, Oregon, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas A&M, Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame and Tennessee. He has been to Columbus multiple times already, so this isn’t new territory. Even so, no school has clearly separated from the pack yet, and the Buckeyes should feel good about where they stand.
If this weekend goes well, Ohio State could find itself in an early lead. But Hall’s other stops - including Oregon, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas A&M - have all gone well too.
Landing either Johnson or Hall would be a major addition for Ohio State. Getting both would be even better. But with Whyce already in the class, the Buckeyes know how difficult it will be to bring in that entire trio.
In Other News...
Urban Meyer Just Gave Ohio State Fans A New Indiana Debate
Indiana has become one of the more interesting talking points around Ohio States schedule, not just because Curt Cignettis team is off to a 5-0 start and sitting No. 7, but because of how quickly it has climbed into the national conversation. The Hoosiers have clearly made real progress over two seasons, and their rise has forced people around the sport to decide how much credit to give a program that has beaten the teams in front of it while still waiting for the kind of week-to-week grind that defines the Big Ten.
Urban Meyer helped stir that debate by casting doubt on how fully Indianas record should be judged, arguing that games against weaker opponents should not carry the same weight in the evaluation. For Ohio State fans, it is the kind of conversation that always circles back to the same place: whether Indiana is a legitimate threat in the league race, or simply a team whose rsum still needs a bigger test to prove it against the Buckeyes and the rest of the conference elite. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Proved Its National Pull Is Still Different
Ohio States 31-14 win over Iowa was the kind of showcase the program still seems to command without much effort. Even with multiple top-25 games filling the same weekend slate, the Buckeyes trip to CBS pulled the largest audience in college football, a reminder that when Ohio State is in a prominent window, people still tune in.
Jeremiah Smith helped make the afternoon feel even bigger, turning in a huge receiving performance with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns. It was the latest sign that Ohio States national draw is about more than brand recognition alone, with a receiver already giving the offense the kind of weekly spotlight that tends to travel well beyond Columbus. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Finally Gets Its First Look At Prized Freshman Anthony Thompson
Ohio State is about to give fans their first public look at Anthony Thompson, the prized freshman forward whose arrival has been one of the programs most anticipated storylines. A McDonalds All-American and the highest-ranked recruit in the Big Ten for 2026, Thompson has already drawn attention for the kind of ceiling that can reshape a roster, and his first chance to wear a Buckeyes uniform in front of an audience adds another layer of intrigue to the preseason.
The debut comes in the CareSource Invitational exhibition against Cincinnati, a setting that should feel familiar to Thompson as he begins his college career close to home. He has described the matchup as a learning opportunity and said he is excited to play near his hometown, a practical first step for a player expected to carry plenty of long-term significance for Ohio State. [Read more 🡒]