Heading into the 2026 season, Ohio State sits atop the sport’s expectations. The Buckeyes are No. 1 in both polls for the first time since 2015, and with an offense projected to be this dangerous, they look built to put points on just about anybody.
That’s part of why Colin Cowherd thinks Alabama and other SEC powers are looking at Columbus with a little envy. Speaking on The Joel Klatt Show, Cowherd said the Crimson Tide understand they no longer match Ohio State’s talent level.
"Alabama fans have to come to terms with, listen, man, we don't have Ohio State players. So don't get into a really vicious cycle where you keep firing coaches because you're not winning...
But I think the key for the SEC is now: will the Big Ten become the SEC? If you can't beat Ryan Day, you're running through coaches."
Cowherd also argued that the SEC would be kidding itself if it believes it can go toe-to-toe with Ohio State and the Big Ten every season. In his view, NIL has made the gap harder to ignore, and he said the schools in the South do not have the money to keep up.
That’s a big part of why LSU is trying to add pro players, according to the source. Lane Kiffin knows he's not good enough to win a national championship without them. Meanwhile, Day and his staff keep using the Transfer Portal and the high school ranks well enough to land in the College Football Playoff every year.
Ohio State’s path this season won’t be easy. The Buckeyes have one of the toughest schedules in the country, with six teams ranked in the preseason top 25. Even so, they still look good enough to make the College Football Playoff, and even two losses might not keep them out.
That’s the conclusion more national voices are reaching, too. Ohio State’s roster is loaded, and Cowherd’s point is that the SEC still doesn’t want to admit it.
Week 2 could be the first big proof point. If Ohio State goes into Austin at night and beats Texas, it would be a huge early statement for the Big Ten against the SEC. It would also give the Buckeyes some breathing room later in the year if they stumble.
At the center of it all are Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin. Ohio State’s offense will run through them, and keeping those two as the focal point is the key to the season.
In Other News...
Arthur Smith Has Ohio State Offense Building Real Buzz Already
Arthur Smith has brought a different feel to Ohio States offense almost immediately, and it has shown up in the way practice and scrimmage work has pushed the unit against the defense. With Julian Sayin at quarterback and Jeremiah Smith headlining the receiver group, the Buckeyes are working through a pro-style system that asks more of the group than a simple script of obvious looks and straight-line concepts.
Players have already noticed the shift in tempo and variety, along with the depth and physicality that give the offense a different edge as the season approaches. The early buzz is one thing, but the more interesting part is how quickly Smith can turn that promise into something opponents have to prepare for once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Still Have One Transfer Question They Need Answered
Ohio States late-summer addition of 6-foot-9 power forward Lee Aaliya gave the Buckeyes another frontcourt piece to consider as the new season approaches. Aaliya arrives with a different kind of rsum, having played professionally in Argentina, and his path to Columbus has already been unusual after he had once been committed to Michigan before logistical issues kept him from joining there.
Even with that move in place, there is still a lingering question for Ohio State fans because the spring transfer departures continue to shape how the roster is viewed. The offseason review of the five players who left the program pointed to Taison Chatman as the one whose next step will draw the most attention, with his situation now carrying plenty of interest beyond Columbus as he lands at Utah. [Read more 🡒]
C.J. Stroud Can Change How NFL Teams See Ohio State QBs
C.J. Stroud gave Houston exactly what it needed in his rookie season, guiding the Texans to an AFC South title and a playoff win while quickly looking like the kind of franchise quarterback who could change a teams trajectory. For Ohio State, it was more than a promising debut from a former star passer. It was another chance to see one of its quarterbacks succeed at the NFL level in a way that might finally soften a long-running reputation that has followed the program for decades.
The pressure only grows from here because the story around Stroud is no longer just about potential. His performance has dipped since that strong start, and the next stretch of his career carries weight beyond Houstons win-loss record. Ohio State quarterbacks have rarely broken through in the league, and Strouds coming season offers a chance to reshape how NFL teams view that pipeline, even if the broader narrative still needs more proof. [Read more 🡒]