Ohio State’s place in ESPN’s latest bracketology is a little better than it was before, but not by much.
Joe Lunardi has the Buckeyes up to a No. 8 seed in his newest NCAA Tournament projection, which is one line higher than where he had them in his previous update. Even with that move, it still reads more like cautious respect than real belief in what Ohio State might become this season.
The Buckeyes haven’t played a game yet in the 2026-27 season - not even an exhibition - but the early national read is already in. Lunardi has Ohio State in the Midwest region, matched up against No. 9 seed Missouri. If that’s where the Buckeyes end up when the bracket is finalized, it would point to a season that lands somewhere in the middle of the Big Ten pack.
That’s not exactly the kind of forecast Ohio State would be chasing after the chatter coming out of practice. The coaching staff, the players and even some alumni have all been painting a much more upbeat picture of what’s ahead.
Still, Lunardi is clearly waiting for more proof before going all-in on the Buckeyes. The move up a seed line is a step, but not a dramatic one, and it leaves Ohio State in a spot that doesn’t quite match the optimism building around the program.
Ohio State made the field last year, but head coach Jake Diebler would surely want more than simply another tournament appearance this time around. For now, though, the Buckeyes sit at No. 8 in ESPN’s latest projection, and that will give the season another storyline to track as it unfolds.
In Other News...
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey Is Starting To Look Worth The Hype
Legend Bey is already getting the kind of early buzz that follows a recruit with real upside, and the freshmans place in Ohio States 2026 class has only grown more noteworthy with the black stripe now off his helmet. Even with missed practice time because of injury and a suspension along the way, he has managed to stay part of the conversation around the Buckeyes young talent, which says plenty about how the staff views him.
Ryan Day has described Bey as a dynamic player with significant potential, and that fits the path that brought him to Columbus in the first place. His recruitment went through a twisty stretch before he signed with Ohio State, including a flip from Tennessee after he was released from his original commitment, so the Buckeyes knew they were getting a player whose story was already a little different. Now the only real question is how quickly that promise turns into a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey Is Pushing For A Real Fall Role
Legend Beys first months at Ohio State have already had a little bit of everything, from a winding recruitment that included commitments to Tennessee and the Buckeyes to an early offseason that kept him out of some spring practices. The true freshman running back is back on the field now, and the staffs interest in him has not faded. Even with two established backs ahead of him on the depth chart, Ohio State still sees room for Bey because of the way he can fit into multiple parts of the offense.
What makes Bey worth watching this fall is less about where he sits today and more about how the Buckeyes might use him if they want to get him touches. The coaching staff has looked at him as a player who could be deployed creatively on offense and on special teams, which gives him a clearer path to early playing time than a typical freshman buried on the depth chart. His return to practice has put him back in position to keep pushing for that role, and Ohio State will have to decide how much of it it wants to carve out. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One More Captain Debate Fans Will Jump On
Ryan Day has already put the 2026 Ohio State captains in place, and the list comes with a little extra intrigue because it includes seven names, not the more familiar handful fans are used to sorting through. Austin Siereveld and Brandon Inniss are back on the honor roll for a second straight year, a sign that the coaching staff sees real continuity in the leadership group as the Buckeyes turn the page to another season.
Even so, the conversation around captains does not really end when the announcement is made. There is still room for debate about whether the room should be bigger, and players such as Luke Montgomery and Earl Little Jr. naturally invite that kind of discussion as Ohio State looks for the right mix of experience, voice and presence. The official list is set, but this is the sort of decision Buckeye fans will keep revisiting because leadership on a team this size always feels like more than a formality. [Read more 🡒]