Ohio State held steady at No. 2 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll released after Week 8, staying right behind Miami (FL) as the Buckeyes work through the uncertainty at quarterback.
The Hurricanes kept the top spot at 7-0, while Ohio State also remained in its same place from the Week 7 rankings. Behind those two, the poll saw a shakeup as several teams inside the top ten took hits.
Georgia climbed to No. 3, Indiana came in at No. 4, and Utah moved up to No.
- Notre Dame checked in at No. 6, followed by UCLA at No.
7, Kentucky at No. 8, BYU at No. 9 and Alabama at No.
The rest of the Big Ten presence in the rankings includes Northwestern at No. 18, Iowa at No. 24 and USC at No.
- Oregon fell out of the poll after losing to Illinois.
The full top 25 shows a few notable movers beyond the top group. Texas landed at No.
11, Ole Miss at No. 12, LSU at No. 13 and Texas Tech at No.
- Wake Forest rose to No.
15, SMU to No. 16 and Tennessee to No. 17.
Houston appeared at No. 19, Florida at No.
20, Arizona at No. 21, Boise State at No. 22 and Missouri at No.
Ohio State now turns its attention to a trip to L.A. for Saturday’s game against USC. An announcement on the starting quarterback is expected this week, and the expectation is that it will still be Luke Fahey.
In Other News...
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Depth Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Ohio States quarterback room looks a lot different than the one fans expected to see heading into the season, and the ripple effects are hard to ignore. With starter Julian Sayin dealing with an injury, Ryan Day is expected to turn to true freshman Luke Fahey in the backup role, a move that instantly shines a light on just how young and unproven the depth chart has become behind center.
Former coach Urban Meyer has already raised the question many around the program are asking, wondering why five-star prospect Tavien St. Clair is not in position to back up Sayin despite his obvious talent. It is the kind of quarterback situation that can feel manageable in September and suddenly become a real concern if the Buckeyes need answers in a hurry, especially with a room made up mostly of true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and a senior transfer who has limited starting experience. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Final Tune Up Brought A Big Reason For Optimism
Ohio States final preseason test in Columbus gave the Buckeyes a useful snapshot of where this roster can go, and a few familiar faces made the evening feel bigger than a typical tune-up. In an 82-73 win over Butler, the Buckeyes got strong contributions from several key players, with Amare Bynum leading the way with 23 points while John Mobley Jr., LJ Smith and Justin Pippen all played important roles in the buildup to the regular season.
The night also carried a healthy dose of program history. Jon Diebler was back around the team, and former head coach Thad Matta was honored at halftime, adding some extra weight to an exhibition that already felt like more than just a warmup. For Ohio State, the performance offered reasons to feel encouraged, even if the bigger questions about how this group will mesh are still waiting to be answered when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Playoff Path Looks Different With ESPNs New QB Outlook
ESPNs matchup predictor has given Ohio State a fresh look at the rest of its 2026 schedule after Week 8, and the numbers reflect how quickly a season can tilt once the dust settles from a few key results. The Buckeyes path now comes with updated win probabilities attached to the remaining games, including matchups with USC, Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan, offering a snapshot of where the team stands as the playoff picture starts to come into focus.
For Ohio State, the larger takeaway is not just how the projections shifted, but how much each remaining opponent matters in shaping the final stretch. Some of those games carry far more weight than others, and ESPNs model gives a sense of where the Buckeyes are favored and where the road gets far less forgiving. The full picture still depends on what happens next, but the updated outlook makes clear that the margin for error is thinning. [Read more 🡒]