Ohio State’s 2026 season comes with a different kind of pressure. It’s not a simple do-or-die year, but it matters.
The Buckeyes won it all in 2024 during the first 12-team College Football Playoff, then fell in the Quarterfinals in 2025. So the real question hanging over this team is pretty straightforward: which version shows up when the postseason arrives in 2026?
The Buckeyes were not a truly dominant outfit last season, and that’s why a few numbers stand out as the ones that could tell the whole story this fall.
Start with 1,500.
If Bo Jackson gets to that rushing mark, Ohio State’s offense is going to be a nightmare to deal with. The passing game should already be dangerous with Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, but the ground game is what could push this unit into another gear.
Jackson already topped 1,000 yards as a freshman, and this time he opens the year as the No. 1 back from the jump. A leap to 1,500 would be a major second-year statement.
Then there’s 100.
That’s the rushing yard total Sayin would need to hit to give the Buckeyes even a small but meaningful threat from the quarterback spot. Over 12 regular-season games, that works out to just 8.5 yards a game, and it could come from one timely scramble that flips a drive. No one is asking Sayin to become a run-first quarterback, but any added mobility makes him tougher to defend and could help loosen things up for Ohio State’s backs as well.
At wide receiver, 16 is the number tied to Jeremiah Smith. If he gets there, it would be a new single-season high for him as a Buckeye.
He is the clear centerpiece of the room, and with the amount of attention he’s going to draw, a huge season feels very much on the table. Smith posted 15 touchdowns in one season and 12 in another, so passing his best total is well within reach.
With no proven WR2 taking away targets, the path is there for him to pile up numbers that could have him in the conversation for No. 1 overall in next April’s Draft.
Brandon Inniss has a much smaller target, but it still matters. The bar here is 400 receiving yards, though 500 would be the better outcome.
Ohio State has plenty of unproven receivers behind Smith, and Inniss needs to be the veteran presence who steps out of the background and gives this group real production. Even 400 would count as a useful step.
And on defense, 25 is the number that matters most. If the Buckeyes finish in the top 25 in scoring defense and yards allowed per game, they’ll be in the hunt for another national title.
This unit has plenty of new faces, so expecting it to be as suffocating as the last two seasons may be too much. Matt Patricia revived his career and his defensive reputation in 2025, and now the challenge is doing it again without one of the country’s best defenders at any position.
He had Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles last year. That won’t be the case this time.
Still, getting Ohio State into the top 25 on both fronts would be a strong coaching job.
In Other News...
Ohio States 2028 Recruiting Run Might Not Be Done Yet
Ohio States 2028 recruiting class is already shaping up as one of the earliest power statements in the cycle, with three five-star commits headlined by quarterback Christopher Vargas. Even with that kind of early momentum, the Buckeyes have not stopped pushing, and the class still has room to grow if the staff can keep building on the buzz it has created on the trail.
Two of the most intriguing names still watching closely are wide receiver Braylon Clark and defensive lineman Tyzon Swann, both of whom have drawn strong interest from Ohio State while also holding multiple offers from other programs. Their level of attention around the Buckeyes suggests the class could get even more impressive, but for now Ohio State is still in the waiting game as the next decisions loom. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Made A Huge Statement About Its QB Future
Ohio State added a major piece to its future on the recruiting trail with the commitment of Christopher Vargas, the No. 1-ranked quarterback in the 2028 class. Vargas picked the Buckeyes over Oregon, Virginia Tech and other schools, a significant win for a program that has long sold itself as one of the sports premier destinations for elite passers.
Vargas pointed to the coaching staff, the culture and the development opportunities under Ryan Day as the biggest factors in his decision, and that makes this more than just another early pledge. Day has built a strong reputation for grooming quarterbacks, with several of his former players going on to become first-round NFL draft picks, and landing a talent like Vargas only reinforces how powerful that pitch has become in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fall Camp Is Heating Up Behind Two Key Starters
Fall camp is starting to sort out a few of Ohio States early depth-chart questions as the Buckeyes turn toward their opener against Ball State. At running back, Isaiah West and Bo Jackson both entered camp after missing spring work because of shoulder injuries, and the early reps have been a good sign that both are back in the mix as the staff evaluates the room.
Wests offseason has given him a real foothold, while Jackson still has time to make up ground before the job is settled. The same kind of competition is playing out at receiver, where Jeremiah Smith looks lined up for the top spot and the battle for No. 2 is taking shape among Brandon Inniss, Chris Henry Jr. and transfer McCuin. [Read more 🡒]