Why Ohio State's title path runs through Big Ten's top contenders
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Why Ohio State's title path runs through Big Ten's top contenders originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Ohio State’s goals remain the same: to win the Big Ten, to beat Michigan, and to secure a national championship. However, since Ohio State begins the 2026 season ranked near the top of the major polls, national analysts caution that Ryan Day's team will have to face one of the most unpredictable and challenging schedules in the program's history.
Because of the defensive turnover giveaways and the regular-season schedule, which includes non-conference powerhouses and cross-country road games, the Buckeyes go into the fall with practically no room for error.
The analysts' main worry is Ohio State's defense, since the team will once again have to replace eight of its starting players.
Although the Buckeyes are still attracting players who rank among the top three nationally, bringing in a completely new group of linebackers and secondary defenders to face strong offenses carries immediate risk. Should defensive communication and tackling fail to be accurate from the very first week, the Buckeyes may end up in shootouts instead of controlling games by means of field position.
This is good news for Day, as the offense has the necessary firepower to meet the demands of the game.
MORE: Why the College Football Playoff field should expand to 16
The quarterback, Julian Sayin, starts the season with huge expectations, surrounded by some of the best wide receivers in Jeremiah Smith and a seasoned offensive line that will see running backs Isaiah West and Bo Jackson carry much of the load on the ground.
According to CBS Sports analyst John Talty, Sayin will win the Heisman Trophy by leading the Buckeyes in a Big Ten Championship rematch against Indiana. In that case, Sayin's accurate passing and his knowledge of Day's playbook will enable Ohio State to score at will against their Big Ten counterparts, while the young defense improves throughout the season.
The floor is still very unstable.
MORE: Why the College Football Playoff field should expand to 16
Analyst Brad Crawford, on the other hand, predicted that the Buckeyes might lose three of their regular-season games—those against Texas, Indiana, and Oregon—and would thus enter the College Football Playoff as the No. 8 seed, hosting Lane Kiffin and LSU in Columbus.
With their schedule including away games in Austin, Iowa City, and Bloomington, there is no room for any relaxation. It will depend on how swiftly their new defense settles down whether Ohio State gets a first-round playoff bye or has to play an elimination game in December.
More Big Ten news
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos