ESPN has shifted where they have the Ohio State Buckeyes in way too early 2026 college football top 25
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Ohio State will play its spring game on Saturday and we are a long way from the season being here. Still, ESPN is high on where the Buckeyes stand in college football for the 2026 season.
We are days away from the Ohio State Buckeyes wrapping up their spring with Saturday’s scrimmage in front of fans. It’ll be a taste of football for the last time until the 2026 season rolls around in September.
Ohio State football has as high expectations as ever in 2026, but it will have to maneuver through a very tough schedule. The Buckeyes returning QB Julian Sayin and WR Jeremiah Smith come with added pressure.
ESPN has Ohio State high up on the way too early 2026 top 25
Ohio State was ranked No. 6 in the first way-too-early top 25 from ESPN. The tune on the Buckeyes has shifted and Ohio State’s updated spot is No. 1 in the early top 25 rankings.
“OSU’s offense is going to be difficult to stop, especially if its offensive line improves. Coach Ryan Day hired former NFL head coach/offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to replace offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. That recipe worked on defense, as former NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has turned OSU’s unit into one of the sport’s best.”
Mark schlabach
ESPN
The Buckeyes were followed up by Oregon (No. 2), Indiana (No. 6), Michigan (No. 14), Penn State (No. 15), Washington (No. 17), Iowa (No. 19), USC (No. 20) as Big Ten teams.
Ohio State will face Texas, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan, and USC during the 2026 season with the games against the Longhorns, Hoosiers, and Trojans coming on the road. The Buckeyes cruised through a softer 2025 schedule and their only two losses came in the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff against Indiana and Miami.
The Buckeyes have NFL coaches on both sides of the football with Arthur Smith now calling the offense. Brian Hartline did a lot of great things at Ohio State. Hartline’s calling plays for one season came with ups and downs. With Smith in place as a veteran play caller, Day can go back to more of a CEO role, much like the 2026 season when Chip Kelly was around.
Ohio State’s success this coming season will have a lot to do with whether or not Sayin can take a jump in his second season as a starter. The Buckeyes have one last season with Smith as a pass catcher and need to take advantage of it in a major way.
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