LGHL’s 2026 Ohio State and college football season predictions
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As the Ohio State football team prepares to embark on the 2026 college football season, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land are putting our sterling, expert, never-tarnished reputations on the line. To get ready for the season, our panel of experts is refusing to be silenced by the inevitable shaming at the hands of Freezing Cold Takes, and is putting its collective knowledge where its typing fingers are.
Eleven LGHLers have made predictions about the Ohio State Buckeyes, Big Ten Conference, and college football as a whole. Let us know who you are — and aren’t — agreeing with in the comments below. And don’t worry, we will be revisiting these come season’s end.
If you think that you can do a better job than our experts in predicting what will happen this season, you have two options: head to the comments at the bottom of the page and let us know how you see the season playing out, or visit our friends at FanDuel and put your money where your mouth is!
Who will lead Ohio State in rushing yardage this season?
How many yards will Ohio State’s rushing leader have this season?
| Staff Member | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Alex Frank | 1,486 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | 1,083 |
| Cole VanWiechen | 1,100 |
| Connor Lemons | 1,300 |
| Dan Hessler | 1,176 |
| Gene Ross | 1,300 |
| Jami Jurich | 1,120 |
| Joey Gertz | 1,250 |
| Justin Golba | 1,250 |
| Matt Tamanini | 1,475 |
| Michael Citro | 1,510 |
Who will lead Ohio State in receiving yardage this season?
How many yards will Ohio State’s receiving leader have this season?
| Staff Member | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Alex Frank | 1,672 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | 1,329 |
| Cole VanWiechen | 1,550 |
| Connor Lemons | 1,330 |
| Dan Hessler | 1,550 |
| Gene Ross | 1,400 |
| Jami Jurich | 1,300 |
| Joey Gertz | 1,350 |
| Justin Golba | 1,600 |
| Matt Tamanini | 1,515 |
| Michael Citro | 1,235 |
Who will have more snaps at quarterback for Ohio State this season (behind Julian Sayin)?
How many passing yards, passing TDs, INTs will the Ohio State starting quarterback have this season?
| Staff Member | Yards | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | 4,483 | 38 | 9 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | 3,652 | 35 | 8 |
| Cole VanWiechen | 3,800 | 36 | 5 |
| Connor Lemons | 3,500 | 34 | 8 |
| Dan Hessler | 3,650 | 35 | 4 |
| Gene Ross | 3,800 | 40 | 6 |
| Jami Jurich | 3,250 | 25 | 6 |
| Joey Gertz | 4,100 | 36 | 7 |
| Justin Golba | 4,100 | 38 | 6 |
| Matt Tamanini | 4,125 | 38 | 6 |
| Michael Citro | 3,650 | 34 | 7 |
Who will lead Ohio State in tackles this season, and how many will they have?
| Staff Member | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Payton Pierce | 102 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Payton Pierce | 95 |
| Cole VanWiechen | Payton Pierce | 72 |
| Connor Lemons | Christian Alliegro | 70 |
| Dan Hessler | Payton Pierce | 78 |
| Gene Ross | Payton Pierce | 78 |
| Jami Jurich | Payton Pierce | 104 |
| Joey Gertz | Payton Pierce | 80 |
| Justin Golba | Payton Pierce | 78 |
| Matt Tamanini | Christian Alliegro | 90 |
| Michael Citro | Payton Pierce | 81 |
Who will lead Ohio State in sacks this season, and how many will they have?
| Staff Member | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Eddrick Houston | 9.5 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 8.5 |
| Cole VanWiechen | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 11 |
| Connor Lemons | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 10 |
| Dan Hessler | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 9 |
| Gene Ross | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 9 |
| Jami Jurich | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 9.5 |
| Joey Gertz | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 10.5 |
| Justin Golba | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 9 |
| Matt Tamanini | Qua Russaw | 12 |
| Michael Citro | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 10 |
Who will lead Ohio State in interceptions this season, and how many will they have?
| Staff Member | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Cole VanWiechen | Earl Little Jr. | 3 |
| Justin Golba | Devin Sanchez | 3 |
| Gene Ross | Jaylen McClain | 3 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Terry Moore | 3 |
| Joey Gertz | Jermaine Mathews Jr. | 4 |
| Michael Citro | Jaylen McClain | 4 |
| Dan Hessler | Devin Sanchez, Jermaine Matthews, Jay Timmons (tie) | 2 |
| Alex Frank | Jermaine Mathews Jr. | 5 |
| Connor Lemons | Devin Sanchez | 4 |
| Jami Jurich | Earl Little Jr. | 4 |
| Matt Tamanini | Devin Sanchez | 6 |
Which true freshman will end up having the biggest impact this season and why?
| Staff Member | Player | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Chris Henry Jr. | This one is easy for me. Chris Henry Jr. is going to find a home in the Buckeyes’ receiver room. His frame will work well in this offense and will make him a viable weapon. |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Chris Henry Jr. | Henry will find his footing as the season goes on and will make some big plays late in the year. |
| Cole VanWiechen | Jay Timmons | He will solidify himself as the starting slot CB and excel there. |
| Connor Lemons | Chris Henry Jr. | It won’t take long for him to solidify himself as the clear No. 2 wide receiver on this team. |
| Dan Hessler | Jay Timmons | Jay Timmons will become a name Buckeye Nation is familiar with on defense quickly. He should be the starting nickelback and has only impressed in camp. |
| Gene Ross | Chris Henry Jr. | He will be a Day 1 starter and the second-leading receiver behind Jeremiah Smith. |
| Jami Jurich | Jay Timmons | Timmons had a stellar offseason and is already being praised for his efforts. Perhaps most impressive is the way his emergence has allowed Matt Patricia to adjust his scheme. If his trajectory continues, Timmons could be a real impact player as the season goes on. |
| Joey Gertz | Chris Henry Jr. | The WR room is very wide open after Jeremiah Smith. I think that Henry will take a similar trajectory to what Bo Jackson had last year. By October/November, Henry will be solidified as a starter. |
| Justin Golba | Chris Henry Jr. | Chris Henry Jr. will finish as the second-leading receiver on the team. |
| Matt Tamanini | Jay Timmons | As I’m sure all of my colleagues are, I am torn between Jay Timmons and Chris Henry Jr. However, I am going to go with the defensive back over the wide receiver simply because I think that Timmons has a much clearer path to snaps than CHJ does. Don’t get me wrong, I think that both will be Day 1 starters, but there are just so many more receivers that need reps and touches, while I think Timmons will essentially lock down the nickle/slot corner spot and only leave the field when games are already out of hand. |
| Michael Citro | Chris Henry Jr. | Henry will emerge as a significant red zone threat, giving Arthur Smith another weapon on the other side of the field from Jeremiah Smith. |
Which player that nobody is talking about will step up to make the biggest impact (non-freshman edition)?
| Staff Member | Player |
|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Payton Pierce |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Hunter Welcing |
| Cole VanWiechen | Devin McCuin |
| Connor Lemons | Riley Pettijohn |
| Dan Hessler | Connor Hawkins |
| Gene Ross | Riley Pettijohn |
| Jami Jurich | Ian Moore |
| Joey Gertz | James Smith |
| Justin Golba | Devin Sanchez |
| Matt Tamanini | Qua Russaw |
| Michael Citro | Eddrick Houston |
What will Ohio State’s regular-season record be?
| Staff Member Alex Frank | Record 12-0 |
|---|---|
| Brett Ludwiczak | 11-1 |
| Cole VanWiechen | 11-1 |
| Connor Lemons | 11-1 |
| Dan Hessler | 11-1 |
| Gene Ross | 11-1 |
| Jami Jurich | 10-2 |
| Joey Gertz | 10-2 |
| Justin Golba | 11-1 |
| Matt Tamanini | 11-1 |
| Michael Citro | 10-2 |
What will the score of the Ohio State vs. Michigan game be, and who will win?
| Staff Member | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Ohio State | 41-24 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Ohio State | 31-13 |
| Cole VanWiechen | Ohio State | 24-17 |
| Connor Lemons | Ohio State | 27-10 |
| Dan Hessler | Ohio State | 34-20 |
| Gene Ross | Ohio State | 38-20 |
| Jami Jurich | Ohio State | 28-16 |
| Joey Gertz | Ohio State | 24-17 |
| Justin Golba | Ohio State | 31-17 |
| Matt Tamanini | Ohio State | 34-10 |
| Michael Citro | Ohio State | 27-20 |
What two teams will play in the Big Ten Championship Game, and who will win?
| Staff Member | Finalists | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Ohio State, Oregon | Oregon |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Ohio State, Oregon | Ohio State |
| Cole VanWiechen | Ohio State, USC | Ohio State |
| Connor Lemons | Ohio State, Penn State | Ohio State |
| Dan Hessler | Ohio State, Indiana | Ohio State |
| Gene Ross | Ohio State, Oregon | Ohio State |
| Jami Jurich | Oregon, Indiana | Oregon |
| Joey Gertz | Ohio State, Oregon | Ohio State |
| Justin Golba | Ohio State, Oregon | Ohio State |
| Matt Tamanini | Ohio State, Penn State | Ohio State |
| Michael Citro | Oregon, Indiana | Oregon |
Big Ten postseason award predictions
| Staff Member | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Coach of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Matayo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon | Matt Campbell, Penn State |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Dante Moore, QB, Oregon | Anthony Smith, DE, Minnesota | Ryan Day, Ohio State |
| Cole VanWiechen | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Anthony Smith, DL, Minnesota | Lincoln Riley, USC |
| Connor Lemons | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Rolijah Hardy, LB, Indiana | Matt Campbell, Penn State |
| Dan Hessler | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Rolijah Hardy, LB, Indiana | Ryan Day, Ohio State |
| Gene Ross | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Brandon Finney Jr., CB, Oregon | Dan Lanning, Oregon |
| Jami Jurich | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Anthony Smith, DE, Minnesota | Dan Lanning, Oregon |
| Joey Gertz | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon | Matt Campbell, Penn State |
| Justin Golba | Dante Moore, QB, Oregon | Rolijah Hardy, LB, Indiana | Dan Lanning, Oregon |
| Matt Tamanini | Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State | Anthony Smith, DE, Minnesota | Matt Campbell, Penn State |
| Michael Citro | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Matayo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon | Dan Lanning, Oregon |
What is your boldest, most out-of-left-field prediction for Ohio State this season?
| Staff Member | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Ohio State will finish in the top 10 in the country in offensive yards per game. |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Ohio State loses again at home to Oregon. |
| Cole VanWiechen | Devin McCuin will have over 1,000 receiving yards and go in the first two days of the NFL Draft. |
| Connor Lemons | Chris Henry Jr. will go for over 1,000 yards as a freshman. |
| Dan Hessler | Ohio State has a really difficult schedule this season and could have a lot of games go down to the wire. Special teams will be a big reason why Ohio State wins most of those games. |
| Gene Ross | Ohio State sees more snaps played by freshmen than ever before, led by a pair of starters in Chris Henry Jr. and Jay Timmons with several others cracking the two-deep. |
| Jami Jurich | Ohio State finishes 10-2, misses the Big Ten Title Game, but makes the CFP final anyway. |
| Joey Gertz | Ohio State beats Texas, Indiana, Oregon, and Michigan, but finishes with two losses. |
| Justin Golba | Ohio State will beat Indiana by multiple scores. |
| Matt Tamanini | Ohio State will have a top-five offense and defense this season. |
| Michael Citro | Ohio State is the final team to get into the CFP and runs the table. |
What is your boldest, most out-of-left-field prediction for college football this season (non-Ohio State version)?
| Staff Member | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Kentucky will make the College Football Playoff. |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Alabama fires Kalen DeBoer after this season. |
| Cole VanWiechen | USC is the second-best team in the Big Ten and makes a run in the College Football Playoff. |
| Connor Lemons | Penn State finishes the regular season undefeated. |
| Dan Hessler | There will be two non-QB Heisman finalists this year: Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman |
| Gene Ross | Not only will the SEC not make the National Championship game for the fourth year in a row, but they won’t even have a team reach the semifinals. |
| Jami Jurich | Two non-quarterbacks will be Heisman finalists this year. |
| Joey Gertz | LSU and Lane Kiffin go 8-4 and aren’t in playoff contention in November. |
| Justin Golba | Louisville will make the playoff. |
| Matt Tamanini | The Big Ten gets four teams in the College Football Playoff, including three of the four semifinalists, both of the finalists, and (obviously) the national champion. |
| Michael Citro | Georgia gets through the season without a player being arrested for something car-related. |
Heisman Trophy Predictions
| Staff Member | Heisman Trophy Prediction | Ohio State finalists |
|---|---|---|
| Cole VanWiechen | Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State | Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith |
| Justin Golba | Dante Moore, QB, Oregon | Jeremiah Smith |
| Gene Ross | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Jeremiah Smith |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State | Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith |
| Joey Gertz | Darian Mensah, QB, Miami | Jeremiah Smith |
| Michael Citro | Dante Moore, QB, Oregon | Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith |
| Dan Hessler | Arch Manning, QB, Texas | Jeremiah Smith |
| Alex Frank | Arch Manning, QB, Texas | Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith |
| Connor Lemons | Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss | Jeremiah Smith |
| Jami Jurich | Dante Moore, QB, Oregon | Jeremiah Smith |
| Matt Tamanini | Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State | Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith |
Who will be the top four seeds in the College Football Playoffs?
| Staff Member | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole VanWiechen | Ohio State | Georgia | USC | Notre Dame |
| Justin Golba | Notre Dame | Ohio State | Texas | Miami |
| Gene Ross | Ohio State | Notre Dame | Oregon | Miami |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Ohio State | Notre Dame | Georgia | Oregon |
| Joey Gertz | Notre Dame | Miami | Georgia | Ohio State |
| Michael Citro | Oregon | Notre Dame | Texas | Indiana |
| Dan Hessler | Texas | Ohio State | Georgia | Indiana |
| Alex Frank | Oregon | Ohio State | Texas | BYU |
| Connor Lemons | Notre Dame | Miami | Texas | Ohio State |
| Jami Jurich | Oregon | Georgia | Notre Dame | Indiana |
| Matt Tamanini | Ohio State | Notre Dame | Oregon | Miami |
College Football Playoff conference predictions
| Staff Member | Non-Champion Big Ten Teams | SEC Teams in the CFP |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, USC | 4 |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Indiana, Oregon, USC | 4 |
| Cole VanWiechen | Indiana, Oregon, USC | 3 |
| Connor Lemons | Indiana, Oregon, Penn State | 2 |
| Dan Hessler | Indiana, Oregon, USC | 4 |
| Gene Ross | Indiana, Oregon, Penn State | 5 |
| Jami Jurich | Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan | 4 |
| Joey Gertz | Indiana, Oregon, USC | 3 |
| Justin Golba | Indiana, Oregon, USC | 3 |
| Matt Tamanini | Indiana, Oregon, Penn State | 3 |
| Michael Citro | Indiana, Ohio State, USC | 3 |
Who do you think will win the national championship?
| Staff Member | National Champion |
|---|---|
| Alex Frank | Ohio State |
| Brett Ludwiczak | Ohio State |
| Cole VanWiechen | Ohio State |
| Connor Lemons | Miami |
| Dan Hessler | Texas |
| Gene Ross | Oregon |
| Jami Jurich | Oregon |
| Joey Gertz | Ohio State |
| Justin Golba | Ohio State |
| Matt Tamanini | Ohio State |
| Michael Citro | Ohio State |
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