Ohio State junior wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) celebrates a touchdown catch in the Buckeyes’ Sept. 13 game against the Ohio Bobcats. Tate totaled 101 yards and 1 touchdown on the day. Credit: Sandra Fu | Managing Photo Editor
When spring football opened, it might have been expected that Ohio State’s practice space inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center would feature symbols and testaments to its 2024 National Championship run.
Instead, players sought to remove any championship memorabilia. This team wanted to “start from scratch.”
It turns out that starting over looks a lot like continuing past success. Ohio State replaced 14 NFL draft picks and barely flinched, sitting at 3-0 entering Big Ten play and ranked No. 1 in the country, having outscored opponents 131–16, a stretch that started with a win over then-No. 1 Texas.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin has thrown for 779 yards and eight touchdowns, including five scoring passes of 40 yards or more. Sayin’s job may look easy in part because he throws to the nation’s top receiving tandem. Jeremiah Smith, widely viewed as college football’s premier wideout, and Carnell Tate, a projected 2026 first-round pick, have combined for 514 yards and six touchdowns. Defenses are left making impossible choices, because they can’t cover them both.
Freshman Bo Jackson has the rushing attack humming, as the team is averaging 249.5 yards per game over the team’s last two games.
The offensive line has dominated as they have allowed just one sack through three games. For all the offensive fireworks, the defense has been the real showstopper. First-year coordinator Matt Patricia silenced early doubts, and his group is overwhelming opponents with apparent ease.
The Buckeyes have given up 5.3 points and 227 total yards per game. Anchored by superstar safety Caleb Downs, this defense has stifled every offense to so far line up against them.
Now comes the fun part: the Big Ten grind. Ohio State hasn’t played for the league crown since 2020, and the path to a title is rough.
Road trips to Washington, Illinois and Michigan will provide significant tests, and they also face a potential top-5 clash with Penn State at the Horseshoe.
The path offers no favors, but this Buckeye team is built to chase the school’s first back-to-back national title and prove the old adage to be true: Ohio State doesn’t rebuild. It reloads.
