Coming into the season as the No. 2 team in the nation behind Georgia and the top program in the Big Ten Conference, Ohio State football is projected to be one of the best teams on the field this season.
After a tough finish last year—capped off by losses to heated rival Michigan in the regular season and Missouri in the Cotton Bowl—head coach Ryan Day made a flurry of coaching and roster changes to turn the Buckeyes into one of the most formidable teams in the country on both sides of the ball.
The biggest offseason shake-up? Bringing in former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to take charge as offensive coordinator. The Buckeyes also added a wave of top-tier talent via the transfer portal, with quarterbacks Will Howard and Julian Sayin, safety Caleb Downs and running back Quinshon Judkins.
However, with the season extending thanks to the expansion of the College Football Playoff and the addition of Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC to the Big Ten, Ohio State will surely be tested on the field this season.
With marquee matchups against the Ducks, Penn State and, of course, Michigan, the Buckeyes will need more than just talent to stay on top of the conference.
To maintain its status as the best in the conference, Ohio State must dominate in two crucial areas: having a top-notch quarterback and keeping their roster healthy.
Buckeyes need a confident starting quarterback
Last season was a rough one for the Buckeyes in the quarterback room.Â
Two weeks into the season, Ohio State finally settled on Kyle McCord as its starter, but the offense never really found its groove. McCord struggled to take control on the field, and it showed in the team’s offensive performance.
The Buckeyes still made a solid run, narrowly missing out on a spot in the CFP, thanks to star playmakers like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and TreVeyon Henderson. But this season, relying solely on their offensive weapons won’t be enough.
The revamped CFP in 2024 won’t leave any room for mediocrity at quarterback. If Ohio State is to meet playoff expectations as the best team in the conference, a strong quarterback is crucial.
Coach Day needs to lock in a starting quarterback before the season kicks off, giving him time to build confidence and take command of the offense.
Howard, a Kansas State transfer, seems to have the inside track on the job, but Sayin, Air Noland, Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz will try to make Day’s decision a difficult one.
A healthy roster could define the Buckeyes’ season
Over the past two years, staying healthy has been Ohio State’s biggest hurdle. The Buckeyes have struggled to keep their key players on the field throughout the year.
With the season now extended by nearly two weeks, maintaining a healthy roster will be crucial in determining how far the Buckeyes can go. Day will need to rotate his players strategically to preserve their physicality and ensure they remain strong heading into the later part of the season.
As the CFP expands, the road to a championship might depend less on having the most talented roster and more on having the healthiest one. Some of that is out of a team’s control, but deeper teams whose coaches find an effective strategy for managing workloads could make a huge difference in the new college football landscape.