(Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Master Teague, WR Chris Olave, WR/PR Garrett Wilson, TE Jeremy Ruckert, OG Harry Miller, OT Thayer Munford, OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, DE Zach Harrison, NT Haskell Garrett, LB Dallas Gant, CB Sevyn Banks, CB Marcus Williamson, FS Josh Proctor, and KR Demario McCall.
Key Players Departing:
QB Justin Fields, RB Trey Sermon, OC Josh Myers, OG Wyatt Davis, DE Jonathan Cooper, NT Tommy Togiai, LB Tuf Borland, LB Baron Browning, LB Justin Hilliard ,LB Pete Werner, CB Shaun Wade, PK Blake Haubeil, and PT Drue Chrisman.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: QB Quinn Ewers (Southlake, Texas), DT J.T. Tuimoloau (Sammamish, Washington), DE Jack Sawyer (Pickerington, Ohio), WR Emeka Egbuka (Steilacoom, Washington), OG Donovan Jackson (Bellaire, Texas), RB TreVeyon Henderson (Hopewell, Virginia), and QB Kyle McCord (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
4 Star Recruits: CB Jakailin Johnson (St. Louis, Missouri), DT Mike Hall (Streetsboro, Ohio), and CB Jordan Hancock (Suwanee, Georgia).
2020 Results:
G01 NEBRASKA W 52-17
G02 at Penn State W 38-25
G03 RUTGERS W 49-27
G04 #9 INDIANA W 42-35
G05 at Michigan State W 52-12
B10 #14 NORTHWESTERN W 22-10
PLA vs. #2 Clemson W 49-28
FBS vs. #1 Alabama L 24-52
Team Info:
2020 Record: 7-1 (Big Ten Champions)
Home: 3-0
Away: 2-0
Neutral: 2-1
B10: 5-0
Non-B10: 2-1
Head Coach: Ryan Day
Ohio State: 23-2
Career: 23-2
Bowls: 1-2
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Master Teague (104 car., 514 yards, 4.9 avg., 8 TD)
Receiving: Chris Olave (50 rec., 729 yards, 14.6 avg., 7 TD)
TDs Scored: Master Teague (8)
Sacks: Haskell Garrett/Zach Harrison (2)
Tackles: Marcus Williamson (27)
Tackles For Loss: Zach Harrison (4.5)
Interceptions: Haskell Garrett/Marcus Hooker/Josh Proctor (1)
Pass Deflections: Sevyn Banks (6)
Forced Fumbles: Dallas Gant/Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1)
Kick Returns: Demario McCall (5 ret., 78 yards, 15.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Garrett Wilson (7 ret., 51 yards, 7.3 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Jake Seibert (1-2 fg/fga., 50%, 16-16 xp/xpa., 19 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 7 C.J. Stroud (RS FR)
RB: 33 Master Teague (RS JR)
WR: 5 Garrett Wilson (JR)
WR: 2 Chris Olave (SR)
WR: 11 Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SO)
TE: 88 Jeremy Ruckert (SR)
LT: 75 Thayer Munford (SR)
LG: 76 Harry Miller (JR)
OC: 53 Luke Wypler (RS FR)
RG: 77 Paris Johnson (SO)
RT: 78 Nicholas Petit-Frere (RS JR)
KR: 3 Demario McCall (RS SR)
PK: 95 Noah Ruggles (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 9 Zach Harrison (JR)
DT: 6 Taron Vincent (RS JR)
NT: 92 Haskell Garrett (GR)
DE: 11 Tyreke Smith (SR)
LB: 3 Teradja Mitchell (SR)
LB: 30 Cody Simon (SO)
NB: 14 Ronnie Hickman (RS SO)
CB: 7 Sevyn Banks (SR)
CB: 26 Cameron Brown (RS JR)
FS: 41 Josh Proctor (SR)
CS: 21 Marcus Williamson (GR)
PR: 5 Garrett Wilson (JR)
PT: 29 Jesse Mirco (FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/02 at Minnesota Golden Gophers | Ohio State leads the series 46-7. The Buckeyes won (30-14) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/11 OREGON DUCKS | Ohio State leads the series 9-0. The Buckeyes won (42-20) the last meeting between teams in 2014.
09/18 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | Ohio State won (48-3) the only prior meeting between schools in 2016.
09/25 AKRON ZIPS | Ohio State leads the series 7-1. The Buckeyes won (42-0) the last meeting between schools in 2011.
10/02 at Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Ohio State leads the series 7-0. The Buckeyes have won each of the prior meetings, dating back to 2014, by an average of 43 points per game.
10/09 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Ohio State leads the series 6-0. The Buckeyes won (73-14) the last meeting between teams in 2019.
10/23 at Indiana Hoosiers | Ohio State leads the series 77-12-5. The Buckeyes are 10-0 since 2011, and their last series loss (7-41) was in 1988.
10/30 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Ohio State leads the series 22-14. The Buckeyes are 8-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2016.
11/06 at Nebraska Cornhuskers | Ohio State leads the series 8-1. The Buckeyes are 6-1 since 2011, and their only series loss (27-34) was in 2011.
11/13 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS | Ohio State leads the series 40-15-2. The Buckeyes are 2-2 since 2011, and they lost (20-49) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/20 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Ohio State leads the series 34-15. The Buckeyes are 7-3 since 2011, and their last series loss (14-17) was in 2016.
11/27 at Michigan Wolverines | Ohio State trails the series 52-58-6. The Buckeyes are 8-1 since 2011, and they won (56-27) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 4-1
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 8-1
Non-B10: 3-1
Overall: 11-2 (1st in Big Ten East)
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