(Photo Credit: 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
WR Jeremiah Smith, WR Carnell Tate, OC Carson Hinzman, OG Luke Montgomery, OG Tegra Tshabola, DE Caden Curry, LB Arvell Reese, LB Sonny Styles, CB Davison Igbinosun, CB Jermaine Mathews Jr., NB Lorenzo Styles Jr., FS Caleb Downs, KR/PR Brandon Inniss, PK Jayden Fielding, and PT Joe McGuire.
Key Players Departing:
QB Will Howard, RB Quinshon Judkins, RB/KR TreVeyon Henderson, WR/KR Emeka Egbuka, TE Gee Scott Jr., OT Josh Fryar, OT Donovan Jackson, DE Mitchell Melton, DE Jack Sawyer, DE JT Tuimoloau, DT Ty Hamilton, DT Tyleik Williams, LB Cody Simon, CB Denzel Burke, NB Jordan Hancock, and SS Lathan Ransom.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: QB Tavien St. Clair (Bellefontaine, Ohio), CB Devin Sanchez (Houston, Texas), and WR Quincy Porter (Oradell, New Jersey).
4Star Recruits: OT Carter Lowe (Toledo, Ohio), DS Faheem Delane (Olney, Maryland), LB Riley Pettijohn (Mckinney, Texas), EDGE Zion Grady (Enterprise, Arizona), RB Anthony Rogers (Montgomery, Alabama), EDGE Epi Sitanilei (Bellflower, California), RB Bo Jackson (Cleveland, Ohio), and TE Max Klare (Purdue transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 AKRON W 52-6
G02 WESTERN MICHIGAN W 56-0
G03 MARSHALL W 49-14
G04 @ Michigan State W 38-7
G05 IOWA W 35-7
G06 @ #3 Oregon L 31-32
G07 NEBRASKA W 21-17
G08 @ #3 Penn State W 20-13
G09 PURDUE W 45-0
G10 @ Northwestern W 31-7
G11 #5 INDIANA W 38-15
G12 MICHIGAN L 10-13
CFP #9 TENNESSEE W 42-17
CFP vs. #1 Oregon W 41-21
CFP vs. #5 Texas W 28-17
NCH vs. #7 Notre Dame W 34-23
Team Info:
2024 Record: 14-2 (4th in Big Ten/2024 National Champions)
Home: 8-1
Away: 3-1
Neutral: 3-0
B10: 7-2
Non-B10: 7-0
Head Coach: Ryan Day
Ohio State: 70-10
Bowls: 6-4
Career: 70-10
(Photo Credit: Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Julian Sayin (5-12, 84 yards, 41.7%, 7.0 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: James Peoples (49 car., 197 yards, 4.0 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Jeremiah Smith (76 rec., 1315 yards, 17.3 avg., 15 TD)
TDs Scored: Jeremiah Smith (16)
Sacks: Sonny Syles (6)
Tackles: Sonny Styles (100)
Tackles For Loss: Sonny Styles (11)
Interceptions: Caleb Downs (2)
Pass Deflections: Davison Igbinosun (9)
Forced Fumbles: Caden Curry (2)
Kick Returns: Brandon Inniss (3 ret., 47 yards, 15.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Brandon Inniss (14 ret., 107 yards, 7.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Jayden Fielding (13-17 fg/fga., 77%, 73-73 xp/xpa., 112 pts.)
Punting: Joe McGuire (47 punts, 1977 yards, 42.1 avg., 14 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 10 Julian Sayin (SO/TR)
RB: 20 James Peoples (SO)
WR: 4 Jeremiah Smith (SO)
WR: 17 Carnell Tate (JR)
WR: 11 Brandon Inniss (JR)
TE: 86 Max Klare (RS JR/TR)
LT: 78 Ethan Onianwa (RS SR/TR)
LG: 51 Luke Montgomery (JR)
OC: 75 Carson Hinzman (RS JR)
RG: 77 Tegra Tshabola (RS JR)
RT: 70 Phillip Daniels (RS SO/TR)
KR: 5 Mylan Graham (RS FR)
PK: 38 Jayden Fielding (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 92 Caden Curry (SR)
DT: 96 Eddrick Houston (SO)
NT: 98 Kayden McDonald (JR)
DE: 97 Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (RS JR)
LB: 6 Sonny Styles (SR)
LB: 20 Arvell Reese (JR)
NB: 3 Lorenzo Styles Jr. (RS SR/TR)
CB: 24 Jermaine Mathews Jr. (JR)
CB: 1 Davison Igbinosun (SR/TR)
FS: 2 Caleb Downs (JR/TR)
SS: 18 Jaylen McClain (SO)
PR: 2 Caleb Downs (JR/TR)
PT: 42 Joe McGuire (RS SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 TEXAS LONGHORNS | Ohio State trails the series 1-2. The Buckeyes lost (21-24) the last meeting in 2008, and they won (24-7) the prior meeting in 2006.
09/06 GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS | First meeting.
09/13 OHIO BOBCATS | Ohio State leads the series 6-0. The Buckeyes won (26-14) the last meeting in 2008, and they won (40-16) the prior meeting in 1999.
09/27 @ Washington Huskies | Ohio State leads the series 9-3. The Buckeyes won (28-23) the last meeting in 2018, and they won (33-14) the prior meeting in 2007.
10/04 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Ohio State leads the series 47-7. The Buckeyes are 4-0 since 2015, and they won (37-3) the last meeting in 2023.
10/11 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Ohio State leads the series 68-30-4. The Buckeyes won (52-14) the last meeting in 2017, and they won (28-23) the prior meeting in 2015.
10/18 @ Wisconsin Badgers | Ohio State trails the series 63-18-5. The Buckeyes are 6-0 since restarting the series in 2016, and they won (24-10) the last meeting in 2023.
11/01 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Ohio State leads the series 25-14. The Buckeyes are 9-1 since 2015, and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2016.
11/08 @ Purdue Boilermakers | Ohio State leads the series 42-15-2. The Buckeyes are 3-1 since restarting the series in 2018, and their last series loss (20-49) was in 2018.
11/15 UCLA BRUINS | The series is tied 4-4-1. The Buckeyes lost (6-13) the last meeting in 2001, and their they won (42-20) the prior meeting in 1999.
11/22 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | Ohio State leads the series 10-0. The Buckeyes are 9-0 since 2015, and they won (35-16) the last meeting in 2023.
11/29 @ Michigan Wolverines | Ohio State trails the series 51-62-6. The Buckeyes are 5-4 since 2015, and their last series win (56-27) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 6-1
Road: 4-1
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 7-2
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 10-2 (3rd in B10 – Playoffs 7th seed – Eliminated in Round of 12)
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