I’ll say it plainly: the way this team plays, I believe the Buckeyes are going to lift the national championship trophy again. I’m not saying it will be easy. I’m saying Ohio State has what it takes, and the road ahead is exactly the kind that proves it.
The Loss That Still Stings
Start with Texas. Ohio State carried a 20-point lead into the fourth quarter, then watched it disappear. That one hurts, and it cost them the top spot in the rankings. But it’s one loss in October, and it leaves room to recover. With one loss already, the Buckeyes can afford maybe one more and still have a strong case for the playoff. A team that blows a lead like that either learns from it or repeats it, and the way they’ve played since looks like learning.
Stop One: Maryland
This is the warm-up, and a useful one. Win it cleanly, stay healthy, and the Buckeyes walk into the hard part with their rhythm intact.
Stops Two Through Four: The Real Test
Three potential top-25 matchups in a row:
- Indiana: a Big Ten Championship rematch against one of the league’s last unbeaten teams, sitting just outside the top five.
- A bye, then USC: a trip to California to face Lincoln Riley’s team, which is never an easy night.
- Oregon: back in The Shoe, in a series that has delivered big games since Oregon joined the Big Ten.
Then Northwestern, Nebraska, and The Game against Michigan to close it out.
Run that gauntlet and win, and nobody will be asking whether this team is a real contender.
The Bye Question
Winning out likely puts Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game and in the mix for one of the four first-round byes. That sounds like a prize, but last year the bye didn’t go well for them. In 2024 they hosted Tennessee in the first round, won big, and rolled to the title on that momentum. Sometimes playing is better than waiting.
My Take
The path is hard, but it’s doable. Ohio State has the talent, the quarterback play and a receiver in Jeremiah Smith who changes games. If they handle Maryland, survive the three-week stretch and take care of business in November, I like them to be the last team standing.
One honest note: a stretch with Indiana, USC and Oregon back to back could easily cost them another game. It’s a bold prediction, and the Buckeyes still have to earn it.
