Ohio State football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2023
By John Buhler
The national championship hype train will be full blown after Rutgers blowout
There will come a point during the season where the Buckeyes will start to be seen as a serious threat to win a national title. They may have eked out a few wins here and there early in the season, but a Piscataway blowout of Rutgers will tip the scales in their favor. At 9-0 overall and 6-0 in Big Ten play, we cannot wait to see where they land near the top of the latest playoff rankings.
Winner: Ohio State (9-0)
Ryan Day prevails, as more an more Spartans begin to turn on Mel Tucker’s tail
Admittedly, this game will say more about Mel Tucker than anything. It may be a road date for the Michigan State Spartans, but they have to be more competitive this year than last. Although Michigan State will occasionally knock the Buckeyes down a peg, that is not happening this year. Ohio State gets its 10th win of the season to ensure itself of at least a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Winner: Ohio State (10-0)
Buckeyes on precipice of rowing boat to perfection by winning big on Senior Day
Nov. 18 will be a day the seniors on the Buckeyes roster will look back on fondly. It will not matter how good the Minnesota Golden Gophers will be, as this team, and this class in particular, will play with tremendous cohesion. Oh, these Buckeyes will go to 11, alright, as they will be one win away from certain College Football Playoff inclusion, regardless of what could happen in Indianapolis…
Winner: Ohio State (11-0)
The John Cooper narratives will be out in full force after a third loss in The Game
With Buckeyes gathered around TV sets all across Ohio, a few will make it into nearby bodies of water. From as far north as Lake Erie, to as south as the Ohio River, flatscreens will have seen better days in Ohio. As far as what the Scioto and Olentangy will look like, there will be so many floating flat screens that you can read out from flying overhead “Fire Ryan Day” and “John Cooper.”
Loser: Ohio State (11-1)
Ohio State football 2023 season outcome
Yeah, the road loss to Michigan will be as bad, if not worse than the Peach Bowl defeat to Georgia. The worst part in all of it is the Wolverines will end up three-peating as Big Ten champions, while Buckeye Nation is not congregating in Indianapolis for a third early December in a row. Good news is Jim Harbaugh is the new Lincoln Riley, which means he’ll be 0-for-3 in national semifinal games.
But do the Buckeyes get to play in one as well? That remains to be seen, but don’t expect a USC to blow it in the Pac-12 championship. For all intents and purposes, Georgia and Michigan are getting in. And between USC, Utah, Clemson, Florida State or this year’s TCU, the other two teams will come from there. This means an 11-1 (8-1) Ohio State team is probably going to the Orange Bowl.
An 11-1 (8-1) record gets the Buckeyes in most years, but three straight losses to Michigan won’t.
Next. 5 Ohio State stars who won't be back. dark
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