Ohio State is fresh off a national championship run that awarded Ryan Day with a lucrative contract extension even the most staunch “lunatic fringe” fan can appreciate. He ran through Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame to win the program’s first national title in a decade.
And while the Buckeyes will lose a handful of the top players that were key in the championship run, the players they return are arguably just as impactful for 2025. It’s safe to say that Ohio State, which fielded college football’s most expensive roster, are favorites to win the title for a second straight year.
That’s largely due to having the best player in college football in Jeremiah Smith. During Ohio State’s playoff run, he proved to be every bit NFL ready and every bit the x-factor Ohio State needed. In 2025, he’ll be the undisputed No. 1 target on offense.
Along with Smith, the Buckeyes return receiver Carnell Tate and safety Caleb Downs, who will be in his second season in Columbus after transferring from Alabama. The Buckeyes will have lofty expectations for 2025, pretty much like they do every year.
College football rankings: Should Ohio State start 2025 ranked inside the top 5?
Ohio State will probably start the 2025 season as the unanimous No. 1 team in college football. Even with the players they lost, the rest of college football doesn’t compare to Ohio State right now.
Oregon is fielding a new quarterback and has to replace some important holes on offense. While they’ve been active in the transfer portal, it’s hard not seeing Ohio State as the top team in the Big Ten right now.
And yes, I know Penn State brings back nearly their entire offense, but they have an Ohio State problem the preseason rankings can’t ignore. As far as the top SEC teams, the SEC is up for grabs this year and I can’t really get a beat on who the top team will be.
I think there will be some breakout teams that aren’t the usual frontrunners in the conference. And I think Georgia and Alabama won’t be as dominant as they have been. I think Arch Manning will be fine, but the jury's still out on how good he’ll be.
Which is why Ohio State, to me, is overwhelmingly the top team entering college football next season. A lot will change in the spring and as the transfer portal window in the spring will see more seismic shifts in rosters, one thing will remain the same: Ohio State should be the consensus No. 1 team.
We doubted them last year after a fourth-straight loss to Michigan and then they went on the greatest College Football Playoff run, probably since they did it in 2014. I wouldn’t start 2025 doubting the Buckeyes.