We are only about a month away from the 2023 college football season and after a long, grueling off-season that seemed like it would never end, it’ll be here before you know it. There is nothing better than waking up on a Saturday morning and turning on college game day and tuning into a full day’s slate of action packed college football. 

There’s a lot of questions surrounding all of the FBS teams coming into the 2023–24 season and the playoff chase could be more wide-open than it ever has before. This is the last year of the four team playoff format so it’ll be interesting to see which four teams rise to the top at the end of a long season full of several twists and turns along the way. 

Previous Season Results

Last season the Ohio State Buckeyes were one missed field goal away from competing for a national championship. They backdoored their way into the college football playoff after USC lost to Utah for the second time in the Pac-12 championship game. They dominated the defending national champions, Georgia for the majority of the game. But eventually Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs led a furious comeback that saw them lead with a couple seconds left on the clock. 

In a storybook tale that was almost too good to be true, Ohio State would attempt the game-winning field goal as the clock struck midnight on a new year. Unfortunately for Ohio State fans, their hopes and dreams went out the window as the football hit the ground wide left at the same time as the ball in Times Square rang in 2023. Despite the heartbreak and disappointment for Ohio State it was still a relatively decent year for the Buckeyes as they finished the season with a record of 11-2, after losing to Michigan for the second consecutive year. 

Ohio State Offense 

If the Ohio State Buckeyes want to compete for another national championship this season it all rests on the shoulders of brand new, starting quarterback, Kyle McCord. He won’t have easy shoes to fill as he is taking over for CJ Stroud, who is arguably the best quarterback Ohio State has had in the last 20+ years. Luckily, for McCord he gets some help back in the form of Marvin Harrison, who is returning for his third season in Columbus. 

Former Notre Dame wide receiver Lorenzo Styles has also transferred home to play with his brother, and he will be a much needed boost to the wide receiver room as well. Both Trevion Henderson, and Miyan Williams return in the backfield as well which gives McCord a much needed outlet. This will be the first season under brand new offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline, and if his development of the wide receiver position is a glimpse into the future, then Ohio State could have one of the best offenses in the country this season if McCord can get going. 

However, they do have one potential question mark this season and that is the play of the offensive line. After sending their two best lineman to the NFL in Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson Junior, Ohio State could be scrambling for answers as to how to protect Kyle McCord. Josh Fryar is expected to take over the starting role at the left tackle position, and their depth should allow them plenty of choices all along the offensive line this season.

Ohio State Defense

Jim Knowles defense improved a ton during his first year, and that really is saying a lot after seeing how abysmal their defense was in 2021. They also get Tommy Eichenberg back after many people thought he would declare for the draft. They will have to create more pressure upfront, but guys like J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer can rack up sacks in a hurry for the Buckeyes on the front line this season. Denzel Burke has the opportunity to merge into one of the best shut down corners in the country this season as long as he plays to the level that he played last year. They have a ton of depth in the defensive secondary and alongside the linebackers that will be their strongest unit this season. 

Ohio State showed a lot of promise on the defensive side of the football last season until the Michigan and Georgia games came around. For the second consecutive year Michigan opened them up with the run game, and if they want to finally beat the Wolverines and avoid losing three straight to their archrivals, they will have to shut down Michigan’s running backs. However, November is a long way away and they still have 11 grueling matchups before they face-off with that team up north at the end of the season. It is fair to assume that that game against Michigan will also likely serve as the Big Ten East championship game and the winner will get into the Big Ten title game.

Schedule and Results

Ohio State opens up the season against Indiana on the road, in an early-season Big Ten matchup. They should have no problem grabbing the victory in that one. Their next two games against Youngstown State and Western Kentucky should be walk over wins for Ohio State. This season as well. They get their first true game of the season when they travel to South Bend to play Notre Dame after they beat the Irish at home last year. Without CJ Stroud, and being on the road I think Ohio State suffers their first loss of the season to the Fighting Irish.

Following the Notre Dame game, Ohio State plays host to the Maryland Terrapins and I think they get back in the win column with that game. Then they travel to Purdue, where nightmares still ring loud of their upset loss  in West Lafayette a few years ago that kept them out of the college football playoffs. Although, I don’t see lightning striking twice as I think the Buckeyes grab a victory over the Boilermakers in that game. However, I don’t think it’ll be long until they pick up their second loss of the season as I look for Penn State to come into the horseshoe with quarterback Drew Aller and get a victory over Ohio State.

With the college football playoff hopes and dreams all but over and the Big Ten title hopes taking a massive hit I look for Ohio State to throttle Wisconsin in Camp Randall and make a statement. The next three games come against Rutgers, Minnesota, and Michigan State, and all three of those games should be victories for Ohio State as they look to regroup with a record of nine and two before they head into the game against Michigan. However, it seems likely that the Buckeyes are headed for a third consecutive disaster against their archrivals as they will likely finish the season 9-3 and grab a respectable third place within their division behind Penn State and the Wolverines.