Ryan Day chooses Will Howard as starting quarterback for Ohio State Football
Will Howard was officially named the next starting quarterback for the Ohio State football team by coach Ryan Day on Thursday.
The Ohio State football team missed the College Football Playoffs last season.
But Kirk Herbstreit, college football analyst for ESPN, like other college football analysts, believes that won’t happen this year with the No. 2 Buckeyes considered a national championship contender.
During Saturday’s edition of College GameDay in Dublin for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic between FSU and Georgia Tech, Herbstreit revealed his prediction for this year’s 12-team College Football Playoff. And the former Buckeye had Ohio State as his No. 2 seed, which also means Ryan Day’s team is his favorite to win the Big Ten Conference.
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It’s the first year the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams, with each of the Power Four conference champions receiving a first-round bye. Whether the Buckeyes end up winning the Big Ten and receiving a first-round bye remains to be seen. The first release of the CFP rankings is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Ohio State, which was also named a favorite to win the Big Ten and finish second in the CFP by former Alabama coach Nick Saban on Saturday, begins its season next week on Saturday, August 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET against Akron at Ohio Stadium.
Here’s who Herbstreit has nominated for the College Football Playoffs, where he has the Buckeyes on the field and who he nominated to win the national championship on Saturday’s edition of College GameDay:
Kirk Herbstreit ‘College GameDay’ College Football Playoff Prediction
Herbstreit picked Ohio State as his Big Ten Conference champion and placed the Buckeyes as his No. 2 seed in his CFP projection.
“I’ll start with the four teams that I believe will get a bye by winning the conference championship. Georgia from the SEC, Ohio State (in the Big Ten), Clemson from the ACC and Utah from the Big 12,” Herbstreit said.
Boise State snuck in as a No. 12 seed, and Herbstreit has two playoff-missing teams in Ole Miss and Oklahoma State, two of whom would be considered the “last two eliminated” if you use the “last four eliminated” terminology from March Madness.
Here’s who Herbstreit selected to participate in this season’s College Football Playoffs:
- 1. Georgia (SEC Champion)
- 2. Ohio State (Big Ten champions)
- 3. Clemson (ACC champion)
- 4. Utah (Big 12 champions)
- 5. Oregon vs. 12. Boise State
- 8. Penn State vs. 9. Notre Dame
- 6. Texas vs. 11. Michigan
- 7. Missouri vs. 10. Florida State
Kirk Herbstreit ‘College GameDay’ projection to national champion
Herbstreit predicted that Oregon would win the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia in January. If that happens, it would be the first time in program history that the Ducks have won a national championship.
“I’m with Dez (Desmond Howard). I picked Ohio State to win the Big Ten, but now that they’re making the playoffs, it’s a no-brainer: Who’s going to make the playoffs? I’ve got Dan Lanning, Dillon Gabriel and Oregon playing Georgia in the national championship. (And) I’ve got Oregon as the overall winner,” Herbstreit said.
Here’s who the rest of the GameDay crew picked to win the national championship:
- Desmond Howard: Oregon
- Nick Saban: Georgia
- Pat McAfee: Georgia
- Sheamus (guest picker): Notre-Dame
