RJ Young
National college football analyst at FOX Sports
Ohio State Buckeyes Ranking: 1/134
(Check out RJ Young’s ultimate 134 college football rankings here)
Conference ranking: 1. in Big Ten (+155 to conference win)
Teams behind: Georgia (2), Texas (3), Oregon (4), Florida State (5), Ole Miss (6)
(Ohio State 2024 Schedule)
RJ’s opinion: No program has attracted more attention – or more attention, actually – during the winter transfer window than the Ohio State Buckeyes.
What followed was a spring game that revealed the exceptional talent that decided to return for the 2024 season. The roster includes running back TreVeyon Henderson, wideout Emeka Egbuka, and transfer players Will Howard, Quinshon Judkins, and Caleb Downs. With these new additions to an already talented team, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day has successfully navigated a turbulent spring period with finesse.
Last season, Downs was the first true freshman to lead Alabama in tackles (107) since 1970. And they plan to let Downs play – perhaps like Travis Hunter, since he issued Time in the running back room at OSU and could get a lot of action on offense.
Since I wrote Earlier this summer, strength coach Mickey Marriotti called freshman Jeremiah Smith the most impressive player he has seen as a freshman since former Florida the great Percy Harvin. During the Ohio State spring game broadcast on FOX, former Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer revealed that OSU general manager Mark Pantoni calls Smith the best first-year player he has ever seen.
Yet the Buckeyes have lost to Michigan three years in a row, haven’t won a Big Ten title in four years, and haven’t won a national title since 2014.
Penn State might be tough. Oregon will be tough. But we’re headed to Nov. 30, when the world will pause to find out who this Buckeye team is against the one team on the schedule that matters more to them than any other: Michigan.
Ohio State Overall Winning Odds: Over 10.5 (-150) Under 10.5 (+125)
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