The reigning national champions will try for a fifth year in a row to finally get back in the win column against the Michigan Wolverines. Today, we take an early look at Ohio State heading into the 2025 college football season:
The reigning national champs will try for a fifth year in a row to finally get back in the win column against the Michigan Wolverines after failing to take down their rival in 2024 with arguably the worst team of the four-year period.
The Ohio State Buckeyes reached the pinnacle of college football in 2024, taking down top competition in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.
Michigan and Ohio State winning the last two national championships is great for the rivalry and the conference. However, there will always be an asterisk next to the Buckeyes’ championship considering they did not win the Big Ten and beat Michigan.
The goal remains the same, but with each year the passes, the elephant in the room only grows larger. Let’s see what Ohio State has in store for 2025.
The Basics
Game info: Saturday, Nov. 29, Noon on FOX
2024 record: 10-2 (National Champions)
2025 projected wins: 10.5 (per FanDuel)
Last matchup: 2024: Michigan won, 13-10
Roster Moves
Notable draft losses: WR Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers), OG Donovan Jackson (Vikings), DT Tyleik Williams (Lions), OT Josh Simmons (Chiefs), RB Quinshon Judkins (Browns), RB TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots), DE J.T. Tuimoloau (Colts), LB Cody Simon (Cardinals), DB Lathan Ransom (Panthers), DE Jack Sawyer (Steelers), DT Ty Hamilton (Rams), DB Jordan Hancock (Bills), DB Denzel Burke (Cardinals), QB Will Howard (Steelers)
Notable portal losses: QB Air Noland, DL Hero Kanu, CB Calvin Simpson-Hunt, QB Devin Brown, LB Gabe Powers, OT Zen Michalski, OT George Fitzpatrick, DE Mitchell Melton, WR Jayden Ballard, DB Jayden Bonsu, WR Kojo Antwi, OT Miles Walker, TE Patrick Gurd, LS Morrow Evans
Notable portal additions: TE Max Klare, OT Phillip Daniels, DE Beau Atkinson, OT Ethan Onianwa, RB CJ Donaldson, DE Logan George, OT Justin Terry, QB Eli Brickhandler, LB Ty Howard
State of the Program
The Buckeyes get the benefit of the doubt given they just won the natty, but there are a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball, both with players and coaching coordinators.
Ohio State saw 14 players leave for the NFL Draft , mirroring the purge that took place in Ann Arbor after the Wolverines held up the trophy just a year before. Of those drafted and those that ran out of eligibility, the Buckeyes return just six starters from last season’s team. Now, it is very much worth noting those six returning players are blue chippers like wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs, but new coordinators Brian Hartline and Matt Patricia will have their work cut out for them replacing both lines, quarterback, running back, a starting wide receiver, tight end and majority of the secondary.
The most important position that needs to be replaced is quarterback, as Will Howard was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 NFL Draft. Former five-star recruit Julian Sayin will likely win the starting job. He was widely considered the nation’s top quarterback in the 2024 class, throwing for 7,824 passing yards, 85 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in high school.
Sayin was only given 12 passes to throw last season while sitting behind Howard, but he will be put in a fantastic situation with Smith and Carnell Tate as his outside weapons, and incoming Purdue transfer Max Klare at tight end.
There appears to be a competition at running back and offensive line, two position groups that were depleted after the NFL Draft. As for the tailback, former Top-200 recruit James Peoples has the experience to take the reins, but former West Virginia starter CJ Donaldson Jr. will be fighting for carries as well.
Defensively, Patricia will hope to follow a trajectory like Wink Martindale. To replace the production of star defensive ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, Ohio State brought in Beau Atkinson (North Carolina) and Logan George (Idaho State), who combined for 30.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks last season. On the back end, Downs and Davison Igbinosun will lead the charge, surrounded by intriguing prospects Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Aaron Scott Jr.
The ceiling will once again be winning the national championship, but the veteran core is finally gone with a new generation of Buckeyes hoping to etch themselves in history.
Do you think Ohio State has what it takes to go the distance in 2025? Let us know down in the comments.