Every off-season, Ohio State looks like one of the top football teams in the entire nation, as they are a very prominent and dominating program. But this year, something just seems different about the Buckeyes.
Since Alabama coach Nick Saban retired, it has shaken up the college football world. Many players left Alabama and multiple headed to one of the new big dogs, Ohio State. Quarterback Julian Sayin, safety Caleb Downs and offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin are all impressive to start. Downs was an All-American and Sayin was a 5 star recruit coming out of high school. McLaughlin looks to start for the Buckeyes.
These players have a lot of hype to live up too.
“The Buckeyes have gone 11-2 in each of the last three seasons under Ryan Day and will look to take the next step in 2024. The Buckeyes opened at +500 in the national championship odds at BetMGM, second only to Georgia at +350. They are followed by Texas (+750), Alabama (+800) and Oregon (+1000), which will make its Big 10 debut in 2024,” says Caraviello.
The Buckeyes also brought in running back Quinston Judkins, an All-American and another quarterback in senior Will Howard. Howard is favored to start after poor quarterback play in Columbus last year, and Judkins joins a now loaded running back room in the Shoe. Ohio State doesn’t look to just win, they plan to dominate the competition with this being a prove it year for Head Coach Ryan Day.
Ohio State has been disappointing the last two years and now look to take it to another level.
“Few other college football teams have been quite as busy this offseason as Ohio State, and with good reason: after losing to Michigan three straight times and missing out on the playoff a year ago, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes face more pressure to right the ship in 2024,” says Parks.
The Buckeyes didn’t just bring in a lot of people; they brought almost everyone back, except star studded receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. With the loss of him, they still have the best receiving core in the game and also bring in freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith, who has the potential to be the best receiver in program history. Smith has shown out and has a chance to start as a true freshman in new acquired offensive coordinator Brian Kelly’s offense.
Smith looks to do something we haven’t seen in a long time.
“No player in Ohio State history lost his black stripe faster than Smith, the school’s 5-star freshman wide receiver, ranked No. 1 at his position in the 2024 recruiting class. He’s been putting up highlight grabs on a regular basis at practice and is already poised to earn WR1 snaps right away. Smith has the speed, agility, and handwork to emerge as starting material immediately,” says Parks.
