Ohio State Buckeyes 2026 College Football Preview & Predictions

Ohio State comes into the 2026 season with a two-game losing streak. The last time that happened, the Buckeyes responded by winning the College Football Playoff. There is a difference: their 2023 bowl loss to Missouri came with most of their top players sitting out.

Ohio State Buckeyes Snapshot

• 2025 Record: 12-2 (9-0) | Big Ten Finish: 1st (tied) | Lost in B1GCG
• P. Poll: No. 1 | Coaches Poll: No. 1 | SP+: No. 1
• Head Coach: Ryan Day (8th Year; 10th w/ OSU) | Record: 82-12
• Offensive Coordinator: Arthur Smith (1st Year)
• Defensive Coordinator: Matt Patricia (2nd Year)

That was not the case last season, as the offense couldn’t handle its part of the assignment when OSU stepped up in competition against Indiana and Miami (24 total points). As talented as any team in the nation, they begin as the No. 1 team in most rankings and are ready to respond.

Ohio State Futures Odds (DraftKings)

• Regular Season Wins: OVER 9.5 -180 | UNDER 9.5 +150
• Conference Wins: OVER 7.5 +115 | UNDER 7.5 -136
• National Championship Odds: +600 | CFB Playoff Odds: YES -290 | NO +230
• B1G Championship Odds: +180 | To Reach B1GCG: -135

For the second consecutive season, the Buckeyes are the favorite to win the Big Ten (+180) and are tied for the shortest odds to win the National Championship (+600). This time, with Notre Dame. They’re the fourth-most likely team to make the CFP, the second choice to make the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the CFP Championship Game (+225), only behind the Irish.

Ohio State Preview: Why You Should Buy

• Ranked 5th in 247Sports Team Talent Composite (2nd in B1G)
• QB1 & WR1 Are Among the Top 6 in Heisman Odds
• Have Won 10+ Regular Season Games in Last 13 Full Seasons

It’s the same as every season. The roster is stacked with talent. Ryan Day is 82-12 as the headman, and excluding the COVID-shortened season, OSU has won at least 11 games in 13 consecutive years and finished in the top 10 in 11 straight (12, counting 2020). With Nick Saban no longer coaching in Tuscaloosa, no other program in college football has been as consistently elite as the Buckeyes.

Quarterback Julian Sayin is the only returning Heisman Finalist in the country and isn’t even the best player on his team. That would be generational wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Stud freshman RB Bo Jackson is also back, as is four-fifths of their starting offensive line. They are 31st in the country in returning production (60 percent), which is pretty good for a team that went undefeated in the regular season, and with 18 incoming transfers, Day has gone to the portal to fill needs more than ever before.

Ohio State Preview: Why You Should Sell

• Must Replace Best DE, DT (both), LB (both), CB, & S
• Top 5 Tacklers Were All Drafted
• 8 Starters Are Gone

We know OSU has reloaded many times before. But last year’s defense was historically good. Not only did they lose eight starters from that unit, but OSU had three defenders selected among the top 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. That’s rare, even for the Buckeyes. In addition to elite difference-makers Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caleb Downs, Ohio State must replace their top pass rusher (Caden Curry had 11 sacks), top interior defensive lineman (second-round pick), and top cornerback (second-round pick).

It’s not that they don’t have talent. They do, more than most. However, success in Columbus is measured differently than most places. It’s hard to imagine this year’s defense will match the elite playmakers at the top, or the consistency last season’s veteran group offered. They could be integrating as many as four new starters from the portal, while several former backups, like DT Eddrick Houston and CB Devin Sanchez, need to do more than flash if they are to go deep into the CFP. This will be a very good defense, but the bar is championship caliber.

Ohio State Breakout Player: RB Isaiah West

• Isaiah West: 5.4 TPC as a True Freshman (59 rushes)
• Must Replace 157 Carries From Last Year’s Rotation

OSU’s leading rusher will be a true sophomore from their 2025 recruiting class, but don’t be so sure that it will be the aforementioned Bo Jackson. Isaiah West has been one of the stars of camp and is even sharing first-team reps with Jackson, according to reports coming out of Columbus. If he proves worthy, it makes sense for the Buckeyes to split the carries and not overwork either of their top two backs. West is a good fit in Arthur Smith’s offense, per reports, and is an upgrade as a pass catcher out of the backfield.

Ohio State X-Factor: Offensive Line

• 4 of 5 Starters Return
• Rushing Attack Was Below Average for OSU
• Pass Protection Broke Down Against Elite Competition

This unit won’t be bad, but will it be elite? OSU returns four starters from last year’s team. Led by senior Austin Siereveld, the group is experienced, with all four of its returnees being seniors. That typically bodes well. They all have things they do very well. At the same time, improvement should be expected.

One could argue improvement is also needed. As good as Jackson was running the ball, OSU finished 52nd in yards per carry and 88th in runs of 20-plus yards. That speaks to the need for better run blocking. As for the pass protection, that was a major issue in their defeats, as the Buckeyes allowed 10 sacks against Indiana and Miami. Those were elite defensive lines, so how will this group grade out when tested in 2026?

Ohio State Schedule Analysis

• SP+ SOS Rank: 4
• Phil Steele Toughest Schedules: 6

Many have said this is the toughest schedule the Buckeyes have faced. Half their games are against ranked teams, including three of the top six, starting with a trip to Austin in Week 2 in their rematch with Texas. The Buckeyes also have to travel to Bloomington to seek revenge against the Hoosiers, while Oregon comes to the Horseshoe.

Between their games against Indiana and Oregon, OSU travels to USC, where the Trojans have played like a top-10 team. That’s a ridiculous three-game stretch. There’s also a road game at Iowa, which is never easy, as well as their season finale against Michigan. The week before “The Game” can be tricky, and they play at Nebraska. Even a national championship-caliber team is likely to lose multiple games against this schedule.

Ohio State Best Bet, Long Shot, & Prediction: OVER/UNDER 9.5 Wins

• Win Total: UNDER 9.5 (+150 @ DraftKings)
• Best Bet: UNDER 7.5 Conference Wins (-136 @ DraftKings)
• Long Shot: Exactly 9 Wins (+310 @ DraftKings)

Considering all the potential losses on the schedule, three losses is a real possibility. However, this program hasn’t dropped more than two regular-season games since Luke Fickell’s 7-6 run in 2011. Before that? You have to go back to 2004. But, as we said, none of those teams had to face a gauntlet this tough. Either way, I’m not running to the window on this total.

Nine or ten wins feels like a toss-up, so my pick would have to go with the +150 attached to UNDER 9.5 rather than laying a hefty -180 on the over. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Buckeyes knock off the ‘Horns, so my preference would be to go with UNDER 7.5 Big Ten wins. To go under 9.5 wins, OSU will have to lose at least two conference games, so while the odds aren’t as juicy, I prefer the ability to see OSU win 10 but still be able to hit the under. We can hit the under, and the Buckeyes can still reach their goals.