3 keys for Ohio State to get back to a national championship game after a disappointing 2025​

The Buckeyes will look to return to their 2024 postseason form this fall, and they have the roster to do it — if a few things go their way.
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A second weapon must emerge alongside Jeremiah Smith

Everyone knows Jeremiah Smith is the most talented player in college football. That’s not a secret, and neither is the fact that the team plays its best when opposing defenses can’t devote all their attention to stopping him. With Carnell Tate gone, Ohio State needs someone to step up and become the next dynamic sidekick for Smith.

The candidates are there. Chris Henry Jr., Brock Boyd, Devin McCuinn, and Brandon Inniss all have the opportunity to seize that role. If one of them emerges as a legitimate threat, it opens up the entire offense and makes Smith even more dangerous. Without that complementary piece, I find it hard to believe Ohio State can win it all. Defenses will continue to bracket Smith and force Julian Sayin to find alternative options under pressure.

Arthur Smith must commit to the run game​

This might be the most important offensive adjustment Ohio State can make. Last year, under Brian Hartline, the Buckeyes abandoned the run game in critical moments, and it cost them in losses to Indiana and Miami. Bo Jackson has the potential to be the best running back in the country. But he needs to be given a bigger workload.

With Hartline gone and Arthur Smith now calling plays, there’s reason for optimism. Smith has a well-documented history of leaning into the ground game throughout his coaching career. If he brings that same philosophy to Columbus, Ohio State’s offense should be significantly more balanced.

The ripple effect matters here, too. A stronger run game takes pressure off Sayin, who struggled when opposing defenses sent pressure after him. When teams couldn’t respect the run, Sayin was forced into uncomfortable situations. A commitment to balance fixes that.

Matt Patricia needs to unleash the 2025 recruiting class​

Ohio State lost significant defensive talent to the NFL this offseason, with Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Kayden McDonald all getting drafted. The Buckeyes’ ability to reload rather than rebuild will determine whether their defense remains among the best in the country.

The 2025 recruiting class has the names to make it happen. Zion Grady, Riley Pettijohn, T.J. Alford, and Devin Sanchez all have the talent to become the next great Ohio State defender. If Matt Patricia can develop even one of these players into a dominant force at their position, the defense should continue to operate as a top unit in college football.

Winning another national championship in 2026 is absolutely accomplishable. But they’ll need to address these issues to make it happen.

Louisville could be the perfect landing spot​

According to On3, Kienholz carries an NIL valuation of $2 million. That’s a strong figure for a player without a single collegiate start to his name. The Adidas deal stacks on top of whatever NIL compensation he’s already receiving at Louisville, making him one of the more well-compensated quarterbacks in the ACC before he’s taken a snap as a starter.

Brohm has a track record of developing quarterbacks at a high level between multiple stops. Kienholz could be the next in that line. The talent was always there during his time at Ohio State, and a fresh start in Louisville gives him the chance to prove he’s a starting-caliber quarterback at the Power Four level.

Whether or not Kienholz develops into an NFL draft prospect remains to be seen, but he’s already doing a tremendous job capitalizing on the NIL landscape. Landing a six-figure Adidas deal before ever starting a game is proof of that. This fall will be telling for what Kienholz can become as Louisville’s signal-caller in 2026.

He's going to decide next week if he is going to sign the extension through 2030 or not. I'm hoping so

NJ-Buckeye said:

Ahhh the number of times I have read that it's not uncommon for Mexican farms to use human feces as fertilizer

so now they have their own full recycling/replenishment...

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Avoid strawberries from Mexico

Not a single "Runs For The Border" comment in this thread. I am so disappointed in all of you;-)

Thump said:

Hoser

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"Le" Hoser, I'm way closer to the je me souviens/tabarnac types

Ahhh the number of times I have read that it's not uncommon for Mexican farms to use human feces as fertilizer

so now they have their own full recycling/replenishment...

I think we're younger than last year? I remember a concerted effort to get more experienced. I guess when you lose a ton of experience you get younger. Let's hope these pups all bite!

DubCoffman62 said:

TTACH=full]91344[/ATTACH][A

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Cyclosporiasis outbreak possibly traced to lettuce from Mexico used by Taco Bell, source says​

A lettuce supplier to fast-food giant Taco Bell is being investigated as a possible source for a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, a source familiar with the investigation told CBS News on Thursday.

The source said a traceback investigation by the Food and Drug Administration identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico, Taylor Farms, that was used by Taco Bell locations in five states where people who contracted cyclosporiasis ate. The FDA is investigating, the source said.

Taylor Farms, based in Salinas, California, is a supplier to several major restaurant chains across the U.S.

"Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states," Taco Bell said in a statement Thursday. "The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states."

CBS News has reached out to Taylor Farms for comment as well.

The outbreak, a diarrheal illness caused by the parasite cyclospora, was first reported in early May and has since spread to 34 states, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It has sickened at least 1,645 people, per CDC data, including at least 141 hospitalizations. But the CDC's tally lags behind state health departments, which have reported much larger numbers of cases. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported Thursday at least 4,312 confirmed cases, including 102 that required hospitalization.
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YOUNG BUCKS. Ohio State will enter the 2026 season as one of the youngest teams in college football.

RotoWire’s Thomas Leary shared an interactive widget this week that allows college football fans to sort teams based on their average roster age. Across all 138 FBS programs, the average roster is just over 20.3 years old, with UTSA owning the oldest roster (21.02 years) and Georgia the youngest (19.81 years).

Ohio State ranks No. 128 nationally with an average roster age of 19.95 years old. The Buckeyes’ roster ranks 63rd out of 67 Power Four teams and 17th out of 18 Big Ten programs.

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Ohio State’s status as one of college football’s youngest teams isn’t necessarily surprising. The Buckeyes had 25 players selected in the 2025 and 2026 NFL drafts and lost 31 scholarship players to the transfer portal this offseason, while they added 28 scholarship freshmen.

Ryan Day and his staff did well to raise the roster’s average age with 18 transfer additions, including 16 players who will be entering their fourth season or later in 2026.

Even with that influx of veterans, Ohio State remains one of the youngest teams in the country — which could be cause for concern until you remember the Buckeyes have experience where it matters most: at quarterback and in the trenches. Julian Sayin has already made 14 career starts, while Ohio State’s offensive line features more than 125 combined career appearances.