The 2025 college football preseason buzz is focused on Columbus, Ohio, where the Ohio State Buckeyes took the No. 1 position in the College Football Network’s May power rankings.
With retooled coaching, blue-chip recruits, and a stacked transfer haul, the Buckeyes are poised to make a run at redemption. But is this best-billed position a portent of dominance to come or the burden of hype exceeding on-field performance?
Why Ohio State’s No. 1 Ranking Is Deserved or Premature?
Ohio State’s offseason has been among the most active in the country. Coming off a national championship in 2024, head coach Ryan Day went all out, overhauling his quarterback corps, filling defensive holes, and holding onto a star-studded nucleus.
The Buckeyes have the talent, sure—but with quarterback Will Howard bailing for the NFL, it’s now up to a new face and a scary-good supporting cast to keep the championship train on the tracks.
That caused Ryan Day to scramble but not freak out. Why? Julian Sayin, a five-star former Alabama commit who’s been touted as a future star since high school, is waiting in the wings. Sayin’s maturation is paramount to long-term success, but Day has the luxury of patience with Howard present.
Spring Break Activities @juliansayin2 pic.twitter.com/ivlHdUscGs
— Coach Jose Mohler (@LeftCoastAthl) March 13, 2024
Sayin doesn’t have the reps yet, but he’s seemingly got everything else: a strong arm, advanced poise, and a solid pocket presence. Upcoming sophomore WR Jeremiah Smith is ready for another go, healthy and prepared to regain his status as the nation’s best pass catcher.
Ohio State’s 2025 schedule has big-time games seemingly every week. The trips to Penn State and Iowa are possible trap games. And with that, the season finale game against Michigan, which OSU hasn’t beaten since 2019, is the last measuring stick before the postseason.
The expanded 12-team playoff model also shifts the math. Ohio State no longer must be undefeated, but they still need to win those big ones convincingly to secure a top-four seed and first-round bye.
There’s no arguing that the Buckeyes sport one of the nation’s deepest, most talented rosters. The offense is stacked with vets and future NFL studs, and the defense just might be the sleeper that unlocks it all. Ryan Day’s job might have warmed up after his aggressive offseason, but the bar is now higher than ever.
Ohio State has all the ingredients to repeat as national champions in 2025. Now, the question is whether they’ll get it done again.
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