Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten
0-0 (0-0 conf)
SP+ #2
Ratings
2025 final
- SP+
- 30.1 (#2)
- SP+ Offense
- 37.6
- SP+ Defense
- 7.7
- SRS
- 26.6
- FPI
- 27.6
- Elo
- 2138
- Talent
- 974
- Recruiting
- —
2026 Outlook
Projected wins
10.0p10 8.0 — p90 11.0
| Round | Prob | |
|---|---|---|
| Win conference | 28.6% | |
| Make CFP | 85.5% | |
| Quarterfinal | 75.8% | |
| Semifinal | 49.4% | |
| Natl. final | 30.5% | |
| Natl. champ | 17.9% |
Schedule
proj record 9.7–2.3
Schedule
5th
toughest of 136
Offenses faced
9th
toughest of 136
Defenses faced
2nd
toughest of 136
Strength of schedule — how tough this team's opponents are, ranked 1 (hardest) to 136 (easiest) · by 2025 SP+.
| Wk | Opponent | SP+ | Score | Proj | Win% | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsBall State | -23 | 55-9 | +45.2 | 100% | — |
| 2 | @Texas | +16.2 | 28-23 | +5.3 | 64% | — |
| 3 | vsKent State | -19.3 | 54-6 | +47.7 | 100% | — |
| 4 | vsIllinois | +12.9 | 37-15 | +22.1 | 94% | — |
| 5 | @Iowa | +19.7 | 32-26 | +5.8 | 66% | — |
| 6 | vsMaryland | +0.6 | 46-12 | +34.1 | 99% | — |
| 7 | @Indiana | +32.4 | 29-32 | -2.5 | 42% | — |
| 9 | @USC | +16.9 | 31-26 | +5.1 | 64% | — |
| 10 | vsOregon | +25.9 | 27-17 | +10.0 | 76% | — |
| 11 | vsNorthwestern | +5.8 | 38-14 | +23.4 | 95% | — |
| 12 | @Nebraska | +6.2 | 38-18 | +20.4 | 92% | — |
| 13 | vsMichigan | +12.4 | 32-20 | +12.6 | 81% | — |
Quarterbacks · 3
2026 · 48
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 1st | Julian Sayin | SO | 6'1" | 208 | ★★★★★ |
| QB | 2nd | Justyn Martin← Maryland | JR | 6'5" | 230 | ★★★ |
| QB | — | Tavien St. Clair | FR | 6'4" | 230 | ★★★★★ |
Running Backs · 4
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | 1st | Bo Jackson | FR | 6'0" | 217 | ★★★★ |
| RB | 2nd | CJ Donaldson | SR | 6'2" | 232 | — |
| RB | 3rd | Isaiah West | FR | 5'10" | 210 | — |
| RB | 4th | Ja'Kobi Jackson← Florida | SR | 5'11" | 214 | ★★★ |
Wide Receivers · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 1st | Jeremiah Smith | SO | 6'3" | 223 | ★★★★★ |
| WR | 2nd | Devin McCuin← UTSA | JR | 6'0" | 195 | ★★★ |
| WR | 3rd | Brandon Inniss | JR | 6'0" | 199 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 4th | Kyle Parker← LSU | SO | 5'11" | 195 | ★★★ |
| WR | 5th | David Adolph | SR | 6'5" | 210 | — |
Tight Ends · 4
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 1st | Hunter Welcing← Northwestern | SR | 6'3" | 250 | ★★★★ |
| TE | 2nd | Mason Williams← Ohio | SO | 6'5" | 257 | ★★★ |
| TE | 3rd | Nate Roberts | FR | 6'5" | 240 | ★★★★ |
| TE | 4th | Bennett Christian | SR | 6'6" | 250 | ★★★★ |
Offensive Line · 1
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OT | — | Vasean Washington← Dartmouth | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Defensive Line · 11
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE | 1st | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | SR | 6'6" | 265 | ★★★★ |
| DE | 2nd | Eddrick Houston | SO | 6'3" | 292 | ★★★★★ |
| DE | 3rd | Epi Sitanilei | FR | 6'4" | 239 | — |
| DL | 1st | John Walker← UCF | SO | 6'4" | 324 | ★★★ |
| DL | 2nd | James Smith← Alabama | JR | 6'3" | 297 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 3rd | Will Smith Jr. | JR | 6'4" | 292 | — |
| DL | 4th | Zion Grady | FR | 6'4" | 258 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 5th | Beau Atkinson | SR | 6'6" | 258 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 6th | Jason Moore | JR | 6'6" | 303 | — |
| DT | 1st | Tywone Malone Jr. | SR | 6'4" | 309 | ★★★★ |
| EDGE | 1st | Qua Russaw← Alabama | SO | 6'2" | 243 | ★★★★ |
Linebackers · 7
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | 1st | Christian Alliegro← Wisconsin | JR | 6'4" | 245 | ★★★ |
| LB | 2nd | Payton Pierce | SO | 6'2" | 223 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 3rd | Riley Pettijohn | FR | 6'2" | 231 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 4th | Tarvos Alford | FR | 6'1" | 233 | — |
| LB | 5th | Garrett Stover | SO | 6'1" | 228 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 6th | Eli Lee | FR | 6'3" | 227 | — |
| LB | 7th | Joey Velazquez | SR | 5'11" | 225 | — |
Defensive Backs · 9
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | 1st | Jermaine Mathews Jr. | JR | 5'11" | 190 | ★★★★ |
| CB | 2nd | Devin Sanchez | FR | 6'2" | 198 | ★★★★★ |
| CB | 3rd | Cam Calhoun← Alabama | SO | 6'0" | 180 | ★★★ |
| CB | 4th | Dominick Kelly← Georgia | FR | 6'1" | 190 | ★★★★ |
| S | 1st | Earl Little Jr.← Florida State | JR | 6'1" | 193 | ★★★★ |
| S | 2nd | Jaylen McClain | SO | 6'0" | 201 | ★★★★ |
| S | 3rd | Leroy Roker III | SO | 6'1" | 197 | — |
| S | 4th | Ryan Rudzinski | JR | 6'4" | 214 | — |
| S | — | Terry Moore← Duke | SR | 6'1" | 195 | ★★★★ |
Special Teams · 4
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | 1st | Connor Hawkins← Baylor | FR | 6'2" | 199 | ★★★ |
| LS | — | Dalton Riggs← UCF | JR | 6'3" | 230 | — |
| P | 1st | Joe McGuire | JR | 6'2" | 210 | — |
| PK | 1st | Jayden Fielding | SR | 6'2" | 175 | — |
Season History · last 12
5 AP top-10 · 12 postseason
| Season | Record | Conf | SP+ | AP | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12-1 | 9-0 | #2 | #1 | 0-1 |
| 2024 | 10-2 | 7-2 | #1 | #1 | 4-0 |
| 2023 | 11-1 | 8-1 | #4 | #2 | 0-1 |
| 2022 | 11-1 | 8-1 | #3 | #2 | 0-1 |
| 2021 | 10-2 | 8-1 | #2 | #2 | 1-0 |
| 2020 | 6-0 | 6-0 | #1 | — | 1-1 |
| 2019 | 13-0 | 10-0 | #1 | — | 0-1 |
| 2018 | 12-1 | 9-1 | #6 | — | 1-0 |
| 2017 | 11-2 | 9-1 | #2 | — | 1-0 |
| 2016 | 11-1 | 8-1 | #10 | — | 0-1 |
| 2015 | 11-1 | 7-1 | #1 | — | 1-0 |
| 2014 | 12-1 | 9-0 | #4 | — | 2-0 |
Recruiting Classes
avg #5 · 214 blue-chip
■ 5★■ 4★■ 3★242 rated signees
| Class | Natl | Pts | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4 | 298 | 3 | 18 | 3 |
| 2024 | #5 | 289 | 4 | 14 | 2 |
| 2023 | #5 | 289 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| 2022 | #4 | 301 | 2 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 | #2 | 309 | 7 | 14 | 3 |
| 2020 | #5 | 295 | 3 | 13 | 2 |
| 2019 | #14 | 261 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| 2018 | #2 | 317 | 3 | 19 | 4 |
| 2017 | #2 | 312 | 5 | 13 | 1 |
| 2016 | #4 | 289 | 1 | 16 | 5 |
247Sports composite · class rank vs all FBS
Roster Talent
2026
Portal in 17net -20Out 37
Portal avg stars (in / out)3.4 / 3.2
Notable Portal Moves
| ▲ | Terry Moore | S | 4★ | ← Duke |
| ▲ | James Smith | DL | 4★ | ← Alabama |
| ▲ | Qua Russaw | EDGE | 4★ | ← Alabama |
| ▲ | Earl Little Jr. | S | 4★ | ← Florida State |
| ▼ | Quincy Porter | WR | 4★ | → Notre Dame |
| ▼ | Tegra Tshabola | IOL | 4★ | → Kentucky |
| ▼ | Mylan Graham | WR | 4★ | → Notre Dame |
| ▼ | Faheem Delane | S | 4★ | → LSU |
returning PPA · portal · talent composite · 2026
Injury Report · 0
No injuries reported.
Team News
20 items
- Ohio State gets crystal ball prediction to land four-star prospectOhio State hopes to land another big-time recruit as the Buckeyes get two crystal ball predictions for Alabama four-star defensive lineman.OSU34m
- Nation's No. 2 DL makes commitment among Texas, Ohio State and GeorgiaFive-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou chose Ohio State over Georgia and Texas to boost the Buckeyes' 2027 recruiting class.OSU47m
- Ohio State lands fourth 2027 five-star in DT Marcus FakatouFive-star defensive tackle Marcus Fakatou, No. 15 in the SC Next 300, announced his commitment to Ohio State on Monday.OSU1h
- Elite, 5-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou commits to Big 10 programThe Buckeyes now hold commitments from three of the top defensive line prospects in the 2027 cycle.OSU1h
- Nation’s No. 2 DL Marcus Fakatou commits to Ohio State: ‘it’s all about development for me’Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon edge rusher Marcus Fakatou announced his commitment to Ohio State and broke down why he chose the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes have been trending for Fakatou for months and they were able to seal the deal with the talented edge rusher moments ago. “There were a lot of reasons why I liked […]OSU1h
- Miami looking to claim another victory over Ohio State, and they could be making progressThe Hurricanes are looking to add to their impressive 2027 class with an elite player.OSU2h
- Joel Klatt gives an early primer for Michigan football at Ohio StateFox Sports analyst Joel Klatt says the Michigan at Ohio State game is the most pivotal matchup of the season.OSU3h
- Ohio State, Ryan Day Land Prolific 2027 Four-Star Offensive LinemanTop-100 prospect Caden Moss bolsters Columbus’ elite 2027 class, choosing the Buckeyes over SEC powerhouses to become the fifth tackle commit anchoring Ryan Day’s future offensive line.OSU4h
- Ohio State football hopes they outsmarted a whole lot of schools with a sneaky weekend additionThe Ohio State Buckeyes landed another key recruit offer the weekend, but it wasn't one you typically see end up in Columbus. Ohio State thinks there's good reason for this one, however.OSU4h
- College football rankings: Jeremiah Smith and the 10 best wide receivers going into 2026College football is in a golden era for wide receivers and fans who love the deep ball are in for a treat this season.
- BYU wins battle for blue-chip 2027 receiver over Ohio State, othersThe Cougars added a talented pass catcher for their 2027 recruiting class.OSU5h
- How Kenyatta Jackson Jr. became Ohio State’s next great defensive endKenyatta Jackson Jr. has spent four years developing under Larry Johnson. Now entering his senior season, the former five-star recruit looks ready to become Ohio State's next elite defensive end and the leader of a retooled defensive front.OSU5h
- Noise is loud for Ohio State football to land a major five-star pickup to begin the week in ColumbusOhio State has been heating up big time on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes are predicted to land a major five-star defender on Monday evening to give Matt Patricia's defense another weapon.OSU5h
- Big Ten freshmen to watch in 2026: Ohio State, Michigan lead loaded class of first-year playersA talented class of freshmen arrives on the scene in the Big Ten this seasonOSU6h
- Burning Questions: How much tougher is Ohio State’s 2026 schedule than 2025?The Buckeyes won’t have as easy a path to the postseason as last year.OSU6h
- Ohio State adds TWO commits over the weekend, hoping for another on MondayThe Buckeyes are looking to keep business BOOOOMing when a five-star prospect announces his decision on MondayOSU11h
- 5-star Ohio State target Marcus Fakatou to announce decision MondayOhio State priority target, 5-star defensive lineman Markus Fakatou is all set to announce his college choice on Monday night.OSU17h
- USC football opposing player scouting report - James Smith, Ohio StateJames Smith is a central figure on Ohio State's 2026 defensive line. He becomes a priority for USC's offensive line in the game planOSU1d
- USC football opposing player scouting report - Qua Russaw, Ohio StateQua Russaw is one of multiple Ohio State defensive stars the Trojans' offensive line has to neutralize in 2026OSU1d
- Jeremiah Smith Earns Top Honor in EA Sports College Football 27A total of six Ohio State players ranks among the very best at their respective positions in the latest edition of the legendary video game.