Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith scores a touchdown against Oregon on Jan. 1. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CBS Sports Delivers Eye-Catching Message to the Ohio State Buckeyes

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Nathan Beighle | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 5:35 PM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off a national championship, so they will, in theory, have a target on their back when it comes to teams wanting to knock them off.

However, that's been happening every single year for the past decade as the Buckeyes are perennially seen as one of the best in college football. The Buckeyes have consistently been projected as a top Big Ten side, so of course, they are a team that is seen to be knocked off from the top of the pecking order.

That said, CBS Sports' analyst Aaron Taylor went into that deeper, but he also added how he feels this is going to be a challenging road to repeat for the Buckeyes, mainly due to the fresh, new faces on the defensive side of the ball. He also added that the two new coordinators will play a role in the Buckeyes' potential struggles.

"They're moving from the hunter to the hunted... It's not going to be an easy road for them."

— .@AaronTaylorCFB isn't convinced that Ohio State will repeat as National Champions this year pic.twitter.com/CopFSq2WXd
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) August 13, 2025

To be fair to Taylor, he does have a point. While the Buckeyes may have also been targeted, especially by conference foes, they do have two new coordinators. Matt Patricia is returning to the college ranks while Brian Hartline is stepping up in a big way, and if either of those coaches struggles much, it could be catastrophic for the Buckeyes, especially with the Texas Longhorns right out of the gate on August 30.

Taylor also mentions Michigan, and how they could resemble the Wolverines from a season ago. "Honestly, they remind me of what Michigan had to go through last year, figuring out all those pieces early in the season," Taylor said.

Playing a Heisman trophy hopeful in Arch Manning in their first game, the Buckeyes will have a challenging start to the season, but with Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs on the roster, they will also have a chance to come out on top.

That said, another big question mark looming over this program is their quarterback, and Ryan Day has yet to name that starter yet. It will boil down to Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz, and either of them could end up as the starter, although most believer the former has the upper hand right now.

The potential struggles are clear, but the Buckeyes top-end talent mixed with what Day has proven he can do should gives fans confidence that this team will be ready for the challenges ahead. With just a few weeks left, Buckeyes football is almost back.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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