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Josh Pate’s latest college football rankings will have Buckeye Nation questioning why Ohio State is ranked where they are

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated May 13, 2025 7:50 AM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes just had 14 players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, highlighting the sheer amount of talent they lost from their National Championship roster.

Ohio State recruits among the best in the country and is typically able to reload quickly. They expect to do just that again this season.

The Buckeyes will be breaking in a new quarterback, with the competition likely coming down to Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz. Sayin, a former five-star recruit, is the favorite to win the job.

That said, a college football analyst I respect is a bit lower on the Buckeyes coming out of the spring.

Josh Pate lists Ohio State outside of his top 5 in post-spring rankings

Coming out of spring, Josh Pate ranks Ohio State No. 8 in the country. Clemson, Texas, Penn State, Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, and Oregon are all ahead of the Buckeyes.

Post-spring top 20 if I had to rank them right now pic.twitter.com/BEMWCS5Hsv
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) May 12, 2025

Being outside the top five is notable for the reigning national champions, even with the loss of many starters. Ohio State still returns elite talent, including the nation’s top offensive weapon, Jeremiah Smith, and standout defender Caleb Downs. The roster remains loaded, even if some of the talent is unproven.

Several of the teams ranked ahead of the Buckeyes are also dealing with transitions. Texas, for example, will break in new quarterback Arch Manning, while Oregon must replace Dillon Gabriel and several key contributors from their Big Ten Championship team.

With months still to go before the season, the Buckeyes deserve the benefit of the doubt. Their goals in 2025 remain unchanged: beat Michigan and contend for another National Championship.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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