Joel Klatt Names Best Team in College Football Heading Into Week 5

"I know they were off last week, but it's still going to be Ohio State," Klatt said. "They've been to me the most impressive team. Again, you lose what was it, 14 draft picks off of your team that won a national championship, had all of that senior leadership. They've got to replace so much of their team, and what do they do? They come out, and it's just reload and go back to business."

Replacing 14 NFL Draft Picks

As Klatt pointed out, Ohio State ranked No. 101 in returning production at the start of the season. The team must replace several key players, including quarterback Will Howard, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, as well as defensive backs Lathan Ransom, Denzel Burke, and Jordan Hancock. Additionally, they need to fill the positions of wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.

Stars Emerging for the Buckeyes

New quarterback Julian Sayin has been performing exceptionally well in place of Howard. He has thrown for 779 yards, with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, while completing nearly 80% of his passes. Additionally, star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has returned to the lineup, contributing 315 yards and three touchdowns this season.

True freshman running back Bo Jackson is leading the rushing attack with 217 yards and one touchdown, averaging 12.1 yards per carry. Ohio State may look different this fall, but the results feel the same.

With Sayin quickly settling in at quarterback and a defense allowing just 5.3 points per game, the Buckeyes appear poised for another championship run. As Klatt put it, Ohio State isn’t rebuilding, it’s reloading. Until someone proves otherwise, the Buckeyes remain the standard in college football.