Why Ohio State has more to lose than any other team in college football

Ohio State enters the 2026 college football season ranked No. 1 in the coaches' poll, loaded with future NFL players and still irritated by the way last season ended. The Buckeyes are built to win a national championship. Anything substantially short of that should be considered a failure.

That may sound harsh for a program that went 12-2 and reached the College Football Playoff. Ohio State does not operate according to ordinary standards, though. Nobody in Columbus is throwing a parade for a respectable quarterfinal appearance.

Ohio State has the best offense in the country

Quarterback Julian Sayin returns after completing an absurd 77% of his passes last season. He is joined by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, arguably the best player in college football regardless of position, and running back Lamar "Bo" Jackson.

All three were named to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list. Ohio State was the only Big Ten program with three selections.

That does not even cover the strength of the offensive line. Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld earned preseason All-American recognition, while Carson Hinzman joined them on the Outland Trophy watch list.

Basically, Ohio State has stars at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and across the offensive front. Head coach Ryan Day will not receive much sympathy if this offense suddenly forgets how to score during another championship game.

That already happened last season. Ohio State managed only 10 points in its Big Ten Championship Game loss to Indiana. The Buckeyes then fell behind Miami 17-0 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal before losing 24-14.

One bad night can happen. Two raised an uncomfortable question about whether this group could deliver when the postseason pressure arrived.

The schedule provides every opportunity

Ohio State will not cruise through a collection of glorified scrimmages. The Buckeyes travel to Texas, Indiana and USC. Oregon comes to Columbus in November, and Michigan closes the regular season.

That schedule is brutal, but it also gives Ohio State room for error. A close loss against another contender would not eliminate the Buckeyes from playoff contention. It might not even cost them a home playoff game.

The expanded postseason has removed most of the excuses. Ohio State does not have to finish undefeated. It simply needs to arrive in December healthy and playing near its potential.

A playoff appearance is not enough

Day has already won a national championship, but even that season included an embarrassing home loss to Michigan. The unranked Wolverines entered the 2024 matchup as massive underdogs and stunned the No. 2 Buckeyes 13-10 at Ohio Stadium. The loss prevented Ohio State from reaching the Big Ten Championship Game, where Oregon defeated Penn State for the conference title. The Buckeyes recovered to win four straight College Football Playoff games and capture the national championship, somehow conquering the country without beating their biggest rival or winning their own conference.

Michigan fans will still happily bring up that inconvenient detail whenever Ohio State supporters reminisce about the championship.

The expectations are even higher now. Sayin is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Smith could be one of the first players selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. Jackson gives the Buckeyes another centerpiece in the backfield.

Ohio State should win the Big Ten and reach at least the national semifinal. Anything can happen from there.

Another early postseason exit would be different. It would mean college football’s most talented offense had disappeared again when Ohio State needed it most. No team enters 2026 with a higher ceiling, and no team has further to fall.