Ohio State Football: Buckeyes should be Big Ten favorite
The Ohio State football team finds themselves as the preseason underdogs in the Big Ten yet again. Here is why the Buckeyes should be the favorite.
Over the last seven years, Ohio State has never finished worse than tied for first in the Big Ten East. Each of the last two years, the Buckeyes won the conference outright.
Yet they are not the favorites in their own division (Michigan predicted to win the East), let alone the Big Ten.
It seems like almost every summer, we find ourselves in the same position, listening to the same stories where the media chooses a team other than Ohio State to win the Big Ten. They look for to point vulnerabilities and then run with it.
In years prior, it’s been the youth, not having the defense or off the field distractions. But the Buckeyes still came together and overcame those question marks and adversity.
However, this year may be the biggest uncertainty of all with losing Urban Meyer to retirement and a slew of talent to the NFL.
Nevertheless, there is no need to worry as the 2019 Ohio State roster is arguably the most talented group in Columbus since 2015. The Buckeyes have recruited well and hired elite coaches to maintain the track of the program in Meyer’s departure.
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Justin Fields, JK Dobbins, and KJ Hill will lead an explosive offense which will be similar in output to 2018. The difference though, will be the style of play as Fields’ ability to run the football will have to be accounted for unlike last year with Dwayne Haskins.
On the defensive side of the ball, Chase Young and Jonathan Cooper headline a ferocious line. Jordan Fuller and Jeffrey Okudah will hold things down on the back-end along with the rest of the secondary.
The Buckeye defense will play downhill and fast under Johnson, Mattison, Washington and Hafley. Expect the Silver Bullets to return to true form this year and hold opposing offenses in check while not giving up nearly as many chunk yardage plays.
Next. Finally, fall camp is about to begin. dark
Taking all of this into consideration, betting against the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten seems like a viable option because of the question marks. But the talent and potential is all there waiting to be unleashed. So the reigning back-to-back champions would be my pick until proven otherwise.