Ohio State Football: Year 2 expectations for Ryan Day’s Buckeyes

Expectations surrounding the Ohio State football team are always high, but the Buckeyes live up to them. In year two for Ryan Day, nothing will change.

The Ohio State football team was a force to be reckoned with in Ryan Day’s first full season as head coach. The Buckeyes had arguably the best, most complete team in the country, but a falter against Clemson halted its championship aspirations.

You live and you learn as the young, yet brilliant head coach saw first hand in 2019. Ohio State dominated on both sides of the ball having a +470 scoring differential prior to the CFP and finished the season +463.

Justin Fields proved he was a tough, elite quarterback last year throwing for more than 40 touchdowns with only three interceptions. Fields also had a huge impact on the game with his legs. His dual threat abilities make him next to impossible to defend and getting a second year under Ryan Day will be beneficial for his game.

Expectations are through the roof in year two considering Fields’ generational talent. Along with Trevor Lawrence, he is the best quarterback in the country and should lead the Heisman race in 2020.

Lawrence will also be near the top of the list, but teammate Travis Etienne will be as well. But as we saw last year, teammates tend to cancel each other out in the voting.

Fields will have plenty of weapons on the perimeter with WRs Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson becoming one of the best duos in the country. True freshmen such as Julien Fleming should also have an immediate impact and see playing time similarly to his aforementioned counterparts.

Replacing JK Dobbins will be the toughest task for the 2020 Buckeyes, but the tandem of Master Teague and Justin Fields will still pose as a major threat to defense. Ohio State will still have one of the best offenses in the country possessing the abilities to bruise you between the tackles, flash the speed on the perimeter or use an air raid attack.

Overall, the Buckeyes will undoubtedly look different this upcoming season but the expectations will still be as high. Ohio State is the favorite in the Big Ten and is among the favorites to win the National Championship.

I expect the Buckeyes to get back to the CFP unbeaten and win the title in another thriller against the Clemson Tigers.