Ohio State Football: Setting expectations for 2020 season

Many Ohio State football fans have been dreaming of a National Championship team led by a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback in 2020. This is definitely possible, but are there more realistic expectation for Buckeye fans to take into the 2020 season.

The Ohio State football team is already among the early favorites to win the 2020 National Championship with just around 5 months until the scheduled start of the season.

Justin Fields is the favorite to win the Heisman trophy as he prepares for his second season as the signal caller for Ohio State. Is it only fair to put these two things together and say a successful season is only  if the Heisman winner and National Champions are Buckeyes?

First, we need to look at the Big Ten. We have examined the challengers in the East, and likely foes from the West, and determined that anything short of a Big Ten title would be considered a disappointing season. There are some games that will be very difficult but Ohio State is (on paper) once again the best team in the conference.

With that in mind, a berth in the playoff seems like it must be the next step. The winner of the Big Ten is always going to be a strong contender for the playoffs, and 2020 looks no different.

If they make the playoff, the Buckeyes will be expected to win by their fans. Another playoff appearance without at least a trip to the National Championship game would feel a little disappointing.

As for Justin Fields winning the Heisman, this one is more complicated. There are many great players in college football and winning the Heisman does not directly indicate team success.

I think the QB has a great shot, but a difficult game in bad weather could hurt his chances with other Heisman contenders who play all their games in warm weather.

Fields could have a fantastic year and still not win the coveted trophy. While that would be disappointing for the Buckeyes, having a Heisman winner does not feel like the biggest goal for this team

I think Ohio State can realistically have a National Championship or bust mindset with a Heisman contender being the cherry on top. What do you think expectations should be for the Buckeyes in 2020?