Ohio State Football: Ranking the best offenses in the Big Ten

While the Big Ten is traditionally known for its smash-mouth defense, there are several teams with outstanding offenses. Where does Ohio State project to fit in this upcoming year?

There are some offenses that project to be among the very best in the country this upcoming year. Below are the three offenses I think will be most potent in 2020.

3. Penn State

There is a lot to like about the Nittany Lions offense of the future, and especially in 2020. Bringing back quarterback Sean Clifford should really help provide continuity and support.

The offensive line also will return mostly intact, and even though this unit was not great last year, the hope is that with continued development they will be solid this year.

Great depth at running back will allow Penn State to pound away on the ground with less fear of fatigue over the course of the season.

A new offensive coordinator in Kirk Ciarrocca will also provide an interesting boost.

For a team that averaged second in the Big Ten with 35.8 points per game last season, there are a lot of returning pieces to build on.

2. Minnesota

Minnesota and Penn State were neck and neck when trying to figure out which offense will be better in 2020.

I think Minnesota will have better numbers from an offensive perspective for two reasons.

The first is that their defense is far worse than the Nittany Lions. This was an issue for the team last year and I do not believe enough has been done to see that change overnight.

With that being said, if the defense gives up more points, the offense will be asked to score more points resulting in better stats.

The second is that Minnesota returns just a little bit more depth than Penn State.

The return their starting quarterback, Tanner Morgan, as well as two stud receivers in Rashod Bateman and Chris Autman-Bell.

The biggest piece missing for this team will be Tyler Johnson who went in the NFL Draft.

I think Minnesota fills their gaps better than Penn State, but only narrowly and produces the second-best offense in the Big Ten.

1. Ohio State

The team that is head and shoulders above all other offenses in the Big Ten is Ohio State.

With Justin Fields, Chris Olave, and the bulk of the offensive line returning, I don’t think any team has as much confidence as this group does.

This team lead the Big Ten with 46.9 points per game last year and the only big hole that needs to be filled is J.K. Dobbins.

Granted, that is a giant hole to fill, but Trey Sermon should be able to pick up a lot of that production. Add in the idea that Ohio State should throw the ball more in 2020, and you have the makings of another dominant offense.