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Ohio State Football: College Football Season Preview 2021

By Blake Biscardi

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 23: Ryan Day, head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes speaks during the Big Ten Football Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 23: Ryan Day, head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes speaks during the Big Ten Football Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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The race for the CFP will be as intense as it’s been this era as Alabama, Ohio State football, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Georgia are going to give us massive debates all year. Aside from the familiar faces, Iowa State, Texas A&M, Oregon, and Cincinnati all have opportunities to crash what’s been an exclusive party.

College football is one of the most authentic sports in the world, filled with rich tradition, pageantry, and deeply rooted passion. After a year with reduced, limited, or zero capacity crowds, it is time to return this beloved game to its rightful stage.

Bring on the crisp fall air, tailgates, and gameday rituals. We’re ready for you.

In my 5th annual season preview, I will give my team and upset watchlists, break down my Top 25, and predict the conference championship games and College Football Playoff.

September is loaded with top collisions early and often. We’ll get a great look into Clemson, Georgia, the Ohio State football team, and Oregon in the first two weeks and see which teams position themselves for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

However, one of the most unique aspects of this upcoming season is Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State are all starting new quarterbacks. Will this open a door for another team to sneak into the playoff or will the Tide, Tigers, and Buckeyes manage to remain on the throne of college football?

Cincinnati is a team outside of the usual suspects with an opportunity to prove itself on the big stage early. They have both Indiana and Notre Dame on their schedule, and a win over either would be huge for Luke Fickell’s program. But pulling out two could bolster the Bearcats into serious playoff discussions.

We’ll take a deeper dive into my Top 25 in a minute, but first here are a few teams and games to keep on your radar throughout the season:

Teams to Watch

  1. Oklahoma Sooners
  2. Cincinnati Bearcats
  3. LSU Tigers
  4. USC Trojans
  5. Iowa State Cyclones
  6. Utah Utes

Upset Alert?

  • LSU @ Ole Miss
  • Penn State @ Iowa (PSU vs. Indiana week before)
  • Iowa @ Northwestern (Iowa @ Wisconsin week before)
  • Washington @ Stanford (Stanford idle week before)
  • Oklahoma @ Kansas State

Now, let’s take a closer look at my 2021 Preseason Rankings starting with the teams ranked 16-25.

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