Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes not in preseason poll for second straight season

On Monday, the Preseason AP Top 25 rankings were released for the 2023-24 college basketball season. Where do Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball program stand?

For the second straight year, the Ohio State basketball team will begin the season outside of the first preseason poll. This isn’t entirely shocking news. Given the season the Buckeyes had last year, they weren’t going to be a ranked team to start the season.

This does not mean Ohio State can’t creep its way inside the top 25 rankings at any point of the season. They will need some big wins against tougher opponents to become ranked. Luckily for the Buckeyes, they will have opportunities in the early part of the season against other ranked teams.

The Buckeyes host No. 15 Texas A&M on November 10th for their second game of the season. Then they will face another SEC foe, No. 24 Alabama, in the Emerald Coast Classic on November 24th.

There are only three teams from the Big Ten that cracked the initial AP Poll. The reigning Big Ten and National Player of the Year, Zach Edey, and the Purdue Boilermakers earn the highest ranking of Big Ten teams at No. 3. The Michigan State Spartans are right behind Purdue at No. 4.

Lastly, Illinois rounds out the top 25 at No. 25. Wisconsin, Maryland, and Indiana were other Big Ten teams to receive votes. Ohio State did not receive any votes.

The Buckeyes will be flying under the radar this college basketball season, as many experts believe they will be in the middle part of the Big Ten. They are much more experienced than last year and bring in an extremely talented freshman class. Which is why I think they will be able to compete with anyone.

We are exactly three weeks away from the Ohio State basketball team’s opening game against Oakland. Hopefully, the Buckeyes use their miserable season last year to motivate them to have a great 2023-24 season.