The Ohio State Buckeyes have a tough road ahead to defend their College Football Playoff National Championship. On August 30, they face what could be their toughest test of the season against the Texas Longhorns at "The Shoe."
NBC Sports' Vaughn Dalzell believes OSU has more questions than answers this season, and suggested a 9-3 season -- most likely a non-CFP season assuming enough teams win 10 games -- is possible if they lose, since the Penn State Nittany Lions are coming to town on November 1 and "The Game" is in Ann Arbor to cap off the regular season.
"Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin will be a hot commodity in 2025, and as time goes on, Sayin will gain experience, but there are more questions than answers in Columbus this season," Dalzell wrote.
"Ohio State’s defense has three starters back with zero on the defensive line, their short three offensive line starters from last year, plus the star running back duo of Treyveon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are in the NFL. There is a lot to replace for the Buckeyes this season and with a home game versus Texas — a loss could put Ohio State on thin ice with Penn State and Michigan still on the schedule."
The Buckeyes are shaky in both the offensive and defensive trenches. It's a rough proposition with Penn State returning most of theirs and a road matchup at the "Big House."
Losing to the Longhorns in a nutshell isn't a narrative catastrophe in Columbus. Especially if it's a close game.
It shouldn't be. But with so much money being poured into this regime, it's almost certainly going to be.
It's hard to say Dalzell isn't onto something, though. Ryan Day is still on the hook for losing to TTUN yet again last November. Losing the first game of his team's title defense would intensify that -- and most certainly shine an even brighter light on his already-highly-questioned coordinator hires.