The Ohio State football program has had sustained success over the last couple of decades. They consistently are one of the top teams every single year. The Buckeyes have won three national championships in the last 25 years, which is something very few programs can claim.
For many years, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been recognized as the class of the Big Ten Conference. Now, the Big Ten is the best conference in the country after having the last three national champions. The SEC's dominance over college football is clearly over.
While Ohio State isn't the clear Big Ten favorite heading into the 2026 season, it is one of the top contenders. Surprisingly, one of the biggest SEC homers is giving the Ohio State Buckeyes some major praise by calling them the premier program in the country.
Josh Pate calls Ohio state football team the premier program in the nation
Noted SEC homer Josh Pate surprisingly gave the Buckeyes some major praise on his show, calling them the best program in the country.
"I think Ohio State is the top program in the country. Ohio State's the top program in the country. Ohio State is 37-6 over the past three years. They've got a national championship mixed in here. They are a top-five recruiting program in the country. They're a very, very high value program in the country...and they are just excellent at staffing."
Everything Pate says is correct, but it's surprising to hear him say it. Normally, he just praises the SEC without much regard for the rest of the country. Ohio State is certainly the gold standard of programs right now, even though they fell short of their goal of winning back-to-back titles last season.
Ohio State is hoping to get back to winning a national championship in 2026, but they have an incredibly tough schedule to navigate. Winning a title in 2026 with the tough schedule they have in front of them would be perhaps the most impressive season Ryan Day has ever had.