The Ohio State Buckeyes' offensive line was ranked No. 2 on the Athletic's Nick Baumgardner's rankings, sitting behind just the Oregon Ducks through the latter's first four games and the former's first three games of the 2025 season.
Baumgardner lauded the returning players, center Carson Hinzman, tackle Austin Siereveld, and guard Tegra Tshabola, for helping first-year OL coach Tyler Bowen not look like a liability on Ryan Day's staff.
Baumgardner also shared stats that are admittedly skewed by a 70-0 win against the FCS Grambling State Tigers, a squad predicted before the season to finish in the bottom half of the SWAC. Not that the rest of the Power 4 haven't beaten up on at least one cupcake by now.
"The Buckeyes have played one fewer game than the Ducks, but they certainly have an argument to be ranked No. 1. Despite having to deal with Texas’ extremely talented defensive front in the opener, Ohio State ranks No. 5 in sack rate, No. 2 in pressure rate and No. 3 in the lowest percent of plays to result in negative yards," Baumgardner wrote.
"Led by first-year starting QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State’s offense has been extremely efficient, despite having to make critical replacements from last year’s national title squad. And the offensive line has been a great stabilizer.
"The Buckeyes did bring back talented starters in center Carson Hinzman, tackle Austin Siereveld and guard Tegra Tshabola. That trio has been huge for first-year line coach Tyler Bowen, who’s had to break in first-year starting guard Luke Montgomery and Minnesota tackle transfer Phillip Daniels."
OSU's offensive line has given Julian Sayin the room to look like an early Heisman candidate as a redshirt freshman. Freshman running back Bo Jackson lived up to the lofty standards his namesake gives him in the last two games against Grambling State and the Ohio Bobcats with consecutive 100-plus-yard games. Jackson was sorely needed in a 37-9 win over the Bobcats that was far closer than the final score indicated.
None of that is possible without the guys in front of them doing their jobs.
Bowen has had it under wraps, although truthfully, Mark Pantoni deserves the most credit for convincing Hinzman, Siereveld, and Tshabola to come back to defend the Buckeyes' national championship.