The Ohio State football program will be watching the national championship from home. After winning it all last season, they have to observe the game between the two teams that beat the Buckeyes this season. Indiana and Miami will square off for the title.
Both teams beat the Ohio State Buckeyes the same way. They both controlled the line of scrimmage, keeping Ohio State's offense from being able to move the ball effectively. That is something that the Buckeyes need to work on in the offseason heading into the 2026 season.
Despite losing back-to-back games to Indiana and Miami to finish out the year, Ohio State still should be considered one of the favorites to win it all next season. Despite the fact that they came up short in the two biggest games they played this year, there are a few reasons why they should be considered a title favorite next year.
The Ohio State football team should still be considered a favorite to win it all in 2026
The biggest reason why Ohio State should be considered a favorite is that it will be Julian Sayin's second year as a starting quarterback. As a freshman, he struggled to push the ball down the field if the route wasn't open right away. That is something he needs to work on during the summer.
With next year being his second year in charge, he should be much better at seeing the entire field. His offensive line should progress as well, giving him more time in the pocket. Jeremiah Smith has already said he's motivated more than ever next year, which is scary for the rest of the country.
Secondly, Matt Patricia looks like he will be staying for another season. That means that the defense will be very good once again, even though they lose a lot of talent. Patricia was able to make the defense statistically better this season than it was a year ago under Jim Knowles.
Who Ryan Day hires as an offensive coordinator matters, too. He needs to pick someone who will elevate the entire operation on that side of the ball. Still, this team has too much talent not to be considered one of the favorites next season.