Ohio State team could be better than last year’s national champions

Ohio State’s season so far reads like a puzzle: a headline-making win to open against Texas, an unimpressive trip to Washington, and a predictable rout of Minnesota. Taken together, those results don’t make the Buckeyes easy to evaluate — but they do suggest something unexpected. Against the backdrop of roster turnover and coaching change, this year’s team might actually be more complete than the one that captured last season’s national title.

That’s not to say everything has been smooth. The departures on defense and a new coordinator with an uneven pro track record raised legitimate doubts. Yet the on-field product has quieted many critics and created a new set of questions: how much better can Ohio State get, and what will define its ceiling this fall?

Why the schedule paints an incomplete picture of Ohio State

Early results can be misleading. A season-opening victory over Texas drew national headlines but revealed some inconsistencies, while the road win at Washington didn’t offer the same clarity many expected. Meanwhile, a dominant performance against Minnesota was the kind of game a blue-blood program is supposed to win. None of those outcomes, by themselves, tell the full story of who the Buckeyes are.

• High-profile nonconference wins can mask lingering issues in scheme or execution.
• Road games reveal mental toughness, but not every opponent exposes the same weaknesses.
• Blowouts over lesser teams confirm depth and talent but don’t always stress-test a defense or offense.

Put together, the results make a case that Ohio State is still sorting itself out — and yet improving rapidly in several key areas.

Matt Patricia’s defensive fingerprints: bold schemes, elite personnel

When Jim Knowles left for Penn State and several defensive linemen departed for the NFL, the program entered a period of genuine uncertainty. Hiring Matt Patricia invited skepticism; while he helped craft dominant groups in New England years ago, his resume since then is mixed. What’s surprised observers is how quickly Ohio State’s defense has coalesced under his direction.

What’s different this season

Patricia has introduced looks and alignments you don’t often see in college football. Those schematic choices have allowed the Buckeyes to maximize a deep, versatile roster. With playmakers like Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caden Curry, the defense can disguise intentions and force quarterbacks into difficult decisions.

• Versatility: Downs and Reese can line up in several spots, creating matchup problems and pre-snap confusion for opponents.
• Disguise and pressure: Varied fronts and delayed blitzes have masked where the rush is coming from.
• Turnover potential: Aggressive ball-hawking has produced game-changing plays at crucial moments.

Ohio State’s defense is operating at a historically efficient level — both in yards allowed and in the way it alters opponents’ play-calling. That kind of consistency from a retooled unit is notable and a core reason national expectations have risen.

Offense finding balance: Ryan Day, Julian Sayin and the vertical threat

The Buckeyes’ offense has taken a step forward as well. Ryan Day has begun to tap into the downfield talent on the roster more frequently, and the passing game has started to open up in ways that make the attack less predictable.

Quarterback Julian Sayin has benefited as the staff schemes better opportunities for speedsters like Carnell Tate and established targets such as Jeremiah Smith. When those receivers get the ball deep, their success rate climbs, and that forces defenses to respect the vertical element — which in turn creates space underneath.

• Sayin’s willingness to take shots downfield has paid dividends, creating momentum-changing plays.
• Ryan Day’s play-calling has been more aggressive in the intermediate and deep zones.
• Role players, including Max Klare, are seeing more targets in the middle of the field as trust in Sayin’s timing increases.

These adjustments have allowed the offense to move away from conservative tendencies and start dictating tempo rather than reacting to it.

Key contributors shaping the season — players to watch

Talent depth has been a recurring theme. Several Buckeyes are integral to the team’s identity this year:

• Julian Sayin — National attention has turned to his growth as a downfield passer and his chemistry with receivers.
• Jeremiah Smith — A consistent big-play target who draws defensive focus and opens space for others.
• Carnell Tate — Speed and route-running that reward vertical looks; the Sayin-Tate connection is increasingly reliable.
• Caleb Downs & Arvell Reese — Defensive playmakers whose matchup flexibility creates schematic headaches for opponents.
• Sonny Styles & Caden Curry — Physical presence in the secondary and at the linebacker level, supplementing pressure packages.

Collectively, these players give Ohio State an identity on both sides of the ball: an innovative defense and an offense that can stretch the field.

Illinois looms next: the matchup that could clarify Ohio State’s ceiling

Next week’s trip to Illinois represents a litmus test. The Illini have been inconsistent, but the version that shows up could be Ohio State’s toughest challenge yet. If Illinois’ offense clicks — or if they deploy a defensive plan that slows the Buckeyes’ vertical game — it will expose where Ohio State still needs refinement.

The matchup will put pressure on two things in particular:

1. The defensive unit’s ability to handle a physical, multi-dimensional attack without leaning on predictable looks.
2. The offense’s capacity to sustain drives when downfield opportunities are limited and to execute in tight windows.

How Ohio State navigates those issues on the road will tell us a lot about how realistic national title talk is for this group — and whether the team is truly on an upward trajectory compared with last year’s championship squad.

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John Davis

John Davis is a sports journalist focused on the NBA, NFL, and major global championships. With seven years of live coverage, he breaks down performances and key strategies. His expertise gives you a clear view of every game and its impact.