The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Jim Harbaugh and archrival Michigan. They made the College Football Playoff again. In many ways, this team lived up to head coach Urban Meyer’s standards.
Yet, on the other hand, Ohio State didn’t win the Big Ten for the second straight year and the third in the last four. The Buckeyes were shut out by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, the College Football Playoff semifinal game. For a team which stands at the forefront of college football and whose accomplishments are eclipsed only by Alabama and Clemson in the past few seasons, there are still a lot of unanswered questions, and there is a sense of unfinished business in and around the program. The Buckeyes still have a lot to prove even though they are more successful than almost any school in college football.
How Did They End 2016
The Buckeyes beat Michigan in an overtime thriller after converting a game-saving fourth down and making a few other must-make plays against the Wolverines. The secondary came up with huge interceptions to keep the team in the game. The offense finally woke up in overtime to secure a spot in the playoff. However, once the Buckeyes got to the playoff, they were embarrassed and overwhelmed. A talented Clemson team didn’t even play its best game on offense, but the Tigers’ front seven dominated Ohio State’s offensive line, smothering the rushing attack and harassing OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett, who never had a good chance to make a positive impact all game long. The extent to which Ohio State was outplayed stuck in Urban Meyer’s craw. The coach hopes this will inspire his 2017 Buckeyes to be a lot better across the board.
Offseason Changes
Three members of the elite secondary which rose to the occasion against Michigan are gone. However, Ohio State recruits extraordinarily well in its defensive backfield, so this is weirdly not a point of great concern. It bears monitoring, but OSU should be fine.
On the coaching staff, Kevin Wilson – who had to step down at Indiana following an ugly set of revelations about his handling of players relative to safety concerns – will become the new offensive coordinator. He will replace Tim Beck, who went to Texas to tackle the same position under new coach Tom Herman. OSU also lost offensive assistant Ed Warinner in the reshuffling. Warinner is now offensive line coach at Minnesota.
Team X-Factor
The receivers need to be great after getting shut down by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl . Noah Brown is gone, but Parris Campbell and the other receivers joining him have to step up. Barrett is a Heisman-contending quarterback, but even Heisman contenders need their receivers to make them look good at times. Ohio State needs big-play capability so that it can put defenses off balance.
What To Expect From The Buckeyes This Year
Michigan lost a lot of defensive starters, so with Barrett back for one more year at quarterback, Ohio State should have the offense it needs to win a Big Ten championship. The Buckeyes are usually the most talented team in the Big Ten, and this year seems to be no different.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 11-2
2015: 12-1
2014: 14-1
2013: 12-2
2012: 12-0
Schedule and Outlook
The Buckeyes will have an easy start to the season with Indiana – a game where they’re expected to roll. They are a 20-point favorite on the road in that game. The season gets serious in Week 2 when the Oklahoma Sooners visit the Horseshoe. The good news is that the Sooners have a bit of a transition period with Bob Stoops’ surprise retirement.
In terms of the Big Ten tests, the Buckeyes will have to go to Michigan this season but that’s about it in terms of their challenges on the road but the Penn State game is at home.
The Michigan game is one in which OSU will have better players. This team will lose one regular season game at most and could very well go undefeated. That being the case, bet them to go over the number.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Over 10.5
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