By Micheal Germanese
Nick Saban retired on Jan 10, 2024, leaving the door open for someone to take over the top program and coaching spot in college football. It now looks like Ryan Day and Ohio State will take the opportunity to walk through the door. Day led Ohio State to its first national championship since 2014. On the way to the championship, Ohio State made history by beating five teams ranked in the AP Top 5.
That run to the national championship, got Day a $12.5 million contract extension and 15 players invited to the NFL combine. If all 15 hear their name called in Green Bay, Wis., it will tie the record for most by one school in the NFL Draft. Ohio State had four go in the first round already. It’s a testament to how talented this last year’s Ohio State team was. Day is now faced with losing a ton of starting talent from the roster that only returns seven starters from the national championship game.
21 of the 32 picks came from eight schools
Ohio State 4
Michigan 3
Georgia 3
Texas 3
Penn State 2
Alabama 2
Oregon 2
Ole Miss 2— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) April 25, 2025
Work to Be Done
Trying to replace 68 percent of the roster is tough enough but adding in replacing two of the top coordinators in college football should be impossible. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly used the success from the 2024 season to head to the NFL as the OC for the Las Vegas Raiders. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles stayed in the Big Ten Conference after deciding to leave Ohio State for Penn State, adding to the anticipation of the Nov. 1 matchup.
Most programs, with all these changes, would be looking at a rebuilding year. That’s not the case for an Ohio State program led by Day. Heading into the 2025 season, Ohio State has the best odds to win the national championship again at +600 according to FanDuel. Ohio State is Followed by Texas (+650), Georgia (+700) and Oregon (+700).
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Returning Talent
Ohio State lost a lot of talent, but it also returns a lot of talent with playing time thanks to several blowout games a year ago. The biggest two names coming back are wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs. Smith, a true freshman in 2024, was arguably the best WR in college football and should have won the Shaun Alexander Award for best true freshman. Downs is the best safety in the country and will be a top-5 pick in the 2026 draft.
Jermaine Mathews Jr. replaced Denzel Burke and will be an upgrade at the cornerback position. Davison Igbinosun is back in 2025. If Igbinosun can fix his handsiness combined with Mathews, Downs and Jaylen McClain in 2025, Ohio State’s secondary will be better than in 2024. Ohio State’s secondary ranked third giving up 167 yards per game in 2024. If they are better in 2025, offensive coordinators are going to have a hard time finding any way to pass the ball.
Gone are Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau and Cody Simon, a group that played a big part in OSU being ranked third in sacks per game with 3.31, along with being second in total sacks with 53. Even with all three now gone the defensive line could be just as good if not better in 2025.
Kenyatta Jackson Jr. saw limited time in his first three years and will be looking to make a name for himself in 2025. Caden Curry finished seventh with 2.5 sacks in 2024 and is poised to have a breakout year. Add in Sonny Styles, Eddrick Houston and CJ Hicks, along with transfers Logan George and Beau Atkinson, and they should make it very difficult on opposing quarterbacks.
#BOOM Former North Carolina defensive end Beau Atkinson commits to Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes one of the top edge rushers available in the transfer portal. https://t.co/fuisAtv7nO pic.twitter.com/pKwSd1OixJ
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 24, 2025
Quarterback Controversy?
The biggest—and maybe only—question mark facing Ohio State is at the QB position. Unlike a year ago when Day addressed the need for a starting QB in the transfer portal, this year he decided to go with the guys he had. Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz are battling for the starting spot in 2025. Sayin came over from Alabama a year ago and many believed he would be the starter in 2025. But following the spring game, it became apparent a QB battle was officially on in Columbus. Whoever ends up with the starting role will have no shortage of weapons to pick from. They will also have the advantage of having one of the top offensive lines in college football.
Sayin and Kienholz can’t afford to let up even a little with true freshman Tavien St. Clair sitting just behind those two. St. Clair just got to Columbus but has immense talent and will be in the thick of things for the QB1 spot in 2026.
Day went through a rollercoaster of a year in 2024 but ultimately got the job done. Now, Day is faced with contract extension expectations and to win a national championship every year.
If Ohio State doesn’t, the season can not be considered a success. It was Saban’s reality at Alabama. Now, it’s Days’ reality at Ohio State.
