Sports Americana

Every August, the Ohio State Buckeyes arrive with the same expectations: win the Big Ten, make the playoff, and play for a national championship. Anything less is considered a disappointment in Columbus.

The 2026 version of the Buckeyes has plenty of reasons to believe that another championship is possible.

Quarterback Julian Sayin returns after a spectacular 2025 season in which he threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns while completing nearly 77 percent of his passes. He also has the luxury of throwing to perhaps the best player in college football, Jeremiah Smith.

And then there is Bo Jackson, coming off a 1,000-yard freshman season.

In other words, Ohio State has problems that most coaches would happily have.

The biggest change comes on the sideline. Arthur Smith takes over as offensive coordinator, bringing a more physical, run-oriented approach that could make an already talented offense even more difficult to defend.

But this isn’t simply a story about talent.

Ohio State had plenty of that last season.

The Buckeyes cruised through most of 2025 before running into trouble when the games mattered most, losing to Indiana and Miami to end their championship hopes. This year’s team will have to show that it can find another gear when the stakes rise.

And the schedule won’t offer many hiding places.

A trip to Texas comes in Week 2. The Buckeyes also face defending national champion Indiana, travel to USC, host Oregon and finish the regular season against Michigan.

That’s not a schedule.

That’s an audition.

Ohio State has the quarterback. It has the superstar receiver. It has an experienced offensive line and a roster loaded with future NFL players.

Now comes the hard part.

Finish.

The Buckeyes have already won a national championship under Ryan Day. They know what it looks like.

The 2026 question is whether they can get back there—and this time, finish the story.