The Ohio State Buckeyes had the kind of season in 2017 which 97 percent of college football fans and schools would love to achieve. Yet, for Ohio State fans, it was a frustrating year in which a lot of processes did not run smoothly, and the team did not make the College Football Playoff. Ohio State is searching for the next gear in terms of performance. We’ll see if the 2018 team can exceed the regular season win total of 10.5.
Ohio State 2018 regular season win total
Over 10.5
Under 10.5
Odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook.
What Happened Last Year
The Buckeyes won the Big Ten championship for the first time since 2014. They beat Michigan, made the Cotton Bowl and convincingly outplayed USC in a comfortable victory. They finished the regular season with 11 wins and finished the full year with 12.
Yet, many felt they underachieved, and it was entirely reasonable to think so. That’s life at Ohio State, which recruits on par with Alabama and is expected to regularly join Alabama in the College Football Playoff each season. Failing to make the playoff is a big deal for Buckeye fans. Not being selected over the Crimson Tide was a shattering disappointment last December, and it revived a lot of outrage over the College Football Playoff’s selection process and criteria. Many felt Ohio State, as a conference champion, deserved the nod over Alabama, which didn’t win the SEC and didn’t even win its own division, the SEC West. Nevertheless, Ohio State’s 55-24 loss to Iowa clearly kept the Buckeyes out of the playoff. They paid dearly for that stinker.
What Will Change This Year
Lots of changes have occurred to the roster and coaching staff. Quarterback J.T. Barrett played four years at Ohio State and is now gone. Dwayne Haskins takes over at quarterback, poised to bring a fresh era to the program, one which fans hope will become even more successful than the past three seasons. Ohio State has become excellent and cranking out NFL-quality offensive linemen and defensive backs. Billy Price is the big offensive lineman to go to the pros, and Denzel Ward – from the secondary – was picked No. 4 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Ohio State must find good replacements at those positions, but coach Urban Meyer is used to doing that. Haskins is the biggest question mark on the roster, the one everyone will be looking at.
The other big change came on the coaching staff. Meyer kept defensive coordinator Greg Schiano – who very nearly became the head coach at Tennessee – but he brought in Alex Grinch, the young and rising star in the coaching community who vastly improved Washington State’s defense over the past few seasons. If Schiano leaves for a head coaching job after the 2018 season, Grinch becomes the natural successor and heir apparent. He should enable Ohio State’s defense to remain elite. The offense is the side of the ball with more uncertainties.
Outlook & Prediction
The Buckeyes hosted Penn State and Michigan State last season but have to play those two teams on the road this year. OSU very likely needs to split those two games in order to finish 11-1 and go over the win total. Since Ohio State still owns Michigan and Jim Harbaugh, it should be able to reach the 11-win mark. Take the over.
