MY THOUGHTS.....2025 season

 

The 2025 Ohio State football season was one of peaks and valleys.  Entering as the defending national champions and seeming primed for a run to win a second straight title, the Buckeyes, who were ranked at the top of the polls from the second week of the season, crashed and burned late and ended the season on a two-game losing streak. 

                The peaks included sophomore and brand-new starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who emerged as a Heisman candidate, ultimately finishing as a Heisman finalist.  Sayin ended up having one of the highest QB efficiency rating in college football, throwing for over 3600 yards and 32 touchdowns against only eight interceptions.  Jeremiah Smith entered the season as one of the best receivers in the country and continued that trend, leading the way with 87 receptions for 1243 yards and twelve touchdowns.  Carnell Tate emerged as the perfect complement to Smith, with 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine scores.  Purdue transfer TE Max Klare added a different option to the passing attack and delivered 43 receptions for 448 yards and two scores and Brandon Innis proved to be a viable target with 36 catches for 271 yards and three scores.  On the defensive side, Arvell Reese burst on the scene as he made plays all over the field in racking up 69 tackles, good for second on the team,  Sonny Styles led the defense with 82 tackles.  Caleb Downs picked up where he left off in 2024 as a ball-hawking defensive back, with 68 tackles and two interceptions, while Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald made important contributions on the defensive line with 66 and 65 tackles respectively.  However, there were pitfalls, notably on the offensive line.  Although newcomer Bo Jackson managed over 1000 yards and C.J. Donaldson showed his tough inside running, the offensive line was never able to consistently generate success in their run blocking efforts and fell apart the last two games, giving up ten sacks in those two games.  The defense was rock solid nearly the entire season, rarely giving up more than one touchdown per game, but were unable to get off the field at critical times against Indiana and Miami.

                The transfer portal has now opened and as of this writing, nine players have announced their intention to enter, starting with WR Bryson Rodgers announcement on Dec 18.  TE Jelani Thurman followed shortly after the conclusion of the Cotton Bowl, while New Years Day witnessed the decisions by QB Lincoln Kienholz, RB Sam Dixon, RB James Peoples, WR Damrion Witten, CB Bryce West and defensive linemen C.J. Hicks, Dominic Kirks and Logan George.  In addition, outstanding defensive back Caleb Downs will declare for the NFL draft.  As of this writing, Ohio State is hoping to get the top linebacker in the transfer portal to come here; Pittsburgh’s Rasheem Biles, who was born and raised in Columbus.

                Looking to next season, not only will there be challenges in improving offensive line play, but the departure of Brian Hartline leaves quite a void to be filled on the coaching staff.  The Buckeyes pay a visit to Austin to play Texas the second game and have tough road games at Indiana and at USC, while Oregon and Michigan come to town.  So, the schedule is not an easy one.  But the 2025 Buckeyes went further than I thought they would.  At the beginning of the season, I figured they would go 9-3 after losing many experienced players off their national championship team.  But these Buckeyes made an impressive run through the regular season.  They gutted out an opening win against a top-ranked Texas team with many new faces in the lineup and ended the regular season dominating Michigan on their home field.  They defeated seven teams that were in bowls and thanks to new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, rebuilt one of the best defenses in 2024 and made it even better in 2025, while Julian Sayin has developed into one of the best quarterbacks in the nation with one of the best receiving corps anywhere.  So, the team has quite a few exciting, proven players coming back in 2026.

2025 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2)(9-1)

14          Texas                               7

70          Grambling State             0

37          Ohio University              9

24          at Washington                 6

42          Minnesota                         3

34          at Illinois                           16

34          at Wisconsin                    0

38          Penn State                        14

34          at Purdue                          10

48          UCLA                                   10

42          Rutgers                                9

27          at Michigan                       9

10          Indiana                              13 (B1G Championship)

14          Miami                                 24 (Cotton Bowl: CFP Quarterfinal)