It takes a special breed of program for an 11-2 overall record, 8-1 mark in conference, be divisional co-champs, win the Rose Bowl and be top ten in the final polls for it to be a down season, but that is what Ohio State is feeling. A non-conference loss to Oregon and rivalry defeat to Michigan kept them out of the playoffs and Indianapolis and that was enough to prevent this from being a banner year. Must be nice to be this successful.
The primary issue for Ohio State in their losses last year was a defense that just wasn’t championship worthy. The offense was amazing and bailed them out in games against Minnesota and Utah in Pasadena but against the Ducks and Wolverines, there just wasn’t enough in the tank. Maximizing the defensive talent and play calling was task one in the offseason. Task two was figuring out which of the countless weapons they have offensively would get slotted as starters and which wouldn’t.
Let’s start with that incredible offense. Back is quarterback C.J. Stroud who put up the same insane numbers his predecessors did but he looks to be even better a natural thrower than Justin Fields or the late great Dwayne Haskins Jr. As good as those two were, Stroud might be the best of the lot.
His favorite target, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is also back. There is a real possibility of the Heisman winner throwing to the Biletnikoff winner right here in Columbus. Running back TreVeyon Henderson showed how talented he was last year and his continued development has Buckeye fans drooling.
What is so scary though is there were about a million five star kids coming in the last few years so there are guys we aren’t even expecting to jump up. A good example of this is Marvin Harrison Jr. He wasn’t expected to do too much last year as a freshman and didn’t. He ended with just 139 yards and 3 TDs. What if with Smith-Njigba doubled up, he gets open all the time and puts up insane numbers? Like a Hydra, OSU has an unlimited supply of heads that can’t possibly all be chopped off…this is all metaphorical, obviously.
Ending with the big uglies, this unit should be fine. They had a few hiccups now and then last year but the tackles are solid and again, there are about a million five star kids there. OSU will have one of the best lines in the league again.
Okay, defense time. The “issue” with OSU last year. Is it fixed? It should be. They were already really good at getting sacks and picks. What they worked on in camp were more fundamental things like pursuit angles and using the absurd depth OSU has rather than just the two-deep. The talent is there, OSU just needs to use it better. If things don’t get turned around with the talent on the roster, I’m sure Ryan Day won’t hesitate to make staff changes in the offseason to find the coaches who will get more juice from that orange.
Special teams also project to be good. Solid kicker Noah Ruggle is back as is the punter and long snapper. Smith-Njigba did returning duties last year which is scary to think about – both in terms of his big play potential but also his health. All in all, there is really no weakness with this team. Like Georgia and Alabama, they are facing perfection each week. If they play perfectly, no one can beat them. If they lose sight of their goals and get sloppy or penalty happy or take bad pursuits on D, they might get upset – but the key words are might and upset.
2022 Schedule:
Notre Dame:
- Best Case: They demolish the Irish so bad, Touchdown Jesus moves to the Horseshoe. 1-0
- Worst Case: First year coach for the Irish and a lot of new player faces. I don’t see an upset happening. 1-0
- Prediction: Notre Dame defense holds up for a bit but the floodgates open in the second half as OSU cruises. OSU, 42-21, 1-0 (0-0)
Arkansas State:
- BC: The starters are pulled at the half in a cakewalk. 2-0
- WC: Barring injuries that ruin the rest of the season, I don’t see how the overmatched RedWolves do much damage to the Bucks. 2-0
- P: The starters get the second half off so it isn’t something insane like 75 points put up, but it will still be brutal. OSU, 56-6, 2-0 (0-0)
Toledo:
- BC: Ditto the ASU game. 3-0
- WC: Ditto the ASU game. 3-0
- P: Ditto the ASU game. OSU, 56-6, 3-0 (0-0)
Wisconsin:
- BC: Wisconsin’s O doesn’t have the chops to hang in a shootout. 4-0
- WC: Badger D plays lights out and Mertz has the game of his life. Stunning development in Columbus. 3-1
- P: Bucky’s D keeps them in it up to a certain extent, but just not enough offensive juice for the upset to come to fruition. OSU, 28-14, 4-0 (1-0)
Rutgers:
- BC: Buckeyes are dominating so another early day of rest for the starters. 5-0
- WC: Even if OSU is decimated by injuries and failing to live up to expectations and Rutgers is exceeding every expectation, I just don’t see RU’s offense being able to score enough points to win this game. 4-1
- P: Statistically speaking, RU will win this game eventually. It just won’t be in 2022. OSU, 56-14, 5-0 (2-0)
At Michigan State:
- BC: MSU couldn’t stop anyone from passing last year. I bet even the Army could have a 200 yard passing day on ‘em in 2021. 6-0
- WC: MSU sorts out their passing D issues and is actually the team to beat in the East. Spartans triumph at home. 4-2
- P: Yeah, until I see MSU’s pass D, I’m not expecting it to have miraculously improved. OSU, 42-21, 6-0 (3-0)
Iowa:
- BC: Iowa’s O comes in averaging 1.5 points per game. No shot. 7-0
- WC: Crazier things have happened at Kinnick…not in Columbus. 5-2
- P: Just like in Indy, the Iowa D plays well for the first half but is exhausted after 25 three and outs by the O and wears down. OSU, 42-10, 7-0 (4-0)
At Penn State:
- BC: Manny Diaz trying to draw up a way to slow OSU down? Yikes. 8-0
- WC: Sean Clifford ends his career as the best QB in the league and OSU’s D is just giving up chunk plays left and right. 5-3
- P: I fully expect PSU to be spirited in this one and make it a game for about three quarters. OSU just has too much firepower. OSU, 27-17, 8-0 (5-0)
At Northwestern:
- BC: After a nasty road trip last week, OSU enjoys this one being over at half. 9-0
- WC: Even year magic has its limitations. Bucks win this one no matter what. 6-3
- P: Massive talent gap in this one and it will show early. Bucks roll. OSU, 49-14, 9-0 (6-0)
Indiana:
- BC: Good ‘get right’ game before the last road trip of the year and the big game against Michigan. 10-0
- WC: Even if Indiana were vastly improved, I don’t see how they can win this based on the two rosters. 7-3
- P: Rebuilding Hoosiers get pummeled. OSU, 56-10, 10-0 (7-0)
At Maryland:
- BC: The final tune up goes according to plan before The Game. 11-0
- WC: Terp O can match firepower but the UM D…not enough to steal it. 8-3
- P: The Maryland defense is just too much of an unknown for me to even think of going against the Bucks in this one. OSU, 49-17, 11-0 (8-0)
Michigan:
- BC: All is right in the universe. Undefeated, off to Indy, playoffs sixty minutes away. 12-0
- WC: Hmm, Ryan Day isn’t winning as much without Urban’s players, is he right for the job? 8-4
- P: What a game to predict in the offseason. You have OSU with a little more respected roster but you have Michigan right there with them but playing at home. I’m going to be a complete chicken and say, ‘no one beats Ohio State twice in a row!’ It’s a dumb take but its all I got before seeing either team play. OSU, 35-31, 12-0 (9-0)
Wrap Up:
Short and sweet: OSU is a title contender. Not just eastern division, or the league, but the whole thing. Anything less than the playoffs will feel like a letdown based on the talent assembled on this roster. They have an excellent quarterback, a deadly receiver group, and a stable of A+ running backs. Barring defensive issues cropping up or the injury bug, this is one of the most complete rosters in America.
Big Ten and Counting 