Ohio State Buckeyes 2026 Season Preview

Julian Sayin steps into his second year as the starter as one of the most accurate passers in the sport. As a redshirt freshman he threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns against just eight interceptions while completing 77 percent of his attempts, one of the highest single-season marks in FBS history, a performance that made him a Heisman finalist and, in many eyes, a favorite to return to that conversation. He arrived as the top quarterback in his recruiting class and originally signed with Alabama, then announced himself immediately, becoming the first quarterback since 1984 to win his first career start against an AP No. 1 when the Buckeyes beat Texas in the 2025 opener, a game in which he set a school record by completing his first 16 throws. The one frontier left is his legs. Sayin rarely ran a year ago, and Arthur Smith's staff has openly framed added mobility as the X-factor that unlocks the offense. They do not need him to become a dynamic runner, only to punish defenses when the lane is there.

Sayin throws to the best receiver in college football. Jeremiah Smith, a 6-3, 223-pound junior, has been a force since he stepped on campus, piling up 163 catches for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns across his first two seasons, including 87 grabs for 1,243 yards and 12 scores in 2025. He is on track to own every major Ohio State receiving record before he leaves and profiles as a potential top-five pick in the 2027 draft. Opposing staffs plan to bracket him and still expect little relief. Brandon Inniss, a senior slot with 505 receiving yards over the past three seasons, is the steady veteran complement and doubles as the team's top punt-return option. Depth arrives through Devin McCuin, a senior UTSA transfer who racked up nearly 1,700 receiving yards over three seasons there and gives the room an experienced body behind the headliners. Five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. carries the buzz as a potential next star, and the group must replace the departed production of Carnell Tate. At tight end, sophomore Nate Roberts is in line to start after the loss of the team's leading tight end to the NFL.

The backfield is talented but unproven as a lead group. Sophomore Bo Jackson broke through as a freshman with 1,090 yards at 6.1 a carry and six 100-yard games, the second-most rushing yardage by any freshman in the country last season, and he headlines a rotation that Arthur Smith intends to lean on more heavily in a power-based scheme. Still, the Buckeyes need more juice on the ground after ranking outside the national top 50 in yards per rush, and the room is sorting out its pecking order behind Jackson following spring injuries, with transfers and young backs competing for carries.

The line is the offense's most experienced unit, returning four starters and built around center Carson Hinzman, a three-year starter with more than 30 games under his belt. Austin Siereveld is the group's most coveted pro prospect, a powerful 6-5, 325-pound blocker with more than 20 career starts whose versatility has him projected anywhere from guard to left tackle. Luke Montgomery, a senior with three years in the rotation, anchors the interior beside him. For all the returning bodies, protection is the question that lingers. Ohio State allowed only a handful of sacks through the 2025 regular season but surrendered 10 in its two playoff losses, when the front was overwhelmed. Cleaning that up is the difference between a good offense and a championship one.

Patricia's defense led the nation in scoring and total defense a year ago, surrendering just over nine points per game, the best mark by any FBS unit since 2011, but it must be rebuilt almost from scratch up front. The Buckeyes lost their entire starting defensive line to the NFL, including an All-American tackle and their sack leader, and return essentially no interior production. The rebuild leans on Kenyatta Jackson Jr., a 6-6, 265-pound senior edge with 44 games of experience who posted 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2025 and is regarded as the pass rusher this front simply must have. Alongside him, Alabama transfer James Smith brings 50 tackles and seven quarterback hits from his time in Tuscaloosa and is one of several large interior linemen with surprising lateral quickness against the run. Ohio State reloaded through the portal with more transfers up front, and the staff's track record developing linemen buys the group some patience, but the sacks and disruption have to be replaced.

The second level also turns over, losing a pair of high draft picks and dropping to a single proven returner. Payton Pierce, a junior with 26 games of experience, moves into a featured role in the middle after flashing as a rotational piece. Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro arrives as an immediate answer on the weak side, bringing 124 tackles, eight sacks and three years of Big Ten starts. The unit is young behind them and will have to grow up quickly, but the pieces to compete are in place.

The secondary is the strength of the defense and could be among the best in the country. Jermaine Mathews Jr., a 5-11 senior corner with 41 games played, steps up as the top cover man after intercepting a pair of passes last fall. Jaylen McClain, a junior safety and returning starter, brings 68 tackles and steady coverage snaps to the back end. Around them the Buckeyes added heavily. Earl Little Jr., a second-team All-ACC honoree at Florida State, is the prized newcomer, a versatile defender with 91 tackles and four interceptions over two seasons who is expected to play both nickel and safety while replacing an All-American, drawing praise from coaches for his hitting and playmaking. Duke transfer Terry Moore, another second-team All-ACC safety with 116 career tackles and four interceptions, projects as the focal point at free safety. Five-star sophomore Devin Sanchez, the top corner in his recruiting class, is primed for a breakout across from Mathews.

The kicking game, long a sore spot in Columbus, gets a makeover. Baylor transfer Connor Hawkins arrives to steady the placekicking after connecting on 18 of 22 field goals a year ago, including three of four from beyond 50 yards. Joe McGuire returns for a third season as the punter after a middling average, and Inniss headlines the return game. It is an area the Buckeyes have needed to shore up for years, and the offseason additions are aimed squarely at it.