Ohio State third-year running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) celebrates an early touchdown in Ohio State’s 43-30 win over Maryland on Nov, 19 2022. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Lantern File Photo
Football season (noun): the best time of the year.
And it’s just around the corner.
If being a student at Ohio State and the thought of cheering the Buckeyes on every Saturday in the fall wasn’t enough, here are seven reasons to get excited for the season.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr.
From toe taps to one-handed catches, Harrison is unanimously the best wide receiver in all of college football. Despite all of the activity happening on a football field on game day, all eyes will be on him.
According to 247 Sports, he is the No. 1 most explosive player; Pro Football Focus has him as the No. 1 returning wide receiver and ESPN listed Harrison as college football’s top-overall receiver heading into the season.
Without explicitly coming out and saying it, all signs point to Harrison overwhelmingly being the top-rated player in his position, but maybe even overall.
The 2022 unanimous first-team All-American had 72 receptions for 1157 yards and 12 touchdowns. After losing the Biletnikoff award last December, I expect him to soar past those numbers this season with his eyes on the prize.
2. The Game
This season, “The Game” will be in Ann Arbor Nov. 25 — two years after the Buckeyes’ first loss to the Wolverines in eight seasons in 2021.
With head coach Ryan Day sitting at a 1-2 record against Michigan, and Buckeye fans awaiting their turn to be back on top and settle the trash talk they’ve likely been receiving for the past two years, the stakes have never been higher.
The Wolverines are stacked with returning starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy and arguably the best running-back room in college football in Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum, who are both listed in Pro Football Focus’ top-10 returning backs.
With the intense atmosphere and a first-year starting quarterback, Michigan is the biggest threat to the Buckeyes this season, and they will need to be at their absolute best to earn back control of the Big Ten.
3. Quarterback battle
Despite notoriously having a deep room, it’s been a while since Ohio State has had a true quarterback battle. Well, here we are now. Junior Kyle McCord or sophomore Devin Brown?
The obvious choice is McCord because he’s older and played under former quarterback C.J. Stroud for two seasons, so the experience is there. But Brown is a nice, young talent who might surprise us.
When students filled the Woody Hayes Athletic Center April 1 for the annual Student Appreciation Day hosted by the football program, many weighed in on who they thought the starter should be. I’d guess the announcement won’t be made until kickoff against Indiana Sept. 2, so the anticipation will dreadfully continue throughout the next month.
4. Home game versus Penn State
The second biggest matchup for the Buckeyes this season has to be against the Nittany Lions Oct. 21 at Ohio Stadium.
The atmosphere will be intense and should certainly be a can’t-miss game — the biggest home game for the Buckeyes this season. Though there is no official game time yet, it’ll likely be one under the lights, elevating the mood as it has done so for this matchup in year’s past.
According to ESPN’s preseason rankings, Penn State is ranked No. 10 and Ohio State is No. 1. Despite a quarterback competition of their own, the Nittany Lions always put up a fight and have a mean defensive line going against the Buckeyes’ full running-back room.
5. James Laurinaitis
A Buckeye legend was added to the coaching roster Jan. 27, James Laurinaitis, one of the greatest linebackers Ohio State has ever seen.
Laurinaitis played for the Buckeyes from 2005-2008 and led the team in tackles in three of those seasons. He’s also nominated for the sixth time to be inducted into the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame.
He played eight seasons in the NFL between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints before becoming a linebackers graduate assistant coach for Notre Dame last season, according to Sports Illustrated.
With his collegiate and professional experience, Laurinaitis has just the right recipe to guide Ohio State’s talented linebacker room to levels it hasn’t reached in several years.
6. Freshmen Offensive Talent
If you’ve been paying attention to Ohio State football over the past few seasons, you know the Buckeyes have been producing high-grade wide receivers, the likes of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Well, the list will probably continue on to say Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers and Bryson Rogers — all freshmen.
Tate was the No. 3-ranked receiver in 2023, Noah Rogers the eighth and Bryson Rogers the 43rd, but still a four-star prospect. Alongside them is Jelani Thurman, the 6-foot-5, third-ranked tight end in their class.
In Ohio State’s spring game April 15, Noah Rogers and Tate had a touchdown apiece, while Bryson Rogers had a short reception for three yards and Thurman with three catches for 25 yards.
With Harrison as good as he is and seniors Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka by his side, the freshmen must do what they can to stand out, and if anyone can do it it’ll be this group of four. Their impact will be greater than a lot of Buckeyes might anticipate.
7. Changes and Additions to the Defense
Finally, the defense has recently allowed more yards than seasons past, but in 2022, under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles for the first time, it has improved by allowing over 50 yards less per game.
The defense is stacked. With safeties like Sonny Styles, Lathan Ransom and Josh Proctor, cornerbacks like Denzel Burke and Jyaire Brown holding down the secondary, linebackers like Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers and defensive ends like Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau in the front seven, there’s a lot to work with.
In addition, the Buckeyes added several players via the transfer portal this offseason, such as safeties Ja’Had Carter and Davison Igbinosun, cornerback Lorenzo Styles and a disruptor on the defensive line, Tywone Malone.
Where the defense has lacked, the offense has thrived, so this could be the year double-digit yard gains come to an end.
With just over a month until the season opener against the Hoosiers in Bloomington, Indiana, it’s about time to memorize the roster, pull out the jerseys and get your tickets for what could turn out to be a national-championship-winning season.
