The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off their national championship season of 2024, but make no mistake, they will be a much different team in 2025.
Ohio State will not repeat as national champions in 2025. They will look more like last year’s team up north, the Michigan Wolverines.
Here is why:
In 2023, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Washington Huskies to win the national title. As a result, the Wolverines received 18 invites to the 2024 NFL Combine, the most of any school and the most invites to one school in a decade.
Losses from Michigan’s offense included quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was a first-round draft pick, running back Blake Corum and his 27 rushing touchdowns and wide receiver Roman Wilson. Defensive losses included key starters and contributors such as leading tackler LB Junior Colson, LB Michael Barrett and defensive back Mike Sainristil (six INTs, two TDs).
But the biggest loss for the Wolverines was their head coach Jim Harbaugh, who left to take the same job with the Los Angeles Chargers. Harbaugh posted a 89-25 record over nine years in Ann Arbor, a .781 winning percentage.
Sherrone Moore replaced Harbaugh. But due to the lost talent and production, and a change in coaching styles, the Wolverines failed to earn a berth in the college football playoff and finished with an 8-5 record last season.
Ohio State had 15 of their top players from last season’s championship team invited to the 2025 NFL Combine, the most of any school.
Ohio State lost QB Will Howard, running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka from a unit that produced 6,870 yards of total offense. In addition, the Buckeyes lost three key starters from their offensive line who had a combined 105 starts.
On defense, Ohio State lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who packed his bags and moved to Happy Valley to coach conference rival Penn State’s defense in 2025. Knowles elevated the Buckeyes defense to elite status.
Eight Ohio State elite defenders left for the NFL, including defensive end Jack Sawyer, DE JT Tuimoloau and linebacker Cody Simon.
In 2025, the Buckeyes will field an inexperienced quarterback. Julian Sayin, who held a clipboard last season, will presumably get QB1 reps under center.
In addition, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly moved on to the NFL. As a result, Brian Hartline will take over play-calling duties. Players will have to learn new schemes and new terminology.
The defense will be a shell of its former self. Safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles return. However, they will have to learn a new system under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
All the above, lost talent and production, lost continuity on the coaching staff and inexperience at key positions are significant reasons why the Buckeyes will not repeat as national champions in 2025, exactly like that team up north in 2024 that wears the maize and blue and plays in the Big House.
Nevertheless, Ohio State has been ranked No. 1 in an ESPN way-too-early top-25 football poll. This is recency bias at its best.
So, let’s pump the brakes on the way-too-early top team in the country rankings until we see who shows up, stays and shows out in spring practice and fall camp.
