ESPN Reveals Where Ohio State Football Lands Among Top 2025 Teams

Ohio State football is widely expected to be among the best teams in the country in 2025, but here's where ESPN's computer-generated rankings placed them.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Christian Gray (29) in the fourth quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes are expected to be one of the best in college football again in 2025. After reigning supreme over the country last season, there's a good chance Ohio State is able to repeat as champions. With the Buckeyes' first game about six weeks away, we'll soon find out if this team has what it takes to run the table.

One of the biggest questions will be the play of Julian Sayin, the Buckeyes five-star quarterback who is expected to lead the offense. He'll have Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Max Klare as his weapons, so it is pretty likely he succeeds at a high level. The defense, led by Caleb Downs, should be dominant.

The Buckeyes schedule won't do them any favors. They have Penn State, Michigan and Texas, the latter of which is the first game of the season. Ohio State will have an underrated battle against Illinois on the calendar as well.

Despite all of that, ESPN's computer-generated model predicted the top five playoff teams, and per The Spun, the Buckeyes were among them. Texas and Georgia were the first two with Ohio State coming in at No. 3 and Alabama and Penn State rounding out the list.

With both coordinators having left for greener pastures, the Buckeyes might have a challenge in front of them with new personnel. Nonetheless, the talent is undoubtedly going to be there, but this will certainly be a test of how good Ryan Day can bring a new staff together to hopefully dominant the Big Ten again.

The Buckeyes will kick off their season at home against the Texas Longhorns on August 30, one of their premier games of the season. With Arch Manning coming to Columbus, this first game should give a good inclination of just how good the Buckeyes and Longhorns can compete on a national platform.