Ohio State Not Favorite to Win Big Ten in 2023: USA Today

The Ohio State Buckeyes' 2022 season ended prematurely with a 42-41 loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve. The week before, the Buckeyes suffered their first loss of the season to the rival Wolverines 45-23 at home.

And now, Ohio State loses several key players to the NFL Draft and graduation. But for a storied program, it's business as usual as players will be replaced through the transfer portal and recruitment, and coach Ryan Day has his eyes set on a College Football Playoff appearance for 2023.

Everyone is chasing Georgia, who won a second-consecutive national championship last year, and the road to a title appears to once again go through the SEC. But the Big Ten might have something to say about that.

However, USA Today doesn't think Ohio State is the favorite to win the conference or even the dark horse.

Big Ten

Favorite: Michigan

Dark Horse: Wisconsin

"The Big Ten has three teams near the top of the FBS in the Wolverines, Nittany Lions and Buckeyes. After tearing through Ohio State in each of the past two seasons, Michigan has taken on the mantle of the Big Ten’s best program. This year's roster is the best of Jim Harbaugh's tenure and is potentially strong enough to stand up against the SEC champion in the playoff, should that unfold in January. Could Penn State leapfrog the Buckeyes and be the Wolverines’ biggest threat?

"That depends on the play of young quarterback Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions’ offensive line. Wisconsin fits the bill of a dark horse after hiring a new coach, Luke Fickell, and installing a new offense scheme built around Air Raid principles."

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