Ohio State Buckeyes Earn Three Spots in Rankings of Top 25 Teams of the 2000's

Which Ohio State team of the 21st centrury is the best of all?

Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win 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

There aren’t many teams that have hoisted a college football national championship since 2000, and not all who have are created equally. And in the ever-changing landscape of the sport, yesterday’s heroes become nostalgic history points quickly.

Looking back on the great champions and teams of the past 24 years, the Ohio State Buckeyes deserve some recognition for the part they played in the never-ending story of college football. Both championship teams and one that fell just short were included in The Athletic’s Stewert Mandel’s ranking of the best teams of the 21st century.

The lowest-ranked Buckeye team was the 2014 national championship squad, the first team to win a national championship via the College Football Playoffs. It checked in at No. 24 on The Athletic’s list.

Ezekiel Elliott’s Legendary Postseason Powers Underdog Title Team

Personally, as an Alabama graduate and a long-time Ezekiel Elliott dynasty fantasy league owner, that 2014 Ohio State team was something special. I’ve often hit friends with this nugget: There’s a list of players who have rushed for 200+ yards against a Nick Saban-led Alabama defense, and the only player on it is Ezekiel Elliott.

Moreso, it speaks to how special Elliott was for that 2014 squad. The offense lost starting quarterback J.T. Barrett, forcing Cardale Jones into action as a freshman throughout the College Football Playoffs. Elliott proceeded to rush for 200+ yards in each postseason game, from Wisconsin to Alabama to Oregon to help the Buckeyes claim the title.

A team with just three AP All-Americans, it’s easy to overlook this team as an overachiever, given the circumstances. After all, the list is a look at the best teams, and, on paper, this one doesn’t stack up well against behemoths like the 2019 LSU Tigers. That said, it certainly doesn’t take anything away from those Buckeyes; if anything, it makes their accomplishments that much more impressive.

2002 Team Ranked Low Despite Undefeated Season

The next Buckeyes team featured on the list is the 2002 national championship Buckeyes team. Despite going undefeated, this team landed at No. 19 on the list because its offense was far from explosive. They ranked 41st nationally in scoring, rarely scoring above 20 points in conference play, and often winning by a touchdown or less.

Still, that 2002 team featured Chris Gamble on both sides of the football, a phenomenal freshman running back in Maurice Clarett, and Will Smith captained the defense. The squad sent a then-record 14 NFL Draft picks to the league the following spring after squashing Miami’s 34-game winning streak in the Fiesta Bowl. Unlike that Miami squad and the teams like it that finished near the top of this list, this Ohio State team was far from flashy. But they’d likely tell you that winning is the only thing that matters.

Finally, the best Ohio State team of the 21st century fell short of championship glory on the national stage. The 2019 Buckeyes, which finished 13-1 after a heartbreaking loss to the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff Semifinals, were ranked as the No. 14 best team.

Talent-Rich 2019 Buckeyes Still Seen as ‘What Could’ve Been’

That team featured seven AP All-Americans, including quarterback Justin Fields, defensive end Chase Young, and running back J.K. Dobbins, who finished with 2,000+ yards that season. It was an immensely talented group that left many Buckeye fans with a sour taste in their mouth for the early years of the Ryan Day era.

Ohio State had the type of offense and defense necessary to topple the 2019 LSU Tigers, but they weren’t afforded the opportunity.

Interestingly, the 2024 Ohio State national championship squad wasn’t mentioned on the list in any capacity. The most recent team included on the list was the 2023 Michigan Wolverines, which many Buckeye fans believe deserves an asterisk next to its name. It was ranked No. 11, just a few spots ahead of the best team Ohio State may have fielded in the past 24 years.