Ohio State With 3rd-Best Odds To Win National Championship in 2023
It's debatable, with how the TCU Horned Frogs played in the title game, that the Ohio State Buckeyes missed hoisting the national championship trophy last season by one point.
This season, as the Buckeyes look to fill the void without quarterback C.J. Stroud under center, they are still littered with NFL talent on both sides of the ball and SI Sportsbook recognizes that, giving them +550. Ohio State trails back-to-back national champion Georgia and Alabama.
One of the biggest question marks with Ohio State ahead of next season is if it can get solid production from its starting quarterback.
It's still technically a two-horse race after the spring game between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown, but the former seems to have the edge especially with the latter having to rehab a finger injury and missing the spring game.
The quarterback's success next season also hinges on the offensive line, which showed significant holes in the spring with the losses of 2022 starters in tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones and center Luke Wypler.
The only locked down spots Ohio State has on the line are left and right guard in Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones, respectively.
The Buckeyes have brought in transfers Victor Cutler Jr. and Josh Simmons, but is unclear yet if either will earn a starting spot.
As it stood after the spring game, Josh Fryar appeared to be the starting left tackle, Carson Hinzman the starting center and Zen Michalski at right tackle, but that could change through summer and into fall camp with the addition of Simmons April 30.
The Buckeyes are once again loaded at receiver as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka return as two of the best in all of college football. They have depth behind them in Julian Fleming, Jayden Ballard, Xavier Johnson and freshman Carnell Tate, as well.
On the defensive side of the ball, Ohio State boasts a deep defensive line headlined by NFL talents in edge rushers J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer and defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr.
In addition to returning linebackers 2022 All-American Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers, the Buckeyes will have cornerback Denzel Burke back on the outside who is hungry to right the wrongs from last season.
Ohio State has its first road test against a Notre Dame team with a new-and-improved quarterback in Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman in the fourth week of the season.
If the Buckeyes escape that unscathed, they will have to tread lightly with tough conference opponents in Penn State at home and Michigan, which they have lost back-to-back games to, on the road.
Ohio State once again has the talent to compete for a national championship, but it will look to avoid the one or two hiccups it has each year in its quest for a title in 2023.
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