3 Ohio State Player Predictions for Week 1 vs. Ball State

The Buckeyes are three days away from their first game action of the 2026 season, and here are three players who should have big opening days for Ohio State.

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Jaylen McClain (8), linebacker Christian Alliegro (14) and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (7) line up during the first practice of training camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus on Aug. 6, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ohio State Football will open their season in three days against Ball State, and Buckeye fans are ready to see some big performances from their returning stars and new talent.

In what should be a warmup game for the squad to get acclimated seeing someone in a different jersey across from them and new schemes, some big performances could emerge for Buckeyes looking to earn a bigger role moving forward this season.

Especially with No. 5 Texas waiting for an anticipated matchup in Austin for Week 2, head coach Ryan Day will get a strong look at who is ready to be key contributors in that game and who may need a few weeks more to earn their spot.

Heading into Week 1, here are three player predictions before a highly anticipated start to the 2026 season for the Buckeyes.

Both Bo Jackson and Isaiah West Rush for Over 100 yards

There is no question we should see a lot of running the football Saturday with the combining factors of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme and an offensive line that returns four starters from last year.

To add to that, Ohio State features two feature backs ready to explode in their second year in Jackson and West. 

Ball State’s defense allowed 178.8 yards/game last season, and that was against primarily MAC opponents. With the front seven projected to be one of the worst groups on their defense, prepare for a rushing onslaught from the Buckeyes.

As West and Jackson have dominated training camp headlines with their growth over the offseason, expect both to have massive days to start the season Saturday.

Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Finishes with 2+ Sacks 

Jackson Jr. is one of a few returning starters from last year’s record breaking Ohio State defense. Having a year under defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s scheme and an elevated role as the premier edge rusher on the line, he is expected to make a massive jump into 2026. 

Ball State was one of the worst teams in the country last season, allowing around 4 sacks a game. This ranked in the bottom three of all FBS teams from last season.

Ohio State has also had a good track record against MAC teams, averaging close to 5 sacks a game during the Ryan Day era. Ball State tackle Chris Hood is one of the better players on their team, but he will not see a player like Jackson Jr. the rest of this season.

These three factors set up the senior edge rusher for a big day, and a great start to what could be one of the best seasons off the edge Ohio State has seen since Chase Young.

Christian Alliegro Will Lead the Team in Tackles

Alliegro is one of a multitude of newcomers starting on the Ohio State defense this season, and also holds the most experience of that group.

After three productive years at Wisconsin, he joins Payton Pierce at middle linebacker with a strong run-stopping ability and strength in getting to the quarterback. He fits next to Pierce who is great in drop coverage, meaning we should see a lot of Alliegro coming downhill in both run and passing downs.

Ball State had a bottom-10 passing attack in college football last season, and brought in an inexperienced Kedric Luster to help bolster it. As it could take strides as Luster does present the tools to move the ball in the MAC, we could see a more heavy rushing attack early as they get him going.

This presents a great opportunity for Alliegro to make plays in the run game, and then when used on passing downs can add some plays on checkdowns and even rushing the quarterback to put up a big total in tackles for the Buckeyes Saturday.