Best-Case Scenario for Ohio State Buckeyes in 2026 Revealed

The Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up for a significant season after narrowly missing out on winning the national championship.

Ohio State was a heavy favorite to win it all in the 2025 College Football Playoffs but was unable to get past Miami in the quarterfinals.

The goal in Columbus is always to win the national championship, but Ohio State's season shouldn't be considered a failure if it doesn't reach that milestone again.

Here are a few goals that Ohio State should aim for to make the 2026 season a success, even if it doesn't win the national championship.

Beating Texas or Oregon

Texas and Oregon are likely to be the toughest challenges on the Buckeyes' schedule this season. Ohio State will journey to Austin in early September, while the Buckeyes will welcome the Ducks later in the year.

Both teams have a shot at the national championship, and Ohio State needs to make sure it doesn't come up short against either. While beating both would be great, the main objective here is to secure at least one victory.

If the Buckeyes can get through some tough opponents like Oregon, especially since this is a Big Ten matchup, they should be in a strong position to qualify for the College Football Playoffs.

Beating Michigan

Ohio State should always prioritize one main goal each season: beating Michigan. Now, the Buckeyes are aiming for a chance to secure that victory two years in a row. They need to swing the rivalry back in their favor, and winning consecutive games — especially on their home turf for the first time since 2018 — would be a significant achievement.

Winning the Big Ten title

Ohio State came incredibly close to winning the Big Ten Championship last season for the first time since 2020, but unfortunately fell short against Indiana. Over the past few seasons, Ohio State has done everything it needed to win the national championship and beat Michigan, but it still needs to find a way to secure the Big Ten title.

Making the College Football Playoffs

No matter what Ohio State achieves this season, it must make the playoffs. With the expansion of the playoff field from four to 12 teams two seasons ago, the Buckeyes became perennial playoff contenders.

The Buckeyes boast one of the most talented teams in the country, and they cannot afford to miss the playoffs. While they don’t necessarily need to win the championship, not making the playoffs would be a significant setback.