College football writer names three teams that could beat Ohio State

One college football writer believes three teams in the country could give Ohio State a competitive game.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a touchdown during the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. on Nov. 8, 2025. Ohio State won 34-10. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State is one of the top teams in college football and has held the No. 1 ranking in the country since beating Texas in Week 1.

The Buckeyes haven't faced many challenges this season, but a few upcoming games on their schedule could prove to be a test.

One of the key matchups is Michigan during the final week of the regular season. Ohio State has suffered losses to the Wolverines for four consecutive seasons. Yet, Bill Bender, a writer for the Sporting News, doesn’t list Michigan among the three teams that could potentially challenge Ohio State.

Bender believes that three teams in the country — Notre Dame, Alabama, and Indiana — are the ones capable of competing with the Buckeyes.

"I know we always talk about this here, and I love discussing the teams that could challenge Ohio State in the playoffs," Bender said on Tuesday during his weekly appearance on BIGPLAY's Bobby Carpenter Show.

"Notre Dame, I'm not saying they would win, but that's a team that can certainly give Ohio State a challenge with their combination. I think Alabama is still another one, and we are going to get to see Indiana in a few weeks; that's the short list. I'm not saying Ohio State can just show up and win, but those are the three teams that stand out if we get into a playoff format, and I would be super excited about it if they match up with Ohio State."

.@BillBender92 lists three teams he thinks could give Ohio State a real challenge:

👊 Notre Dame
🐘 Alabama
⚔️ Indiana

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— Bobby Carpenter Show (@BobbyCarpShow) November 12, 2025

With the new College Football Playoff poll coming out on Tuesday night, the Buckeyes would face Notre Dame if they beat Oregon in the first round if the season ended today.

Since Ohio State is currently ranked No. 1, it would receive a bye until the quarterfinals, where it could take on Notre Dame.

Suppose the Buckeyes can get past the quarterfinals. In that case, they may face Alabama, currently ranked No. 4, and potentially play against Indiana in the national championship, which is on the opposite side of the bracket and ranked No. 2.

As of now, Ohio State isn't scheduled to face any of the three teams, but there's a possibility they could meet Indiana in the Big Ten title game next month. If Ohio State wins its next three games and Indiana secures victory in its next two, we could see an early preview of a potential national championship clash for the Big Ten title.