Where Ohio State Football, Ryan Day, Rank In Way-Too-Early Top 25

See how Ohio State stacked up against the rest of the way-too-early Top 25.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and wide receiver Brandon Inniss (1) react during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 22, 2025. Ohio State won 42-9. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seven months remain until college football re-inserts itself near the top of the American sports calendar, which means a few things: the Ohio State Buckeyes are going to be one of the key storylines entering the season, the Buckeyes have a few huge games (a mix of conference and nonconference play to look forward to) and they'll likely be in playoff contention once again.

January ends at midnight ET, but it's never too early to investigate where the Buckeyes may fall in a way-too-early Top 25 rankings scenario ahead of this fall. The Buckeyes failed to repeat as national champions this past season, as they got bounced by the eventual runners-up, the Miami Hurricanes, in the Cotton Bowl.

Despite defending Big Ten and national champion Indiana distinctly earning the right as college football's best team, some experts suggest coach Ryan Day's team is more deserving of the No. 1 ranking this fall.

This includes a combined ranking from multiple outlets, including ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Crain & Cone, The Sporting News, On3, Yahoo! Sports, USA TODAY, and The Athletic, which came to a consensus that the Buckeyes deserve to be No. 1.

Here is what On3's Nick Schultz had to articulate about the decision, as the Buckeyes topped the list with 210 composite points.

"With 210 points, including two first-place votes, Ohio State tops the Composite Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings," Schultz wrote. "The Buckeyes fell to Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals this past year, but have some key players returning in 2026, particularly on offense."

Schultz added with the pieces the Buckeyes have returning, they are a safe pick to get all of the national attention again.

"Star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin will be back, as will running back Bo Jackson. Ohio State will also have a new offensive coordinator on staff after making a splash, hiring former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith for the role, On3’s Pete Nakos reported."

For further context, the Hoosiers took the No. 2 spot despite winning a national championship and beating the Buckeyes head-to-head in the conference championship game en route to an undefeated 16-0 season.

Both teams will rematch each other in Bloomington Oct. 17,  which could determine whether they end up in the conference championship game again, or whether a conference championship rematch is still on the table at the end of the season.

Nonetheless, though, the rankings give Ohio State fans much to ponder as the off-season continues.