Ohio State · Big TenOhio State starts 2026 atop preseason power rankings with Sayin and Smith back
The Buckeyes bring back their star quarterback and wide receiver after combining for 4,853 receiving and passing yards last season. Ryan Day’s team still has defensive starters to replace, and the September 12 meeting with Texas will test whether the top spot fits the roster.
AUG 21, 2026
Julian Sayin’s passing yards in his first season as Ohio State’s starter.
Jeremiah Smith’s receiving yards during his second collegiate season.
Ryan Day’s overall record at Ohio State, including three games coached in 2018.
01 · The NewsWhat Happened
The preseason power rankings released Friday place Ohio State at No. 1 entering the 2026 season. The Buckeyes won the national championship in 2024 before losing to Miami in the 2025 College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith return as Heisman Trophy contenders. Sayin threw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season. Smith caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Head coach Ryan Day must replace several defensive starters. Ohio State opens against Ball State on September 5, then faces Texas on September 12. Indiana, USC, Oregon, and Michigan arrive later on the schedule.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
The top ranking rests on two returning stars who already produced at a national level. Sayin gives Ohio State a proven passer with 32 touchdown throws, while Smith gives the offense a receiver who finished with 12 touchdowns in his second season. That pairing carries a large share of the early expectation.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The part getting less attention is the split between offensive certainty and defensive turnover. Ohio State knows who its central playmakers are. It doesn't yet have the same returning-starter comfort on defense. The program's history of replenishing talent supports the ranking, but that answer has to show up before the schedule gets heavy. September gives the Buckeyes Ball State first, then Texas one week later. The ranking will face a real test before the Big Ten stretch begins.
“The September 12 Texas game is the cleanest test.”
The Wire Desk04 · The PersonnelWhat the Number Means
No. 1 turns every early game into a referendum on fit, even when the talent gap is wide. Ball State should give Ohio State a clean opening test, but Texas arrives one week later and brings a much stronger measure of the new defense. That timing matters. Ohio State can’t spend September finding replacements at half speed. The team has to build those answers while the expectations are already at their highest. The later games against Indiana, USC, Oregon, and Michigan leave little room for a slow defensive reset. This is a projection, not a result. The ranking holds if the returning offense remains as productive as expected and the replacements on defense become dependable before the Big Ten run. The Texas game is the first place that projection can fail.
05 · The ChessboardWhat the Coaches Can Actually Change
The likeliest defensive adjustment is simpler than a wholesale rewrite. Ohio State can use more conservative box counts early, keep safeties from getting trapped by play action, and ask the front to win without constant pressure. That protects new starters while the offense carries more of the load. On offense, Sayin and Smith can stay central through quick throws, outside releases, and empty formations that force defenses to declare coverage. Those are plausible levers, not confirmed plans. The Texas game should show whether Ohio State trusts its replacements in man coverage or keeps extra help over the top.
06 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
The ranking is fair because Ohio State returns the hardest pieces to replace. A quarterback who threw for 3,610 yards is back. So is a receiver who caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards. That gives Ryan Day a high floor before the new defense takes its first meaningful snaps. The counterweight is the quarterfinal loss to Miami last season and the number of defensive starters that must be replaced. This isn't a finished team being handed a ranking. It's a proven offense asking a rebuilt defense to catch up. The September 12 Texas game is the cleanest test. If Ohio State handles that without protection calls and coverage busts taking over the night, the top spot will look earned. If the defense needs October to become steady, the ranking will have been early. The offense gives Ohio State room. The defense decides how much.
“Ohio State will win more games in 2026 than Michigan and Clemson put together.”
— Josh Pate · watch the moment →07 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
How does the defense look against Texas?
The September 12 game is the first strong test after the Ball State opener. Clean coverage and steady front play would support the No. 1 projection. Repeated busts would expose the defensive turnover.
Does Sayin repeat his 2025 production?
Sayin enters with 3,610 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. A similar level would keep Ohio State's offense ahead of most opponents. A drop would put more pressure on the new defense.
Can Smith stay the offense's matchup breaker?
Smith returns after 87 catches, 1,243 yards, and 12 touchdowns. If defenses still can't account for him without opening the rest of the field, Ohio State's returning core remains intact in practice, not just on paper.
When does the defense settle?
The later schedule includes Indiana, USC, Oregon, and Michigan. If the replacements are dependable by that stretch, the preseason ranking has a strong case. If not, the early offensive cushion gets smaller.