All articles tagged with #ohio state buckeyes
Ohio State is preseason No. 1 and Oregon No. 2 in the AP Top 25, with Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas rounding out the top five; the SEC has no first-place votes, and the rankings offer an early snapshot ahead of Week 0, though preseason position doesn’t guarantee success.
The 2026 college football schedule is highlighted by Arch Manning-led Texas and a slate of marquee showdowns, including Ohio State at Texas (Sept. 12); LSU at Ole Miss (Sept. 19); Georgia at Alabama (Oct. 10); Texas vs Oklahoma (Oct. 10); Ohio State at Indiana (Oct. 17); Ole Miss at Texas (Oct. 24); Miami at Notre Dame (Nov. 7); Oregon at Ohio State (Nov. 7); Texas at LSU (Nov. 14); and Texas at Texas A&M (Nov. 27), all with major playoff and Heisman implications and plenty of prime-time attention.
Five-star running back David Gabriel Georges committed to Tennessee over Ohio State, aided by a roughly $2 million-per-year NIL package and closer proximity to his Chattanooga home, leaving OSU without a 2027 RB commit and forcing a quick pivot to other targets while relying on a talented but youthful RB group and chasing 2028 prospects.
At the Titans' open OTA, rookie Carnell Tate, the No. 4 overall pick, shined with six receptions and three would-be touchdowns, including a deep TD pass from Cam Ward, signaling quick chemistry and a potential Week 1 starter role despite a deep receiver room.
Caleb Downs says he sometimes got bored in Ohio State's secondary when opponents avoided his area, but expects more action and a chance to prove himself at the NFL level after Dallas drafted him 11th overall, as the Cowboys look to bolster a leaky defense.
Washington drafted linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, hoping his speed and tackling prowess can help revive a 5-12 Commanders season. Styles, a standout Buckeye who led in tackles his final year and posted top combine marks, became OSU’s third first-rounder in four picks. Washington has no second-round pick, so their next selection is No. 71.
The New York Giants used the No. 5 overall pick to select Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, choosing him over teammates Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles. Reese finished his season with 69 tackles, 10 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss, earning consensus All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, a move that could influence trade chatter around edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and strengthen the Giants' defense.
The New York Giants selected Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, a surprising move given the team's already crowded rotation with Burns, Carter and Thibodeaux. Reese, a 6‑4, 241-pound athlete who ran a 4.46 40 and posted 69 tackles, 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks as a one-year starter in 2025, is viewed as an elite pass-rush prospect. The pick sparks questions about the current edge group and whether Reese could push for a larger role, potentially prompting trade talk involving Kayvon Thibodeaux to clear playing time for the rookie. The early round saw the Jets take David Bailey at No. 2, the Cardinals take Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, and the Titans grab Carnell Tate at No. 4.
The Giants may break their 42-year first-round linebacker drought by drafting Ohio State's Sonny Styles in the 2026 NFL Draft, after legends like Carl Banks note Styles could be the first true off-ball linebacker taken by the Giants since 1984; Banks and coach Dennard Wilson see Styles as a versatile playmaker who could pair with Tremaine Edmunds to bolster run defense, though some caution about the value of drafting linebackers that high.
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, regarded as a top player, alleges Miami tampered with him after the Cotton Bowl, drawing scrutiny on Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal and turning discussion toward recruiting and a potential rematch in next season’s national-title race.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith said a college program tried to lure him into the transfer portal after the Cotton Bowl, but he stayed with Ohio State for a third season. A Miami native with 162 receptions for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns across two seasons, Smith had 87 catches, 1,243 yards and 12 TDs last year and helped OSU win a national title as a true freshman in 2024. OSU opens the 2026 season vs Ball State on Sept. 5 and hosts Texas in Austin on Sept. 12 as Smith pursues another 1,000-yard season before potentially turning pro.
Ohio State’s spring practice is painting a clearer picture of the 2026 offense: Julian Sayin leads the QB room with more line-of-scrimmage control and added running threat, a reshaped backfield has buzz around Bey and several transfers, and Jeremiah Smith anchors a deep receiver corps while tight ends rotate. The offensive line shows notable depth with VanSickle pushing for right guard and multiple linemen cross-training, though the exact starting five remains unsettled.
Ohio State opened as a 2.5-point favorite against No. 9 seed TCU in the NCAA Tournament first round in Greenville, SC (12:15 p.m. ET on CBS), with a -198 moneyline and a 147.5 total, projecting a tight 75-72.5 OSU win. OSU enters with the stronger KenPom (26th) and NET (29th) rankings compared with TCU (KenPom 43rd, NET 39th), and both teams carry similar ATS marks; this marks OSU’s first NCAA bid since 2022 and TCU’s bid for its first NCAA win since 2023.
Bruce Thornton became Ohio State's all-time leading scorer with 2,110 points in 133 games, fueling a 91-78 win over Indiana and likely sealing the Buckeyes' NCAA Tournament berth; his four-year leadership and two-way scoring prowess cement his place in OSU basketball history.
Indiana’s defense collapsed again, allowing 1.34 points per possession in a 91-78 loss at Ohio State and getting hurt by a 51% team free-throw rate; Lamar Wilkerson set IU’s single-season Big Ten scoring record with 464 points in 20 league games, while the bench produced no field goals in 20 minutes and Indiana shot only 5-for-18 from three as OSU went 11-for-24 from deep.