Joel Klatt of ESPN is no stranger of making bold predictions and backing them up with solid reasoning. On The Joel Klatt Show this week, Klatt explained why the Ohio State Buckeyes are his No. 1 team and projected College Football Playoff winner.
Included in their journey in the Playoff would be a rematch against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the quarterfinals. Then, Klatt has Ohio State moving onto Notre Dame before defeating Texas in the national title game.
At the core of Klatt's argument is talent. Ohio State has finished with five straight No. 1 recruiting classes and added the nation's best transfer portal haul. He compared the roster to Michigan's title-winning crew last year since so many players also returned to the team.
The financial contributions from alumni networks and brand partnerships, totaling around $20 million, have been instrumental in maintaining a robust roster of returning players while attracting significant new talent through the transfer portal. Athletic director Ross Bjork has noted the role of this funding in building such a talented team.
The team's seamless integration, including the addition of experienced quarterback Will Howard from Kansas State, has placed coach Ryan Day in an enviable position. This successful talent assembly is acknowledged by the AP Top 25 voters, who have placed the Buckeyes at the No. 2 spot in the preseason rankings.
Ohio State is poised to feature one of the most dynamic running back duos in college football, with TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, an Ole Miss transfer, leading the charge.
Emeka Egbuka is set to emerge as the premier receiver, stepping out from under the shadow of Marvin Harrison Jr., with whom he played the last two seasons. Egbuka, who brought in 1,151 receiving yards in 2022, had his momentum curtailed in 2023 due to an ankle injury that necessitated surgery.
He lauded the addition of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, saying this running game will be "insane" with Judkins and Henderson. We agree, as this is the best running back tandem we've seen in at least a decade in college football.
Finally, Klatt's enthusiasm goes to the secondary. Ohio State brought back the best secondary in the country, headed by cornerbacks Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, and Jordan Hancock. Then, adding Caleb Downs next to Lathan Ransom only makes the unit more feared.
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