Ohio State Football 2024 Preview: Win Total, Predictions, and Season Keys

2024 Ohio State Football Preview
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Key To The Ohio State Football Season

The offensive line has to take over.
The defense has almost no concerns. It’ll be one of the best in the nation again, and there’s enough depth to be able to handle a slew of injuries.

The kicking game is great, and the skill parts are strong. The only thing missing is a huge year from an offensive line that struggles against the stars.

The passing attack took over last year in the win over Maryland, but the Buckeyes averaged fewer than two yards per carry.

The same went for the fight of a win over Penn State, the dead/injured O couldn’t do anything in the loss to Missouri, and the line wasn’t awful in the loss to Michigan. However, those were the four worst rushing days of the season.

Throw in the close call against Notre Dame, and the five worst rushing performances against FBS teams were the problem games. The O line has to go from very good to elite to pull off a national title. That’s why …

Ohio State Key Player

Josh Simmons, OT Sr.
The 6-5, 310-pound senior from San Diego was a right tackle at SDSU but was considered more of a guard prospect coming out of high school.

Strong in his two seasons with the Aztecs, he transferred to Ohio State before last season and was okay. He had his ups and downs, but he also showed plenty of flashes of his NFL upside. This year, he needs to be more consistent and turn into the star of a veteran front five.

Ohio State Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Caleb Downs, S Soph.
Sometimes the guy is every bit as good as advertised.

Even by Alabama - and Ohio State - standards, Downs was a special recruit last season who was supposed to at least be a part of the Crimson Tide secondary rotation. He led the team with 107 tackles with two picks and four broken up passes.

Even as a true freshman he played like an All-Pro NFL veteran - which is what he’ll someday be.

Top Transfer Out: Kyle McCord, QB Sr.
By any normal and reasonable standards, the guy was terrific.

It’s not just about stats, but you hit 66% of your passes for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns with just six picks, and pull off a comeback win over Notre Dame, you did something right.

Was he as dynamic as recent Buckeye quarterbacks? No, but he was good enough - he threw for 271 yards and two scores, but with two interceptions, against Michigan. Now he’s the biggest pieces of the new era at Syracuse.

Ohio State Key Game

Michigan, Nov. 30
We don’t fall for the silly rivalry thing when it comes to the Key Game.

If it’s the most important game on the schedule, or if it’s a likely pivotal moment in the season, or if it’s, you know, a KEY game, we’ll go with it.

Ohio State will probably win the national title.

It had better beat Michigan first.

10 Best Ohio State Football Players

1. Caleb Downs, S Soph.
2. JT Tuimoloau, DE Jr.
3. Emeka Egbuka, WR Jr.
4. Denzel Burke, CB Jr.
5. Quinshon Judkins, RB Jr.
6. Jack Sawyer, DE Jr.
7. Tyleik Williams, DT Jr.
8. Josh Simmons, OT Jr.
9. Trey’Veon Henderson, RB Jr.
10. Will Howard, QB Sr.

Ohio State 2023 Fun Stats

- Points Per Game Allowed (taking out 30 from Michigan): 9.7

- 1st Quarter Scoring: Ohio State 81, Opponents 27

- Interception Return Average: Ohio State 32.86 yards, Opponents 7.57 yards

Ohio State Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

You remember last season when Ohio State fans couldn’t stop panting over Michigan’s non-conference schedule of meh?

As it turned out, beating UNLV was pretty good, and a bad East Carolina and okay Bowling Green were more competitive against the Wolverines than, say, Nebraska and Minnesota were, but that’s hardly the point.

Akron, Western Michigan, and after that there’s a week off to rest up for … Marshall. That’s your 2024 Ohio State non-conference schedule.

Turns out those stones Buckeye types threw were boomerangs.

All kidding aside, that’s exactly the non-conference schedule every Power Four team should have in a modern age.

After Ohio State opens the season winning the first three games by a combined score of 154-13, it gets tricky, but nothing this team can’t handle.

The road trips to Oregon and Penn State are the only two dates to worry about - Iowa and Nebraska are home games - until THAT Team Up North makes the trip to Columbus.

There’s no USC, Washington or Wisconsin on the schedule, and no one other than the Ducks, Nittany Lions, and Wolverines have a real prayer of staying within two touchdowns of this bunch if everyone is focused and motivated.

The Buckeyes will lose one of the two big road games, win the game they really need at the end of the regular season, and after taking care of the Big Ten Championship will be off to do some major damage in the College Football Playoff.

Set The Ohio State Win Total At … 10.5

Likely Wins: Akron, Indiana, Marshall, Nebraska, at Northwestern, Purdue, Western Michigan

50/50 Games: Iowa, Michigan, at Michigan State, at Oregon, at Penn State

Likely Losses: No apparent sure-thing losses on the schedule

2024 Ohio State Football Schedule

Aug 31 Akron
Sept 7 Western Michigan
Sept 14 OPEN DATE
Sept 21 Marshall
Sept 28 at Michigan State
Oct 5 Iowa
Oct 12 at Oregon
Oct 19 OPEN DATE
Oct 26 Nebraska
Nov 2 at Penn State
Nov 9 Purdue
Nov 16 at Northwestern
Nov 23 Indiana
Nov 30 Michigan

Missing: Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington, Wisconsin

2024 Ohio State Football Preview
Ohio State Preview | Offense | Defense
CFN 2024 Preview: All 134 Teams