Ohio
Early look at Ohio State’s chances of repeating as national champs: Could Buckeyes do it?
Ohio State has never repeated as a national champion.
But after winning the College Football Playoff on Monday night, it will attempt the feat next season.
The Buckeyes are in position to reload and maintain one of the more talented rosters in the sport.
2025 College Football Playoff odds
BetMGM has the Buckeyes as early favorites to win the title in 2025, giving them +450 odds, slightly ahead of Georgia and Texas with +650 odds.
Can Ohio State repeat as national champs?
The case for the Buckeyes to capture a second straight title begins with the presence of superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and All-American safety Caleb Downs.
Neither underclassman is eligible to leave early for NFL, providing them with cornerstone players. Smith and Downs could be considered the best players in the nation on their sides of the ball.
Buy Ohio State books, posters, gear from CFP title win
Carnell Tate should continue to complement Smith as another talented playmaking wideout, and Purdue transfer Max Klare arrives as another weapon. Klare’s 51 receptions in 2024 were third among Big Ten tight ends.
But there will be heavy roster attrition. Thirteen of their 22 starters during the playoff were seniors with eligibility expiring.
That includes Will Howard, a seasoned quarterback who spent a year at Ohio State after transferring from Kansas State.
Julian Sayin is likely to take over for Howard and was the top-ranked passer in his high school class, but he is inexperienced and redshirted as a freshman this past season.
How is Ohio State’s 2025 roster shaping up?
The heaviest losses for the Buckeyes are on defense. Eight starters were seniors, cornerback Davison Igbinosun or linebacker Sonny Styles are juniors who are eligible to declare for the NFL draft.
But Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson shined as part of the defensive end rotation and Jermaine Mathews Jr. also gained experience in the playoff when he replaced Denzel Burke for the second half of the semifinal win over Texas.
The injuries on the offensive line also helped to provide experience for interior linemen Carson Hinzman, Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld. Transfer tackles Phillip Daniels of Minnesota and Ethan Onianwa of Rice should also help replace Josh Fryar and Donovan Jackson.
The draft decision of running back Quinshon Judkins looms large, though the Buckeyes added experience to the backfield last month with West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson Jr.
Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts
Snow hits downtown Columbus
Snow falls outside the Ohio Theatre as downtown Columbus turns into a winter wonderland.
Now comes the cold.
After nearly 5½ inches of snow fell Dec. 13 in some parts of central Ohio, the National Weather Service says bitterly cold temperatures moving into the region will mean highs in just the single digits.
A cold weather advisory is in affect across central Ohio through 11 a.m. Dec. 15. It was 4 degrees at John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14, with a wind chill of 16 degrees below zero.
Temperatures to the west and south are even colder: 1 degree in Springfield, minus-1 in Dayton and minus-3 in Indianapolis. Those temperatures are not expected in the Columbus area, though. The forecast calls for slightly warmer temperatures by evening and highs in the low 20s Dec. 15.
The record cold expected for Dec. 14 — until now, the coldest high temperature in Columbus for this date was 16 degrees in 1917 — follows a day of record snow. The weather service recorded 5.4 inches of snowfall on Dec. 13 at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, topping the prior Dec. 13 record, which was 3.6 inches in 1945.
Level 2 snow emergencies, which means roads are hazardous and people should drive only if they think it’s necessary, remained in effect in Fairfield and Licking counties.
Level 1 snow emergencies are in effect in Delaware, Franklin, Madison, Union and Pickaway counties.
Bob Vitale can be reached at rvitale@dispatch.com.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Ohio State’s game-winning play over West Virginia in the second overtime period Saturday night was simple: give the ball to Bruce Thornton and get out of his way.
The result was an 89-88 double overtime win in the Cleveland Hoops Showdown at Rocket Arena.
It took so much to get to this moment.
The Buckeyes did all they could in regulation to overcome a 14-point deficit, while awaiting their top player in Thornton to come through.
His teammates did the dirty work to keep them in the game. From their defense creating transition points, matching the Mountaineers’ physical brand of ball.
Once extra time came after the first 40 minutes expired, Thornton took care of the rest in the two overtime periods.
He delivered bucket after another.
None more important than the final one.
A tightly covered Thornton took it down to the top of the key before finding a mismatch and looking to take it to the hole. A defender cut off his path, however, forcing Thornton to operate elsewhere in the paint.
Thornton used his pivot foot wisely before finding an opening for a fadeaway jumper and knocking it down.
Twelve of his 21 points came in the overtime periods.
Ohio State fought to the end and earned a win over a hard-nosed Big 12 opponent.
Center Christoph Tilly did his best to limit the Mountaineers’ big men, while adding 14 points and 11 boards of his own.
Freshman big man Amare Bynum was a pivotal spark off the bench with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Point guard John Mobley Jr. finished with 17 points and delivered the 3-point shot in the final seconds of the second half to give them their first lead since the 9:00 mark of the first half.
This story will be updated.
Ohio
Is Ohio State football playing today? What’s next for Buckeyes in playoff schedule | Sporting News
It’s a college football Saturday, but Dec. 13 is just a little bit different.
Ohio State and all its other College Football Playoff competitors will be on the couch.
The Army-Navy game highlights the day.
There’s also the first bowl game, the LA Bowl between Boise State and Washington.
And the FCS Playoffs roll on, as well.
Is Ohio State playing today?
No, Ohio State isn’t playing on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The CFP isn’t underway, and the Buckeyes have a bye in that even when it gets started.
When is Ohio State’s next game?
Ohio State won’t play again until Dec. 31.
That’ll be the Cotton Bowl.
They don’t know their opponent yet, either. It’ll depend on the CFP opening round matchup between Miami and Texas A&M.
MORE: Donovan Mitchell ties Jayson Tatum on an NBA record list
Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks odds, picks and predictions
Minneapolis Rabbi responds to terrorist attack in Australia
Philip Rivers comes out of retirement for Indianapolis Colts: NFL world reacts
Report: Pirates Among Teams Interested in Luis Robert Jr.
Augusta Men Drop Overtime Thriller to Georgia College and State – Augusta University
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Trump’s election win filled Hamas with ‘fear,’ hostage held like ‘slave’ for 505 days recounts
In Khartoum, exhumation of makeshift graves reawakens families’ grief
Manhunt under way for attacker after two students killed at US university
Video: At Least Two Killed in Shooting at Brown University
FBI ousts reinstated whistleblower over unauthorized media talks, ‘poor judgment’
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington5 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World7 days ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
-
Iowa1 day agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
