Ohio

Early look at Ohio State’s chances of repeating as national champs: Could Buckeyes do it?

Published

10 months ago

January 23, 2025

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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.

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Ohio

Summit County under Level 2 snow emergency Tuesday, what does it mean?

Published

4 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Press Room

Summit County under Level 2 snow emergency Tuesday, what does it mean?

A winter storm continues to cover Northeast Ohio roads the morning of Dec. 2, forcing numerous school districts to close.

Some areas of Summit County may get up to 3 to 7 inches of snow. A winter weather advisory has been issued for until 7 p.m. Tuesday alerting residents of slippery road conditions and poor visibility.

In the face of all the expected snow today, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office has declared the county is under a Level 2 snow emergency. County sheriffs have the authority to issue snow emergencies that can either close roads or limit travel within their jurisdictions to help ensure the public’s safety.

What do the different snow emergency levels signify? Here’s what we know.

What is an Ohio Level 1 snow emergency?

In a Level 1 snow emergency, roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow, and roads may also be icy. Motorists are urged to drive very cautiously.

What is an Ohio Level 2 snow emergency?

In a Level 2 snow emergency, roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow, and roads may also be very icy. Driving is discouraged, and only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roads. Residents should contact their employers to see if they should report to work. Motorists should use extreme caution.

What is an Ohio Level 3 snow emergency?

In a Level 3 snow emergency, all roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel, and no one should be driving unless it’s absolutely necessary to travel or a personal emergency exists. All employees should contact their employers to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roads may also be at risk of being arrested.

How can I view current weather-related road closures and restrictions?

To see the latest road closures, visit the Ohio Department of Transportation’s traffic website at ohgo.com.

Former Beacon Journal reporter Emily Mills contributed to this report.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ

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Ohio

Bobcats put Smith on leave, Hauser named interim

Published

16 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Press Room

Bobcats put Smith on leave, Hauser named interim

Adam RittenbergDec 1, 2025, 07:46 PM ET
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Ohio Bobcats coach Brian Smith has been put on leave for undisclosed reasons, and defensive coordinator Jon Hauser has taken over on an interim basis.

In a statement, the team said Smith would be “on leave for an undetermined period of time,” beginning Monday. Ohio did not specify the reason for Smith’s leave, although the situation could take at least several weeks to resolve.

Smith, 45, completed his first regular season as Bobcats head coach at 8-4, after being promoted from offensive coordinator in 2024 to replace Tim Albin, who left to take the head coaching job at Charlotte. He joined the Ohio staff before the 2022 season and became offensive coordinator in 2024.

Hauser also joined Ohio’s staff in 2022 and became defensive coordinator in 2024. The team finished the regular season Friday with a win against Buffalo, and will learn its bowl destination Sunday.

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Did changes to Michigan week routine help Ohio State end rivalry skid?

Published

1 day ago

December 1, 2025

Press Room

Did changes to Michigan week routine help Ohio State end rivalry skid?

Before Ohio State snapped a four-game losing streak to archrival Michigan with a 27-9 win on Nov. 29, it made a series of changes to the week of preparation.

It began with moving the marching band’s visit to practice to an idle week in October to taking a flight to Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes had ridden busses to southeast Michigan unlike most of their destinations in the Big Ten.

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day sought for the leadup to The Game to mirror a typical week in the regular season. The stakes of the rivalry had been high enough for his players.

“You want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep the routine the routine,” Day said. “There’s enough emotion that goes into that game. I felt like that was important.”

It wasn’t the first time Day had tinkered with the script to Michigan week, which has included the Thanksgiving holiday since 2010. In 2022, he pushed back Senior Tackle, the tradition in practice in which seniors hit a blocking sled for the last time, to the postseason.

But this year’s changes were the most significant as Day weighed the makeup of his team and their recent setbacks in the rivalry.

The stunning upset loss to the Wolverines last season marked a tipping point as they made adjustments off the field to a week that never lacked for festivities.

“There were just a lot of things that were different and may have thrown us off on our routine,” Day said. “We’re a routine-oriented culture, and I felt like it was the best thing to do. Was that the difference in the end? Who knows. But everything matters.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.

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