Ohio State Buckeyes Season Rundown: Props and What they Will win this Season

The past two college football seasons, Ohio State has finished 11-2 and played in a major bowl game. The problem is that the Buckeyes didn’t even win their own Big Ten division in either season – rival Michigan did thanks to an upset over Ohio State. Thus, some believe that Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day could be on the hot seat entering 2023 should OSU lose to rival U-M again. Let’s break down the Buckeyes.

Ohio State Buckeyes 2023 Football Season Betting Guide

Odds to win national title: +800

Odds to make playoff: Yes -115, No -115

Odds to win Big Ten: +160

Over/under regular-season wins: 10.5

The last time we saw the Buckeyes, they were able to sneak into last season’s playoff thanks to some help elsewhere and OSU nearly upset No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl semifinal game, losing 42-41. Ohio State led 21-7 in the first half and 38-24 in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on. After UGA took the lead in the final seconds, Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal attempt for Ohio State with three seconds remaining sailed wide left.

That was the final college game for star QB CJ Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft by Houston. Stroud led OSU to a 21-4 record as a starter and was the only Buckeyes QB to ever be a Heisman Trophy finalist twice and then became the highest-drafted Ohio State QB in history.

Devin Brown and Kyle McCord will battle to replace Stroud at quarterback, but the winner can throw to first-team All-American Marvin Harrison Jr. He’s considered one of the best WR prospects in years. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Harrison had a breakout 2022 season, especially after Biletnikoff Award favorite Jaxon Smith-Njigba sustained a hamstring injury in the opener and never fully recovered. Harrison had 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns, ranking fourth in team history in receptions and yards and second in touchdowns. He became Ohio State’s first unanimous first-team All-America wide receiver and won the Big Ten’s Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year award.

Over the course of two seasons, in relief appearances, McCord threw for 606 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 70.7% completion percentage. Brown has no collegiate experience.

Late in the spring session, Brown suffered a minor finger injury on his throwing hand, taking away a spring game contest between Brown and McCord. Coming out of spring, neither had done enough to be named a starter, something QBs coach Corey Dennis is OK with.

“I know everybody wants to talk about the quarterback battle or competition, but we’re still in the process of worrying about yourself and getting better,” Dennis said. “And I think that when you worry about yourself and you maximize who you can become, then the other stuff kind of takes care of itself.”

McCord, alternating quarterback series with Oregon State transfer Tristan Gebbia, was 11-for-22 for 114 yards in the first half and 18-for-34 for 184 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the spring game. Gebbia finished 14-for-24 for 127 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Each of the last three Buckeye starting QBs has been a Heisman Trophy finalist, including Stroud going in both years he was a starter. Dwayne Haskins was one in his lone season starting for the Scarlet and Gray in 2018 and Justin Fields went to New York in 2019 and likely would have in 2020 if not for the COVID-19 pandemic shortened season. McCord is currently +1800 to win the Heisman.

OSU is loaded in the backfield as well with the two-headed monster of Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson. The No. 1 running back recruit in the 2021 class, Henderson broke a bone in his foot in the third game of the 2022 season against Toledo and tried to play through it. He was limited to eight appearances and said he tweaked the injury in every game he played.

As a freshman, Henderson provided a big-play spark on the ground, with 13 rushes of at least 20 yards and an average of 6.8 yards per carry. Henderson had four such runs in 2022 with an average of 5.3 per rush. Williams had a team-best 825 yards and 14 TDs on the ground last year. He dealt with his own injuries late in the year. Coach Ryan Day saw his two top ball carriers on the field and fully healthy at the same time in just four of 13 games. The pair combined to log a combined 20+ carries just five teams over the entire season and only once in the final six contests.

The Buckeyes open the season on Sept. 2 at Indiana currently as 27.5-point favorites. Last year, OSU beat the Hoosiers 56-14. Stroud threw for 297 yards on 17-of-28 efficiency and five touchdowns. The Buckeyes finished with 662 yards of total offense on the day, which included 340 on the ground. Harrison Jr. caught seven balls for 135 yards and one score. Ohio State has won 27 straight games in the series. Ohio State has averaged 50.8 points per game against Indiana under Day.

The only realistic chances of OSU losing in the 2023 regular season are Sept. 23 at Notre Dame, Oct. 28 at Wisconsin and Nov. 25 at Michigan. OSU opened the 2022 season at home vs. the Irish and won 21-10. Stroud had two TD passes. The Buckeyes blasted Wisconsin 52-21 in Columbus behind five Stroud TD passes. However, the Nuts were upset again by Michigan, 45-23. It’s the first time OSU has a two-game skid in the series in 22 years.

The biggest change on the coaching staff was wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Brian Hartline getting promoted to offensive coordinator, which happened not long after the playoff loss to Georgia. Hartline replaced Kevin Wilson, who left to take the head-coaching job at Tulsa. The Buckeyes’ offense has led the Big Ten in total offense and it has ranked in the Top 10 nationally every year Hartline has been on staff — finishing ninth nationally (490.7 yards per game) in 2022.

Expert Predictions

Win Big Ten title, over 10.5 victories, Yes make playoff

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