Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes shocked the world last season by sneaking into the first College Football Playoff and winning the National Championship when they got there. They've got over half of their starters back, including three potential Heisman Trophy contenders at quarterback, and they have a paper thin schedule. Getting back to the playoff seems like a solid bet.
2015 SCHEDULE
9/7: @ Virginia Tech
9/2: vs. Hawaii
9/19: vs. Northern Illinois
9/26: vs. Western Michigan
10/3: @ Indiana
10/10: vs. Maryland
10/17: vs. Penn State
10/24: @ Rutgers
11/7: vs. Minnesota
11/14: @ Illinois
11/21: vs. Michigan State
11/28: @ Michigan
SEASON WIN TOTAL
Ohio State's season win total this year is at 11, and for good reason. Did you look at that schedule? There literally isn't a game until November 21 which should be any challenge whatsoever for the Buckeyes (then again, last year's game against Virginia Tech shouldn't have been a challenge either), and by that point, they should already be rather locked into the CFB as long as they don't lose two of their last three against Michigan State, Michigan and the Big Ten Championship Game.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Braxton Miller is the incumbent. J.T. Barrett is the man who brought the Buckeyes to the playoff. Cardale Jones is the one who won it all when they got there.
Now what does Urban Meyer do? Clearly, all three of these men aren't going to be able to play this season for the Buckeyes, but with each passing day that Miller doesn't transfer, the reality for all three is that they are going to be competing against each other for playing time this year.
Aside from that, Ezekiel Elliott and a strong offensive line are back intact, so duplicating last season's 264.5 rushing yards per game is certainly possible. The receiving corps though, is going to end up being rather light. Replacing Devin Smith's explosiveness (28.2 YPC) will be vital, as no one else on th team averaged even 15 yards per reception in 2014.
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Defensive end Joey Bosa is going to be the headliner of seven men who are back from last year's defense. Bosa had 13.5 sacks last year, and there's a good chance that he could be a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft next year.
The Buckeyes held down Alabama and Oregon to just a total of 55 points, an amazing feat for sure. Joshua Perry is back to anchor a strong linebacking corps, while Tyvis Powell and Vonn Bell are back in the secondary alongside Eli Apple, who had a pick in the National Championship Game.
SEASON PREDICTION
Ohio State is understandably the only odds-on favorite to reach the College Football Playoff this year at -165. The schedule is very thin for sure, and the Big Ten just doesn't seem like it has a suitable challenger for it.
As it happens to be, that +380 price to win the National Championship is going to be too good to pass up on.
We equate this Ohio State team to last year's Florida State squad. This is a team with no equal whatsoever when it comes to conference play, and it has a non-conference schedule which leaves a heck of a lot left to be desired.
The Buckeyes will start next season off at No. 1 and probably stay there for quite some time, but when the chips get pushed to the center of the table in the CFP, that's when we'll see whether or not OSU is legit or not. A second straight National Championship isn't out of the question.
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