Ohio State Football: 5 reasons Buckeyes will win 2017 national title

2. Scheduling favors the Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a favorable schedule in 2017. Although they open the season against a competitive Indiana Hoosiers squad then follow that with the Oklahoma Sooners, after that is a good enough build up for them to potentially go undefeated.

The Buckeyes play the Army Black Knights and UNLV Running Rebels in back-to-back weeks before beginning the bulk of their Big Ten schedule. They face Rutgers Scarlet Knights on the road, Maryland, then the Nebraska Cornhuskers before facing the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 28.

After the Nittany Lions, Ohio State will face Iowa on the road, Michigan State Spartans, Illinois Fighting Illini then the Michigan Wolverines on the road in their final game of the regular season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a pretty favorable ranking in ESPN’s Football Power Index this season. Their projected win-loss record is 11.9-0.9 and their strength of schedule is ranked 52nd among other schools.

Considering the Buckeyes will have a bye week before facing the Nittany Lions, it’s hard to foresee the extra prep being a bad thing. Especially considering how things went last season with the blocked field goal attempt and all at the end.

As of now, Ohio State faces three ranked opponents, two of them in the top 10. Some of that could change come November but right now, the odds on the 2017 schedule favor the Buckeyes.