Ohio State is fresh off a national championship and looks poised to at least be able to contend for another.
Though the Buckeyes have some question marks with several key starters gone from last year's team, they've got some talented pieces — led by WR Jeremiah Smith and QB Julian Sayin, assuming he wins the job.
That’s why Urban Meyer’s latest comments might catch fans off guard.
The former Ohio State head coach was recently asked for his thoughts on the Buckeyes' upcoming season, and while he had plenty of praise for the program, he wasn’t quite as bullish as many would expect. Meyer believes Ohio State will win 10 games during the regular season—putting them just under the 10.5-win total currently projected.
“I think they’ve recruited at a whole different level than anyone else in college football,” Meyer said on a recent podcast. “They had a good spring game. They love their quarterback, Julian Sayin… but I’ve got them at 10 wins.”
That’s not the kind of statement Ohio State fans are used to hearing from Meyer. This is a team that just won 14 games and still has one of the most talented rosters in the country. That being said, Ohio State did only win 10 games in the regular season last year.
Why is Meyer leaning toward 10 wins instead of more? He pointed to some of the changes on staff as potential growing pains, especially the arrival of new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. While the offensive identity under Ryan Day and Brian Hartline should remain intact, integrating a new defensive voice — especially one that could be questionable — is always a challenge.
He also called attention to the schedule. Ohio State opens at home against Texas—a matchup that could define the early season narrative—then takes on Big Ten contenders like Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin. While Meyer was quick to note he doesn’t believe Wisconsin or Michigan will be top-10 teams this year, he acknowledged the difficulty of those road trips.
To be clear, Meyer didn’t sound down on Ohio State—far from it, but you can bet that his level-headed take will definitely be bookmarked by Buckeyes fans who will hope to remind him of it in late November.