Realistic expectations for Ohio State football in 2024

Ohio State football has been owned by Michigan for three straight years and Buckeye fans are fed up. The Buckeyes were used to winning the Big Ten and beating the Wolverines for years but something changed in 2021 and Jim Harbaugh picked up three straight wins over Ryan Day which led to three straight Big Ten titles and three playoff berths.

The Buckeyes don't have to worry about Harbaugh anymore and they enter the 2024 season as the clear favorites to win the Big Ten even with Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA coming in.

Day might be on the hot seat heading into the season despite piling up a 56-8 record and it's because of his sudden inability to beat Michigan. Should that change in 2024, the pressure will be off his shoulders.

Ohio State does bring back six starters on offense and Will Howard replaces Kyle McCord who is now at Syracuse. The quarterback position should be better but there's really no way of telling. Also, Marvin Harrison Jr. is gone but the No. 1 receiver in the 2024 class is coming in. Oh, and the Buckeyes have one of the best transfer running backs -- Quinshon Judkins -- coming in.

Defensively, the Buckeyes might have the best unit in the country with nine starters back. They had the third-best defense in the country last year and it should be just as good this year with Caleb Downs also coming in.

So what are the realistic expectations for Ohio State in 2024?

Looking at the schedule, Ohio State should start the season 5-0 before going to Oregon and I think the Ducks pick up a big win over potentially the No. 1 team in the country. At 5-1, Ohio State won't be able to slip up anymore if it wants to make the playoff and it will run the table, even beating Penn State on the road and Michigan at home to end the season.

An 11-1 season with a Big Ten title berth has to be considered a success.