The Ohio State Buckeyes are set to begin their 2025 season with one goal in mind: defending their 2024 College Football Playoff national championship. Their title defense kicks off this Saturday at noon E.T. in a high-stakes showdown against the top-ranked Texas Longhorns.
The Buckeyes replace a lot on both sides of the ball, but still have plenty of talent to burn, including perhaps the two best players in the country with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs. Many expect OSU to still be in the national title hunt, but to do it, it’ll need some memorable things to happen on the field.
As we prepare for what promises to be an electrifying campaign, here are five bold predictions for Ohio State this season.
Carnell Tate becomes the next great Ohio State wide receiver
This might not sound like the boldest prediction at first, especially after Ohio State fans watched Carnell Tate step up and deliver a strong 2024 campaign. He finished the season with 52 receptions for 733 yards and four touchdowns, highlighted by a standout performance against Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
However, it’s important to remember that Tate spent most of last season playing behind now Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Emeka Egbuka and freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith. With Egbuka now gone and defenses expected to key in on stopping Smith, Tate is poised for a true breakout year. He’ll benefit from more favorable matchups and increased opportunities, and there’s a real chance he puts up numbers that could rival — or even surpass — Smith’s by season’s end.
Ohio State and Ryan Day finally beat Michigan
Ever since Michigan ducked the Buckeyes in 2020 due to COVID concerns, the Wolverines have had Ryan Day and Ohio State’s number. In 2021, Michigan won 42-27, in 2022, 45-23, in 2023, 30-24, and last year, 13-10. This year, however, the tide turns. Ryan Day and Ohio State finally get their long-awaited revenge against a young Michigan squad led by true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Defensive End Caden Curry has a breakout year
The former four-star recruit has been a steady presence in Columbus, but many expected him to emerge as the next elite edge rusher in Ohio State’s storied defensive lineage. Last season, he put together a solid campaign with 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. In 2025, though, I’m predicting a true breakout. Expect Curry to take a major leap forward, finishing the season with double-digit sacks and causing problems for offensive lines across the country.
Max Klare wins the John Mackey Award and is the best tight end in the nation
Ohio State fans have grown accustomed to tight ends playing a secondary role in the offense, largely because of how stacked the wide receiver room has been in recent years. That changes this season.
Max Klare, the transfer from Purdue, is poised to have a major impact for the Buckeyes. With defenses focused on containing Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and the rest of the receiving corps, Klare will take full advantage of favorable one-on-one matchups. He’s set to become a reliable safety blanket for quarterback Julian Sayin and will play a key role in helping Ohio State win plenty of games this season.
Ohio State will have two losses, but still make a deep run in the College Football Playoff
It might not be what fans want to hear, but there’s a strong chance Ohio State drops a game or two this season. With redshirt freshman Julian Sayin taking over at quarterback, some growing pains are to be expected. The Buckeyes are still loaded with talent across the roster, but there’s no ignoring the key losses they suffered on both sides of the ball after last season’s national championship run.
That said, a couple of regular-season losses won’t define the year. In today’s college football landscape, the regular season is often overhyped. You can finish 13-0 and still fall short of your ultimate goal. Just ask Oregon fans from last season. The Ducks beat Ohio State during the regular season and went undefeated, only to face the Buckeyes again in the first round of the CFP and come up short.
Ohio State may enter the final twelve-team College Football Playoff bracket as a lower seed, but just like in 2024, it’ll find its stride at the right time. Expect another deep postseason run, with a return to at least the semifinal, maybe more.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football: 5 bold predictions for the 2025 season