You’ve probably heard it a thousand times by now. If you aren't a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, you likely think they are the most "spoiled" program in America. Or maybe you think they’re underachievers. Honestly, it depends on which side of the Olentangy River you’re standing on.
But here’s the reality: being a Buckeye fan in 2026 is a weird, high-stakes psychological experiment.
Just look at the 2025 season. It was basically a fever dream. The team went 12-0 in the regular season. They didn't even trail in the second half of a single game until December. They beat Michigan. They beat Texas in a game that literally 16 million people watched. Then, it all sort of fell apart in the postseason with losses to Indiana and Miami.
One minute you’re the king of the world, and the next, you’re wondering why the offensive line couldn't block a stiff breeze in the Cotton Bowl. That’s the life of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. It is a world where 12-2 feels like a disaster to some and a "pretty good year" to others.
The Ryan Day Dilemma and the 2026 Overhaul
People love to talk about Ryan Day’s record. It’s insane. He wins nearly 90% of his games. But in Columbus, that’s just the entry fee. The 2025 season proved that the gap between "elite" and "champion" is a tiny, frustrating sliver.
Day is currently in the middle of a massive roster reshuffle. Seriously, the math is wild. Over half the scholarship roster is changing for 2026.
We’re talking about 31 players leaving through the transfer portal and stars like Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate heading to the NFL. It’s a lot to process. But then you see Kenyatta Jackson Jr. announce he’s coming back for a fifth year instead of going pro. That’s huge. Getting a guy with 6.5 sacks to return is the kind of "win" that doesn't show up on a Saturday scoreboard but changes everything in November.
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Why the "Underachiever" Label is Actually Complicated
There is a loud group of national pundits—Ari Wasserman over at The Athletic has been a vocal one—who argue that Ohio State is the most underachieving program in the country.
The logic? They recruit like Alabama and Georgia, but they haven't lifted the big trophy since the 2014 season.
Is it fair? Kinda. Is it a bit much? Definitely.
Think about it: most teams would sell their stadium for a decade of 11-win seasons. But when you wear the Scarlet and Gray, the standard isn't "good." It’s "historic."
The 2025 defense actually held every single regular-season opponent to 16 points or less. The last time a team did that was the Florida Gators back in 1975. You’d think that would be enough for a title, but the offensive line struggles—specifically in the trenches—became the Achilles' heel.
Things Most People Miss About Buckeye Culture
If you only watch the games on TV, you’re missing the weird, wonderful traditions that make this program a cult. And I mean that in the best way possible.
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- The Gold Pants: This is the one that gets me. Every player who beats Michigan gets a tiny gold charm shaped like football pants. It started in 1934 because Coach Francis Schmidt told his players that the Wolverines "put their pants on one leg at a time" just like everyone else. It’s a piece of jewelry that means more to a Buckeye than a Super Bowl ring.
- The Buckeye Leaves: Those stickers on the helmets? They aren't just for show. They were started by Woody Hayes in 1968. You earn them for big plays, but you can also lose them for bad ones. It’s a visual resume of your season.
- The Victory Bell: It sits 150 feet up in the southeast tower of the Shoe. If you’re in Columbus on a quiet Saturday evening after a win, you can hear that 2,420-pound beast ringing from five miles away.
The Quarterback Transition: From Sayin to the Future
The 2025 season was the Julian Sayin show. He was efficient, sort of like a Drew Brees type—compact motion, very accurate. But he didn't have the "dual-threat" legs that Ryan Day’s system sometimes craves.
Moving into 2026, the big question is whether Day sticks with the "pure passer" philosophy or goes back to a more mobile look. The transfer portal moves this month suggest he’s looking for more "juice" in the running back and receiver rooms to take the pressure off the QB.
Losing Brian Hartline to the USF head coaching job was a gut punch for many fans. He was the "Wide Receiver Whisperer." Replacing him with Cortez Hankton (who the school is paying nearly a million dollars) is a massive bet that the recruiting momentum won't stall.
The Realities of the 2026 Roster
Let's be honest: the 2026 roster is going to look like a "Greatest Hits" of the transfer portal.
Day didn't panic when the portal first opened. He waited. He watched. While fans were losing their minds on Twitter, the staff was biding their time.
They’ve now added 16 transfers, including a much-needed kicker and defensive line depth. They also landed Qua Russaw from Alabama to pair with Kenyatta Jackson. That pass rush could be terrifying.
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Common Misconceptions to Clear Up
1. "Ohio State only cares about football."
Actually, the university is a powerhouse in weirdly specific ways. Their women's hockey team is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, and they have 12 athletes heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
2. "The rivalry with Michigan has cooled off."
Ask any student who spent the last week of November crossing out every letter "M" on campus with red tape. It hasn't cooled. If anything, the 2025 win for the Buckeyes reignited a fire that had been smoldering after a few rough years in the early 2020s.
3. "The 'Shoe' is just a big stadium."
It’s a 104-year-old concrete cathedral. When 105,000 people start the O-H-I-O chant, the ground actually vibrates. It’s not just noise; it’s physical pressure.
What’s Next for the Buckeyes?
If you want to keep tabs on where this program is heading, you have to look at the next few months of the "offseason." It’s not really an offseason anymore; it’s a talent acquisition cycle.
Actionable Insights for Following the Team:
- Watch the Offensive Coordinator hire: Ryan Day is rumored to be looking at the NFL for his next play-caller. If he lands a pro-style mind, expect the offense to become even more complex and harder to scout.
- Track the 2026 Recruiting Class: Currently, Ohio State has a top-3 class nationally. Keeping those five-star recruits committed through the summer is the real game.
- Monitor the Trenches: The 2025 season died because of the offensive line. If the Buckeyes don't land a high-impact tackle in the spring portal window, the 2026 ceiling might be lower than people want to admit.
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is never going to be "just another team." They are a massive, scarlet-colored machine that runs on high expectations and deep-seated traditions. Whether you love them or hate them, you can't look away.
Check out the spring game rosters once they’re released in April. That’s the first real chance to see if this massive roster overhaul is going to click or if 2026 will be another year of "what if."