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As the Ohio State Buckeyes football team gear up for the 2023 college football season, expectations for making the College Football Playoff and winning a national championship run are reaching a crescendo. Head coach Ryan Day finds himself under immense pressure entering year five, with the ultimate goal of reclaiming what has eluded the program since 2014. During Day's tenure, the Buckeyes have reached the College Football Playoff three times, making the National Championship game once, but were beaten by a tough Alabama team.
Just as of last year, the Buckeyes were on the verge of returning to the National Championship game, where they most likely would have been heavy favorites against TCU. They lost by one point to the eventual National Champion Georgia Bulldogs after missing a last ditch effort field goal. They'll need to put these and other memories from the previous season behind them if they're wanting to return to the College Football Playoff.
Finding a quarterback
One of the main issues a lot of the usual favorites for the playoff are facing is that there's a big question mark at their quarterback position. Georgia, Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State all have quarterbacks that will either be first time starters or who have limited starts under them.
With that being said, one of the key focal points for the Ohio State football team in their pursuit of a playoff berth this season is the search for a new quarterback. Following the departure of C.J. Stroud, the team must identify a signal-caller who can effectively lead what has been a potent Ohio State offense over the last several seasons. Right now, that battle is between junior Kyle McCord and sophomore Devin Brown.
Whether it be McCord or Brown, the eventual quarterback will not only be following Stroud, but Dwayne Haskins and Justin Fields as well, who were all Heisman Trophy finalists. The three of them, on average, completed 70% of their passes, threw for over 4,000 yards and 45 touchdowns, per Nathan Baird at Cleveland.com.
The quarterback position has been one of the strongest under Day. So, finding a quarterback who can step into the role with confidence, poise, and the ability to make critical plays will be crucial for the Buckeyes' playoff aspirations. At least whoever is behind center will probably have the most talented wide receiver corps in the country, with the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and others.
Shoring up the defense
Ohio State's recent defensive struggles have been well-documented, particularly in their pivotal matchups against Michigan and Georgia. The Buckeyes' defense faltered big time in those two games, allowing a combined 87 points. What is so concerning about those games is not just that they lost but that they were the most important games of the entire season, and the final two games at that.
The whole intention of hiring defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State was to address these sort of defensive deficiencies. Knowles must prove his value as a play-caller and tactician to solidify the Buckeyes' defense as a formidable asset in 2023.
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Beat Michigan
No discussion about Ohio State football contending for the College Football Playoff would be complete without addressing their arch rival, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan's resurgence under Jim Harbaugh has resulted in consecutive, albeit, surprising losses for the Buckeyes over the last two seasons, which shattered their Big Ten title hopes and playoff dreams. If it wasn't for USC losing in the Pac-12 Championship to Utah, Ohio State would have missed the playoff again last season thanks to Michigan.
Day and his coaching staff recognize the significance of beating Michigan to maintain their championship trajectory — and better yet, keeping their jobs. With Michigan winning the last two meetings, the narrative has completely changed in this rivalry, where now, the favorites are the Wolverines. If the Buckeyes want to get back into the College Football Playoff, it's really simple: Beat Michigan.
Beating the schedule, not looking ahead
Well, okay, beating Michigan isn't the only victory they'll need.
The formidable part of their schedule begins with a road test against Notre Dame in the fourth week of the season. The Buckeyes must prepare to face a new-and-improved Notre Dame offense with Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman at quarterback. But unless they were to stumble along the way and get upset by someone, they'll only have to worry about Penn State at home a month later, and of course, Michigan at the end the year.
Ultimately, securing victories against Notre Dame, Penn State, and Michigan will significantly bolster Ohio State's playoff hopes. These matchups serve as critical stepping stones on their path back to the College Football Playoff. There's no reason why Ohio State football won't be back in the playoff if they can accomplish this. The real question is — can they get back to the title game?
