Ohio State enters 2026 atop composite rankings, but trenches raise CFP questions

Ohio State enters the 2026 season as the consensus No. 1 team in college football, topping six of 11 major preseason polls and claiming the top spot in both the AP Preseason Top 25 and the Coaches Poll. A composite ranking compiled across those outlets — including Sporting News, ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic and others — places the Buckeyes ahead of Oregon at No. 2, Notre Dame at No. 3, Georgia at No. 4 and Texas at No. 5.

The talent case for Ohio State is straightforward. Quarterback Julian Sayin enters his second season as the starter, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is regarded as arguably the best at his position in the country, and running back Bo Jackson rushed for 1,090 yards as a freshman. The defense retains elite personnel at virtually every level, and the program carries a coaching staff viewed among the nation's best under Ryan Day.

Trench battles could define the season

Despite those strengths, analysts have identified the lines of scrimmage as the most likely source of trouble for Ohio State's College Football Playoff hopes. The offensive line returns experience but showed significant cracks in 2025, particularly against Indiana and Miami, where the unit struggled to generate consistent production inside the red zone. The staff has settled on what it believes is its best five — Ian Moore at left tackle, Austin Siereveld at right guard alongside Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman and Phillip Daniels — and Day said on Friday that group was working with the first team. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith adds another variable as the unit tries to prove itself against top competition.

The defensive line faces its own transition. Ohio State lost Caden Curry, who finished 2025 with 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss, and Kayden McDonald, who had nine tackles for loss and three sacks before becoming a second-round NFL Draft pick. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. is the leading candidate to absorb that lost production — he recorded 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 2025 — but the Buckeyes also need immediate contributions from additions James Smith and John Walker, along with continued development from Eddrick Houston.

The schedule amplifies those concerns. Nine of Ohio State's 12 regular-season opponents played in a bowl game or the CFP in 2025, and seven won at least nine games. Road trips to Texas in Week 2, Indiana and USC, along with home games against Oregon and the regular-season finale against Michigan, represent five games where trench performance could be decisive. Analysts note that the expanded Playoff format provides some margin — a 10-2 or 9-3 record could still leave Ohio State in the field — but multiple losses would significantly complicate both their seeding and their path through the bracket.