COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football, fresh off a national title, entered the 2025 season with ample turnover on defense. Along with a change at coordinator — Matt Patricia replacing Jim Knowles — the Buckeyes lost eight defensive starters to the NFL.

While there are a few newbies that'll have to take a step up quickly for the Ohio State Buckeyes, there are also a few familiar faces in the program that will be relied upon with hopes of a national championship push in 2026.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State has turned the page to the next chapter of the Ryan Day era as it prepares for the 2026 season. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis project a 2026 defensive depth chart featuring a solid mixture of both returning players and a few new faces.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named the PFWA Offensive Player of the Year for the 2025-26 NFL season. Smith-Njigba finished as the league leader with 1,793 receiving yards in the regular season.

Keeping that in mind, the Buckeyes are showing interest in an intriguing Big Ten transfer portal quarterback. That quarterback is none other than former UCLA and Maryland signal caller Justyn Martin. In a January 9 post on X, Martin shared that he was visiting Ohio State.

Ohio State is currently the co-favorite to win the national title next year, along with defending champion Indiana. The Buckeyes are +700, along with the Hoosiers, to win another championship. Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and predicting Ohio State football’s 2026 starting offense: Buckeye Talk

Ohio State's Ryan Day was one of 62 coaches participating in the US LBM Coaches Poll in 2025. Here's how he voted on his final ballot.