Buckeyes still near top of offseason top 25 after spring practice

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is the defending national champions of college football, and the Buckeyes will stay that way until at least January. But the program has a shot to repeat as champions this season, at least according to one well-known college football expert.

FOX Sports college football analyst and Big Noon kickoff color commentator Joel Klatt released his top 25 after spring practice, and Ohio State is in the top three — but the Buckeyes aren’t even the top Big Ten team in Klatt’s rankings.

Klatt has Penn State as his top team entering the summer and coming out of spring practice. He has Texas as the second-ranked team, ahead of the Buckeyes. Ohio State is followed by Oregon and Clemson to round out Klatt’s top five.

Other Big Ten teams listed by Klatt are No. 10 Illinois, No. 12 Michigan, No. 21 Indiana and No. 23 Iowa. Ohio State will face Illinois on the road on Oct. 11, host Penn State on Nov. 1 and travel to Michigan to close out the regular season on Nov. 29.

Of course, Ohio State will also host No. 2 Texas to open the season on Aug. 30 in a battle of top-three teams — one of the best matchups of the entire college football slate.

Here’s Klatt’s full top 25 heading out of spring practice and into summer football workouts:

Joel Klatt’s CFB Top 25 (May 5)

1. Penn State
2. Texas
3. Ohio State
4. Oregon
5. Clemson
6. Notre Dame
7. LSU
8. Georgia
9. Alabama
10. Illinois
11. South Carolina
12. Michigan
13. Florida
14. BYU
15. Arizona State
16. Kansas State
17. Iowa State
18. Miami
19. Texas A&M
20. Ole Miss
21. Indiana
22. Auburn
23. Iowa
24. Baylor
25. Oklahoma

2025 Ohio State football schedule

Aug. 30 — vs. Texas
Sept. 6 — vs. Grambling
Sept. 13 — vs. Ohio
Sept. 27 — at Washington
Oct. 4 — vs. Minnesota
Oct. 11 — at Illinois
Oct. 18 — at Wisconsin
Nov. 1 — vs. Penn State
Nov. 8 — at Purdue
Nov. 15 — vs. UCLA
Nov. 22 — vs. Rutgers
Nov. 29 — at Michigan