Experts show mixed results on Buckeyes place in next season's too-early top 25

COLUMBUS — Ohio State finished its season with back-to-back losses for the first time under Ryan Day.

The Buckeyes lost a home game to their hated rival Michigan and then fell just short of upsetting eventual national champion Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

All eyes are all now fixated on next year, a chance to finally get back on top of the Big Ten. Day and the Buckeyes enter next season with high expectations — but they aren’t favored to win the league.

Following Monday night’s national title game, experts from around the country dropped their too-early top 25 rankings for next fall. And with only 235 days until kickoff against Indiana, the hype for September has already arrived for Ohio State.

Lettermen Row is examining where each outlet ranks Ohio State in their too-early rankings for the upcoming season. Let’s look at where the Buckeyes fell.

Where each outlet has Ohio State ranked:

ESPN: No. 2

Athlon Sports: No. 3

FOX Sports: No. 3

The Sporting News: No. 4

The Action Network: No. 5

Sports Illustrated: No. 6

ESPN has highest expectations for Buckeyes in 2023

Only one national outlet ranks Ohio State in the top-two of its too-early top 25 rankings: ESPN. Senior college football writer Mark Schlabaugh has the Buckeyes ranked No. 2 in his lookahead rankings that were released Monday night after the national title game. He ranked the Buckeyes ahead of Michigan and Penn State, something other outlets shied away from doing. Schlabaugh has Michigan ranked No. 3 and Penn State at No. 6. He also put Iowa at No. 25, giving the Big Ten four ranked teams according to ESPN.

Sports Illustrated ranks Buckeyes lowest among other sites

It’s not surprising to see hype building for reigning two-time Big Ten champion Michigan. Sports Illustrated is leading the hype train for the Wolverines with 10 months until The Game. SI has Michigan at No. 2, which lines up with The Athletic, Athlon Sports and FOX Sports as ranking the Wolverines just behind Georgia. But where Sports Illustrated becomes an outlier is with the Buckeyes. SI writer Pat Forde has Ohio State all the way down at No. 6, the lowest ranking for the Buckeyes among national outlets. That’s behind both Michigan and Penn State.

Michigan is early favorite to win Big Ten

Make no mistake, Michigan is the early favorite to win a third straight Big Ten crown. Yes, Ohio State has a ton of skill talent and plenty of defensive playmakers returning. And the Buckeyes have the most talented roster in the league. But the Wolverines return their starting quarterback, offensive weapons that include star tailback Blake Corum and a healthy portion of their defense. Oh, and Ohio State will have to beat Michigan in Ann Arbor next November to take the Big Ten crown from its arch rival. Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, The Action Network and FOX Sports all ranked Michigan ahead of Ohio State, a sign that the Buckeyes will be underdogs next year in the league they’re supposed to dominate.