Where is Ohio State football in ESPN 'Way-Too-Early' top 25 rankings?
Expectations are seemingly high for Ohio State heading into the 2024 football season.
After the Buckeyes finished as the No. 10 team in the country in the final Associated Press poll of 2023 — the program's lowest ranking in a decade — Ohio State, according to ESPN, will enter the 2024 season as the No. 2 team in the country behind Georgia.
Ohio State is the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten ahead of Oregon (No. 3), Penn State (No. 8), and Michigan (No. 13).
"How do you respond when your bitter rival beats you for a third straight time and then wins a national championship?" ESPN college football reporter Mark Schlabach writes. "By going all-in on the transfer portal and hiring a former head coach and dynamic playcaller to revamp the offense."
Along with returners such as Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and Denzel Burke, Schlabach credits the additions of quarterback Will Howard (Kansas State), running back Quinshon Judkins (Mississippi) and safety Caleb Downs (Alabama) to Ohio State's high expectations in 2024, along with the hiring of former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator.
"Coach Ryan Day won't have any excuses if the Buckeyes aren't a top CFP contender," Schlabach writes.
Ohio State also added quarterback Julian Sayin (Alabama), center Seth McLaughlin (Alabama) and tight end Will Kacmarek (Ohio) through the transfer portal.
Ohio State was ranked as the No. 3 team in the country in the 2023 preseason AP Poll. The Buckeyes were behind Georgia and Michigan.
Ohio State has not been outside of the top five in the preseason AP poll since 2016, where the Buckeyes started at No. 6.
Ohio State opens the 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against Akron.
Ohio State football schedule 2024
Aug. 31: Ohio State vs. Akron; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Sept. 7: Ohio State vs. Western Michigan; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Sept. 21: Ohio State vs. Marshall; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Sept. 28: Ohio State at Michigan State; Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
Oct. 5: Ohio State vs. Iowa; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 12: Ohio State at Oregon; Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
Oct. 26: Ohio State vs. Nebraska; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 2: Ohio State at Penn State; Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
Nov. 9: Ohio State vs. Purdue; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 16: Ohio State at Northwestern; Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois
Nov. 23: Ohio State vs. Indiana; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 30: Ohio State vs. Michigan; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football lands at No. 2 in ESPN 'Way-Too-Early' top 25
