Ohio State enters the 2015 season as the favorite to win the national championship once more and for good reason.
The Buckeyes return 15 starters from a team that was dominant down the stretch despite being forced to use its third-string quarterback in the Big Ten championship and the College Football Playoff.
Head coach Urban Meyer sports a ridiculous 38-3 in three seasons in Columbus, and this year’s team is looking like his best yet. Quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones and Heisman Trophy front-runner Ezekiel Elliott return on offense, while possible future No.1 overall NFL draft pick Joey Bosa is back to lead the defense.
Ohio State is not perfect, and there will be some challenges to repeat as the team replaces some key players while getting by some tough opponents.
Here is a look at three concerning hurdles the Buckeyes must overcome to remain atop the college football universe.
Defensive Line Depth Issues
Ohio State’s defense impressed last season, especially in the final three games.
The unit was strong and disruptive up front while displaying plenty of speed and playmaking ability throughout the linebacker and defensive back groups.
The defense finished 29th nationally in total yards in 2014, but the strength of the unit was pass defense. Ohio State racked up 45 sacks, seventh in the nation, and 25 interceptions, second most in the country.
The run defense was a slightly different story. The team ended up 45th nationally, which is decent. However, strong competition was able to gash the Buckeyes on the ground. Navy gained 370 rushing yards, Indiana totaled 281 and Alabama had 170.
Those numbers could end up even worse this season, as the team had to replace three big contributors on the defensive line in Michael Bennett, Steve Miller and Rashad Frazier. Other than Bosa, Tommy Schutt and Adolphus Washington, there is very little experience up front.
Players like Tyquan Lewis and Donovan Munger will need to prove themselves as capable rotation pieces, or Ohio State could be in trouble. Michigan State is a strong team in the trenches, and if the Buckeyes make it back to the playoffs, power-running teams like Alabama, Auburn and Georgia could fare well if matched up with Meyer’s squad.
Ohio State has enough talent on defense to make up for any deficiencies against the run, and the team will still be able to dominate most of its schedule. If the unit can finish around where it did last year, the Buckeyes will be in good shape. If they fail to find any answers to the depth problem up front, it could lead to some close calls and possibly the wearing out of Bosa and Washington.
Replacing Devin Smith
Ohio State possesses a plethora of playmakers on offense this season with Elliott, Jalin Marshall and Curtis Samuel, yet none can duplicate what receiver Devin Smith brought to the unit.
With his blazing speed and tremendous leaping ability, Smith was arguably the nation’s best deep threat for much of his career. Last season was his best yet, as he finished with 933 yards, 12 touchdowns and an absurd average of 28 yards per catch.
Take a look at his highlight reel, which displays the wide array of skills Smith brought to Ohio State that resulted in game-changing plays:
Not only are plays like these exciting for fans, but they also change the momentum of games and can change the defense’s entire game plan. Smith was able to stretch the field and make defenses play with help over the top nearly every play. This created more space for Elliott in the run game as well as giving his fellow receivers more cushion. According to SB Nation’s analytics, Smith was the second-most explosive receiver in college football last season.
The Buckeyes still have a lot of talent at receiver. Michael Thomas led the team in receptions in 2014, Corey Smith was effective out of the slot and tight end Nick Vannett is a reliable security blanket. Also, sophomore Noah Brown may be ready for a breakout season after a strong spring, per Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com:
Smith’s 30 career touchdowns will not be easy to replace. Ohio State does not seem to have a big-play receiver, which could hurt in must-pass situations. However, the depth at the position should provide enough relief for the Buckeyes to still excel through the air.
Michigan State
Looking at Ohio State’s schedule, it is a safe bet to think the team will roll through its opponents. One game does stick out, though.
Michigan State is responsible for Urban Meyer’s only Big Ten loss, as the two teams have been the class of the conference the past few seasons. This year is no different, and in order to get back to the College Football Playoff, Ohio State will need to knock off Sparty on Nov. 21.
Head coach Mark Dantonio’s team returns 13 starters from last season, which ended with an 11-2 record. The biggest name is quarterback Connor Cook, who turned down a possible first-round draft destination to return for his senior year.
The team will also likely have the conference’s best offensive line, which will be anchored by senior Jack Allen, who earned All-American honors in 2014. This could give the Buckeyes trouble, especially if they do not find some depth on the defensive line.
The Spartans do have to replace some big-time contributors from last season, including running back Jeremy Langford, receiver Tony Lippett and defensive backs Kurtis Drummond and TraeWaynes. Also, Pat Narduzzi, who coordinated a defense that finished in the top nationally the past four seasons, has left to lead Pittsburgh’s program.
So how do these teams match up? The Buckeyes offense will have its hands full with returning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year Shilique Calhoun, but it has enough talent to gain the slight edge here.
On defense, Bosa will need to consistently pressure Cook or else he could pick apart the secondary. Michigan State returns enough quality receivers to give Ohio State trouble, but the running back position is still not settled. Whoever ends up carrying the rock for the Spartans will be the difference in this game, as the Buckeyes’ only slight weakness is defending the run.
In the end, Ohio State should prevail, as Michigan State may not be able to produce enough on the ground to win. The game will also be in Columbus, which greatly helps the Buckeyes. Look for Ohio State to be undefeated once more heading into the Big Ten championship game.
All statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.
Read more Big Ten Football news on BleacherReport.com