The Ohio State Big Ten title drought has reached five seasons. The last time Ryan Day and his team hoisted the Stagg Championship Trophy, the Big Ten had to change its rules to allow the 5-0 Buckeyes to qualify, and the game was played with just 3,178 people in attendance. Since then, the Buckeyes have only played for one championship, resulting in a 13-10 loss to the eventual National Champion, Indiana.
The ongoing five-season championship drought is the program’s longest since it went six seasons without one, from 1987 to 1992. Yes, there was a national championship in there after the 2024 season, among three CFP appearances in 2021, 2024, and 2025.
Ohio State’s roster is loaded, as it is every season. Day recruits high schoolers at an elite level, and his portal acquisitions have continued to be quality over quantity. There were plenty of players to leave who were expected to step up this year, but if you can’t reload year over year at Ohio State, this isn’t the job for you. Day has done a good job to this point, but winning the Big Ten has eluded him ever since winning in each of his first two seasons.
So, how do the Buckeyes get back on top?
How The Ohio State Big Ten Title Drought Ends in 2026
Super Sayin 2
If last year’s Heisman Trophy finalist season was Julian Sayin‘s “Super Sayin” season, 2026 needs to be his “Super Sayin 2” (or “Ascended Super Sayin” if you’d prefer) season. How does a quarterback who played about as well as any quarterback as a redshirt freshman take a step in 2026?
Realistically, all he will need to do is take the easy yards on the ground. This is one area in which this author will side with the Lunatic Fringe™. It’s maddening to watch a quarterback throw the ball away or into coverage when a first down could be had on the ground. Sayin does not need to be prime Braxton Miller or Terrelle Pryor. He doesn’t even need to be Will Howard with how often he put his body on the line in the title season.
Sayin is already a great quarterback. His completion percentage will shatter the program record. If he has an identical statistical season, he will end the 2026 season with both the third-most career passing yards and career touchdown passes.
Ascending to “Super Sayin 2” would be a dangerous thought for the rest of college football. Of course, as we will get to in the next point, if he can’t step up against pressure, it will all be for naught again.
Trench Warfare
The offensive line was solid last year…up until it faced real defensive lines in Indiana and Miami. It’s a point that has been beaten to death, but it has to be repeated: the offensive line allowed six sacks in games 1-12 and allowed 12 in the final two. For as good as Sayin was last year, he wasn’t tested quite to that level.
The mantra in the Day era regarding offensive line has been to play the five best. Throughout the spring and fall camps, the Buckeyes love to switch things up to find the best configuration of five offensive linemen to get the job done. Whatever that configuration ends up being, it has to be better.
Of course, there are reasons to believe that it will be better. Assuming the four offensive linemen who played last year are the ones expected to start, that’s a lot of experience and chemistry returning. It’s easier to plug in one right guard than it is to plug in an entire side of the ball. Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, and Phillip Daniels are the incumbents and are expected to be four of the five. Who will be the fifth? How will they line up? Will a wild card come in and challenge an incumbent?
The tests this year will be tougher. Texas has one of the best EDGE players in the game, and we can bet that Indiana, Oregon, and Michigan will be stout up front again. If the offensive line can protect Sayin and continue to progress in the run game, this offense unlocks. Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, and the running back group can be dynamic, but it would be best if the offensive line helped them out a bit more.
BIA Reloaded
year 2 devin sanchez gon be scary pic.twitter.com/OO9lZxhTWE
— ttwfo. (@cseem20) May 25, 2026
Last year, Ohio State had the best secondary in college football, statistically. On six occasions, the defense held its opponent to under 100 yards through the air. Even in the CFP, Miami only managed 138 yards and one touchdown. Now, it must replace the Thorpe Award winner at safety, a tone-setter at corner, and its nickel corner/safety.
Devin Sanchez was trusted with a lot last year. As a true freshman, the former five-star recruit played 321 snaps, including 43 against Miami and 11 right off the bat in Week 1 against Texas. The defensive coaches trust him, and he’s expected to step up this year as the Buckeyes’ CB1. Opposite him, it looks like Jermaine Mathews Jr. will take over the other boundary corner role instead of heading to the NFL. The lone returning safety, Jaylen McClain, is the elder statesman of the secondary now, with two seasons of legitimate playing time.
The other positions are currently question marks. Earl Little Jr. has been impressing coaches with his veteran leadership already, so it’s safe to say he will have an impact. The other transfer, Terry Moore, should be expected to contribute as well. Will five-star true freshman Blaine Bradford make an impact? How about Jordan Thomas, Cam Calhoun, or Dominick Kelly? Jay Timmons or Myles Lockhart?
Ohio State will be playing some of the top quarterbacks in the country in Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and Josh Hoover. Additionally, the wide receiver talent on the schedule is ridiculous. If the Buckeyes are going to get back to the top, BIA has to continue to reign.
Big Game Buckeyes
All of this to say the Buckeyes must take a step forward, especially in big games. On the surface, Ohio State has five big-time games on the schedule this year, including the Big Ten Championship. No disrespect to Ball State, Kent State, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, USC, Northwestern, and Nebraska, but the games against Texas, Indiana, Oregon, and Michigan take precedence.
This is the deepest, most difficult schedule Ohio State has faced in a very long time. The Big Ten may be the best it’s been in a while, so naturally, Ohio State gets to play each of the top non-Ohio State programs in the conference.
Since 2021, Ohio State is 1-4 against Michigan, 0-1 in the Big Ten Championship, 0-2 in the regular season against Oregon, two uninspiring bowl performances, and a choke job against Georgia in a season in which Ohio State would likely have beaten TCU in the title game in a similar fashion. That impressive title run in 2024 did a lot to make folks forget about previous shortcomings, but they’re still there.
Aside from the Stalions era Michigan losses, Ohio State has only lost by multiple scores twice. Once was in that ugly Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri, and the other was the last time the program suited up. 2025 marked the third time in four seasons that the Buckeyes finished the season on a two-game losing streak.
Plain and simple, the play has to be better in the big games. Easier said than done, obviously, but when matched up against a team with similar talent, it boils down to coaching. Curt Cignetti and Mario Cristobal outcoached Day last year. The Buckeyes will need to step up this year.
Main Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
