The next time you look to buy an “Ohio Against the World” T-shirt, know that false advertising is prohibited under Section 4165.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.
I mention this only because it has come to my attention that some Buckeyes fans are under the impression that the world is out to get Ohio State. (Note: It’s possible the world may also be out to get Ohio University, but every T-shirt and hoodie I’ve seen clearly references OSU as the victim, not Ohio U. Sorry, Bobcats.)
I called my friend the lawyer to ascertain whether anyone sporting OATW on their clothing could face punishment, and he immediately wondered what prompted my inquiry.
“On what grounds are you questioning the legitimacy of Ohio Against the World?” he asked.
“On the grounds that Ohio State is picked to win the Big Ten in the USA TODAY Network’s preseason football poll,” I answered. “I mean, the Buckeyes LOST EIGHT STARTERS on defense. And they’re still picked to win the conference? Clearly, the world is not against Ohio.”
The barrister argued the evidence does not support my conclusion, stressing that it is possible the poll voters simply found other Big Ten teams to be lacking. In other words, Ohio State does not need to be great to be selected No. 1 if every other team is just not as good.
Fair point, I guess. But EIGHT STARTERS?
Mr. Attorney countered, “I get it, but they also had to replace eight starters entering last season and look what happened.”
Ohio State must replace eight defensive starters for second straight season
He had me there. As the Buckeyes prepare to open preseason camp Aug. 6, they face a similar, if not identical, situation to the previous fall, when a bunch of relative unknowns with limited experience as starters were being counted on to replace defensive ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, linebacker Cody Simon, defensive tackles Tyliek Williams and Ty Hamilton, cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock and safety Lathan Ransom – all drafted within the first five rounds.
That core group from Jim Knowles’ defense helped hold opponents to 12.88 points a game, lowest in FBS. Even if the incoming 2025 defense showed great potential, it wasn’t going to match 12.88. Right? RIGHT?
A year ago, everyone knew returning starter Caleb Downs was a legitimate first-round NFL draft choice, but after that? Linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese showed high ceilings, but not so high as to make anyone think they eventually would become top-10 draft picks, with Reese going fifth and Styles seventh.
Returning starting cornerback Davison Igbinosun was still a year from learning to play without manhandling receivers, and Caden Curry looked solid, but could he fill the shoes of Sawyer or Tuimoloau?
I could go on, but you get the picture. No matter what was going to happen in 2025, the OSU defense would not reach the finish line ahead of the 2024 edition.
And then it did, allowing a mere 9.29 points per game, again best in FBS.
So why can’t it happen again? Because it’s asking too much for the 2026 defense to pick up where the 2025 group left off, considering three players (Downs, Reese and Styles) went in the first 11 picks of the ’26 draft and four others (Kayden McDonald, Lorenzo Styles Jr., Igbinosun and Curry) were picked in rounds two through six. Defensive tackle Tywone Malone Jr., who started 11 games in 2025, signed with Carolina as an undrafted free agent.
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A rundown of this season’s probable Game 1 starters reads like a mystery. Who are these guys? Defensive ends Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Beau Atkinson/Zion Grady; tackles Eddrick Houston and Alabama transfer John Walker; linebackers Payton Pierce and Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro/Riley Pettijohn. Cornerbacks Jermaine Mathews Jr., Devin Sanchez; free safety Terry Moore, who transferred from Duke, and strong safety Jaylen McClain. At nickel, Florida State transfer Earl Little Jr.
None of those likely starters were selected to the USA TODAY preseason All-Big Ten defensive team.
The way I tally it, every defensive position group is a downgrade from 2025. So why pick the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten? Because the other side of the ball is so loaded that Ohio State should easily outscore the majority of opponents. How that strategy works at Texas (Sept. 12), at Indiana (Oct. 17) at USC (Oct. 31) and at home against Oregon (Nov. 7) will be the real test.
Let’s review: 1. The world is not against Ohio State; 2. The Buckeyes won’t be as strong on defense as last season. But 3. offense should make up for the defensive drop-off, at least enough for OSU to reach the postseason.
Come playoff time, things tighten. The defense will need to hold teams to fewer than 20 points a game if the Buckeyes are to win the national title. That didn’t happen a year ago. As stout as the defense was all season, it surrendered a season-high 24 points in the 24-14 Cotton Bowl loss to Miami.
Indiana won the national title last season allowing an average of 15.3 points in three playoff games. Ohio State gave up an average of 18.8 in four playoff games to win it all in 2024.
If the Buckeyes can hold opponents to an average of two touchdowns and a field goal through this year’s playoff, the rest of the college football world won’t be against Ohio, but definitely will be envious of it.
Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@dispatch.com and on X.com at @rollerCD.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State’s defense is taking a step back — so why are Buckeyes still No. 1?
Reporting by Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
