Ohio State Buckeyes are ranked #1 in the Football Power Index and #1 in SP+
The Ohio State football team is loaded, but faces a difficult schedule. They are ranked number 1 in the ESPN Football Power Index, number 1 in the SP+, which is produced by Bill Conelley. In addition, college football prognosticator Phil Steele has ranked the Buckeye Offensive and defensive lines number 1, and returning quarterback Julian Sayin is, according to Steele, the top returning quarterback.
The Buckeyes have some lofty preseason rankings. It is particularly nice, given that success in football is based on success in the trenches, that OSU has the top-ranked offensive and defensive units. Sayin is a particularly interesting player for Ohio State. He is polarizing. Some people have the returning Heisman Trophy finalist rated as a sixth-round draft pick. What do you think Sayin will do this season?
Ohio State Lofty 2026 Ratings
Ohio State was ranked number one for most of last season before the defending national champions lost their last two games. That disappointing end to last season does not seem to have negatively affected the Buckeyes coming into this season. The Buckeyes are ranked first in the first ESPN College Football Power Index (FPI). The Buckeyes are also ranked first in Bill Conelley’s SP+. Both indices are used by bettors to forecast the outcomes of college football games.
Ohio State has a score of 28.7 in the Football Power Index produced by ESPN. The Buckeyes ranked ahead of Texas, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Georgia in the top five. Meanwhile, Indiana, Miami, Alabama, LSU, and Texas Tech were in the bottom half of the top 10. The Buckeyes play six teams ranked in the top 25.
The news gets better for Ohio State. ESPN’s Bill Connelly also has Ohio State ranked number one in SP+ for the 2026 season. The index is based on returning production, recent history, recruiting, and coaching changes. The metric gives the Bucks an overall score of 31.8. According to it, they have the nation’s No. 2 offense (40.6), No. 1 defense (8.8), and No. 67 special teams (0.1). He likes the Buckeyes, but not as much as prognosticator Phil Steele.
Steele says the Bucks have the top offensive and defensive lines. Steele also says the returning OSU quarterback, Julian Sayin, is the top returning quarterback in the land. He is a polarizing figure, with people criticising his size and leadership ability.
Tough Schedule
These are rosy predictions to be sure, but Ohio State has a difficult schedule in the upcoming season that could limit its success. Here is the upcoming schedule with the FPI and SP+. rankings.
September 5 – Ball State: No. 134 FPI / No. 134 SP+
September 12 – at Texas: No. 2 FPI / No. 6 SP+
September 19 – Kent State: No. 135 FPI / No. 128 SP+
September 26 – Illinois: No. 39 FPI / No. 33 SP+
October 3 – at Iowa: No. 25 FPI / No. 22 SP+
October 10 – Maryland: No. 61 FPI / No. 55 SP+
October 17 – at Indiana: No. 6 FPI / No. 5 SP+
October 24 – Bye Week
October 31 – at USC: No. 13 FPI / No. 13 SP+
November 7 – Oregon: No. 4 FPI / No. 2 SP+
November 14 – Northwestern: No. 60 FPI / No. 49 SP+
November 21 – at Nebraska: No. 30 FPI / No. 37 SP+
November 28 – Michigan: No. 15 FPI / No. 14 SP+
Readers should note the period from October 17 to November 7. Ohio State faces three top teams, two on the road. This section of the schedule should determine the Ohio State football season.
That said, ESPN Analytics gives Ohio State a 38.8% chance to win the Big Ten conference this season. That would be over Indiana, USC, and Oregon (not to mention Michigan). The Buckeyes also have a 75.7% chance to reach the College Football Playoff. With such a difficult schedule, this is not that surprising; the likelihood might be higher. They have a 28.2% chance to make the College Football Playoff championship game and a 17.1% chance to win the national title. These represent the highest likelihoods in the country.
Conclusion
Also, according to ESPN Analytics, Ohio State has a projected record of 10.2-2.4 this season. The Buckeyes have a 9.2% chance to finish undefeated against the nation’s No. 13 strength of schedule, which seems low given the schedule is so difficult. Who knows how the College Football Season will play out? That is what makes it so fascinating. One thing is for certain: Ohio State will be one of the top teams in the country.
