Welcome to Glass Slipper! Shohei Ohtani, folks. Never before and never again; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

After three consecutive failed seasons, Ryan Day has assembled one of the most loaded rosters in college football history. This is a special squad on paper, but none of it will matter if things go awry late in the year again. Let’s talk about the #2 team in the Glass Slipper rankings, Ohio State.

Offense

TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have yet to play a snap together, but this is the best running back tandem we’ve seen in a long time. Both guys have accumulated over 3,000 career yards from scrimmage, and they’ve now joined forces for one last ride. People toss around the Thunder and Lightning moniker far too often, but this is the rare running back duo with a legitimate chance to evoke memories of LenDale White and Reggie Bush.

The running styles complement each other perfectly. Henderson is a quintessential home-run hitter, who can turn one missed defensive assignment into a house call from anywhere on the field. My main criticism of his game through the years has always been the relative inability to grind out tough yardage when the Buckeyes need to move the sticks or punch it into the end zone. Ryan Day clearly felt the same way, and he deserves credit for reaching into the portal and grabbing a battering ram from Ole Miss that can take the reins in those moments.

As always, the wide receiver room is special. It will be that way in Columbus as long as Brian Hartline is on the recruiting trails. Emeka Egbuka is the first option, but he could end up sliding down a spot by the end of the season if the whispers regarding Jeremiah Smith are real. Carnell Tate will serve as a massively overqualified No. 3.

But we don’t have to dance around it any longer. This thing hinges on the play of Will Howard. Us Ohio State fans spent the entirety of 2023 trying to talk ourselves into Kyle McCord, despite knowing deep down that he’s wasn’t good enough. Now Howard takes over with similar weaponry and essentially the same solid offensive line protecting him. It’s a championship-caliber supporting cast; we’ll see how well the big kid from Pennsylvania can pull the strings.

Defense

This defensive line is getting a little bit too much love. JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer are still better in hypothetical scenarios than they are in real life. Both have had dominant moments, and I hope those dudes make me look foolish. But there’s a reason why neither of the former five-star recruits left school after three years. Tyleik Williams’ flashes are tantalizing, but he hasn’t quite put it all together yet either. Ty Hamilton is solid but unspectacular.

I can’t wait to watch Sonny Styles. He’s technically a linebacker now, but it sounds like he’s going to occupy a do-it-all role similar to the one that Isaiah Simmons filled at Clemson. Styles is a massive human being, whose presence alone can alter an opposing run game; he’s also a safety at heart, and has the ability to flip games with his instincts in coverage. Very few guys around the country have a higher ceiling.

But the Buckeyes’ secondary is the star of the show. New safety Caleb Downs is the best player on the team. The stacked LA Dodgers couldn’t get over the hump for the better part of a decade, then immediately won a title after bringing in the universally-respected Mookie Betts. That’s what this feels like to me; Downs is a culture-changer, whose blend of intelligence and maturity is already sharpening the program.

Denzel Burke is Ohio State’s top corner for the fourth season in a row, after he turned down the NFL alongside his buddies Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom. I live in perpetual fear of a back-breaking Davison Igbinosun pass interference call in a big spot, but his physicality and trash talk bring energy to a team that desperately needs to play bigger when the lights are on.

It’s Year 3 for Jim Knowles, and he has a collection of talent that almost every other defensive coordinator would trade for in an instant. If this is anything other than the best unit in the nation, it’s a disappointment.

Season Outlook

Pre-Bowl Record Prediction: 12-1

Selection Sunday Fan Mood: I’m not celebrating until I see Scarlet and Gray confetti falling in Atlanta on January 20. We have business to handle.

Pressroom

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“Them Changes” by Thundercat. The man is a genius.