Fresh off their first national championship in a decade, the Ohio State Buckeyes are already setting their sights on another title run in 2025.
However, their road to repeating as champions begins with a daunting challenge: a season-opening showdown against the Texas Longhorns on August 30.
The Buckeyes, who stormed through the College Football Playoff as the No. 8 seed, capped off their remarkable postseason run with a dominant victory over Notre Dame in the National Championship Game last month.
Their success came after a disappointing regular-season loss to Michigan – their fourth straight defeat in the rivalry – but they used it as motivation to power through the playoffs.
Now, with another title in their sights, Ohio State is set to face a familiar foe.
The Buckeyes and Longhorns clashed in the CFP semifinals this past season, with Ohio State securing an impressive 28-14 victory in enemy territory. This time, the rematch will take place in Columbus, adding even more excitement to the highly anticipated clash.
While fans are eagerly awaiting the season opener, former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer has raised concerns about the difficulty of starting the season with such a high-profile opponent.
“You’re opening with Texas next year … Why???” Meyer wondered on “The Triple Option” podcast.
Meyer, who led Ohio State to a national championship in 2014, believes the growing trend of top teams playing grueling schedules is not being discussed enough in college football.
Meyer said he’s worried about teams playing “horrific” schedules that present unnecesarry dangers for title-contending programs.
His concerns aren’t unfounded. Both the Big Ten and SEC consistently boast some of the toughest schedules in the sport, with powerhouse programs battling it out on a weekly basis.
As these conferences continue discussions about potentially expanding the CFP and/or implementing automatic bids, teams like Ohio State must navigate demanding regular-season slates.
Meyer wonders why the Buckeyes should make things even more difficult by playing out-of-conference powers such as Texas.
For now, the CFP format will remain at 12 teams for the 2025 season, and while expansion talks continue, the Buckeyes’ immediate focus is on their opening game.
With both Ohio State and Texas expected to be national title contenders once again, this matchup could serve as a preview of a future playoff rematch.
The countdown to August 30 is on, and both teams will be battle-ready after fall camp. For Ohio State, the challenge is clear: defend their crown, starting with one of the biggest opening-weekend matchups in recent history.
What are your thoughts on Meyer’s comments? … (I guess he doesn’t subscribe to the “anybody, anywhere, anytime” philosophy.)
Looking ahead, do you give the Buckeyes a legitimate chance to repeat as champions???
