Looking To Next Year: What To Expect From Ohio State Buckeyes Football

The Ohio State Buckeyes finished the 2021-2022 season on a high note with a thrilling 48-45 win against Utah in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes fell out of the top four in their last game of the season where they lost to rival Michigan. The Wolverines took their spot in the playoff before eventually losing to Georgia in the semi-final matchup.

The Buckeyes had a successful season by most teams' standards, but according to the standards of Ohio State and their fans, missing the Big Ten Championship game and College Football Playoff is something that they strive for and expect each season. On a bright note, they have a lot to build on for next year.

Let’s look at the roster and expectations for next year for the Ohio State Buckeyes. 

Next Year’s Roster

Although the Buckeyes will be losing both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, they will be returning Jaxson Smith-Njigba along with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Julian Fleming that had a chance to get some experience in the Rose Bowl as both Wilson and Olave sat out.

CJ Stroud and TreVeyon Henderson were both crucial parts to the Buckeyes’ offense as freshmen and will both be returning to the team for at least one more year. Stroud was a Heisman finalist and will be looking for revenge and a chance to play for a national championship next year.

Minus Haskell Garrett, the Buckeyes should be returning many of their defensive personnel which should help them build and improve on an inconsistent 2021 season from a defensive perspective. More experience and another year under their belt should help this defense improve on their weak points and limit mistakes next year.

2022 Season Expectations

It is early, but it is expected that next year’s Ohio State team will be even better than the team that they put on the field this year. They will have more experience and be more balanced on both sides of the ball to help them be a more complete team. 

Their non-conference schedule begins with Notre Dame in the first game of the season in Columbus on September 3rd. This should really be their only test on the non-conference schedule, but it will be a tough game to start off the year.

Key conference games include at Michigan State on September 24th, at Penn State on October 1st, at home vs. Iowa on October 15th, and at home vs. Michigan on November 26th. The Big Ten schedule is always tough, and next year is nothing different. 

It was nice to see what the Ohio State Buckeyes would generally look like next year with the team they put on the field for the Rose Bowl. Giving up 45 points was not very promising for the defense, but I expect Ohio State to focus greatly on developing their defense for next season. The number one rated offense this season will be back with a vengeance, again, next year.