The Ohio State Buckeyes have done it again—No. 1 in the first 2026 SP+ rankings. SP+, if you’re not familiar, is this advanced metric from ESPN’s Bill Connelly that tries to measure college football efficiency by adjusting for tempo and strength of schedule.
Even after losing a handful of guys to the NFL, Ohio State’s mix of returning talent, recent success, killer recruiting, and some well-timed coaching tweaks has them right back on top. Let’s dig into what’s fueling this ranking, spotlight some key players, and take a look around the Big Ten.
Understanding the SP+ Rankings
SP+ evaluates teams using four main factors:
- Returning production: Basically, how much experience and performance comes back.
- Recent history: What’s the track record over the last few seasons?
- Recent recruiting: How good are the new guys?
- Coaching change effects: Any shakeups on the staff and what they might mean.
In the preseason, these get weighted by how well they predict future performance. Ohio State’s balance across all of them? That’s why they’re sitting at the top.
Ohio State’s Offensive Strength
The Buckeyes’ offense is stacked—No. 2 in the SP+ offensive ratings. They’re led by Heisman finalist QB Julian Sayin, All-Big Ten running back Bo Jackson, and unanimous All-American wideout Jeremiah Smith.
Veteran receiver Brandon Inniss and a super experienced offensive line—Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, and Phillip Daniels—anchor things up front. That’s a group that can hang points on just about anyone.
Defensive Prowess
Even after some big-time departures, Ohio State’s defense somehow comes in at No. 1 in SP+ defensive ratings. Guys like Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Carnell Tate are off to the NFL, but the Buckeyes have reloaded fast with transfers and recruits.
Names to know: tackles James Smith and John Walker, linebacker Christian Alliegro, and defensive backs Earl Little Jr. and Terry Moore. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is running a tight ship.
Their 8.8 defensive rating is 3.7 points better than LSU, the next best team. That’s a pretty wild gap at the top.
Special Teams: A Work in Progress
Special teams? Yeah, it’s a different story—No. 67 in SP+. Head coach Ryan Day clearly noticed, so he brought in new coordinator Robby Discher and kicker Connor Hawkins.
It’s a unit that could use a jolt, and those changes might just do the trick. Sometimes it’s the little things that decide the close games, right?
Big Ten Landscape
Ohio State leads all 18 Big Ten teams in SP+, but there are some serious threats lurking. Oregon is right behind at No. 2, flexing on both sides of the ball. Indiana, USC, Michigan, and Penn State all crack the top 20, too.
Top Big Ten Teams
Here’s how the top Big Ten teams stack up in SP+:
- Ohio State: No. 1 overall, No. 2 offense, No. 1 defense, No. 67 special teams
- Oregon: No. 2 overall, No. 1 offense, No. 3 defense, No. 50 special teams
- Indiana: No. 5 overall, No. 9 offense, No. 6 defense, No. 22 special teams
- USC: No. 13 overall, No. 6 defense
- Michigan: No. 14 overall, No. 20 offense, No. 13 defense
- Penn State: No. 17 overall, No. 14 offense, No. 23 defense
Any of these teams could give Ohio State a run for their money this year.
Ohio State’s Regular-Season Opponents
The Buckeyes’ 2026 schedule is no cakewalk. Here are some of the big ones:
- Sept. 12 – at Texas: No. 6 in SP+ rankings
- Sept. 26 – Illinois: No. 33 in SP+ rankings
- Oct. 3 – at Iowa: No. 22 in SP+ rankings
- Oct. 17 – at Indiana: No. 5 in SP+ rankings
- Oct. 31 – at USC: No. 13 in SP+ rankings
- Nov. 7 – Oregon: No. 2 in SP+ rankings
- Nov. 28 – Michigan: No. 14 in SP+ rankings
Those Texas and Oregon games? Absolutely massive. The Buckeyes will have to earn that No. 1 spot this year—no question about it.
Ohio State’s No. 1 spot in the first 2026 SP+ rankings says a lot about how they’ve built their program. It’s not just about flashy offense or a tough defense—there’s a sense they’ve been working on every piece, even special teams.
They’re set up as a serious contender for the national title. Sure, the season’s going to throw some real challenges their way, but with this much depth and talent, you can’t help but keep an eye on the Buckeyes.
If you’re curious for more updates or want to dig into the details as the 2026 season unfolds, check out Eleven Warriors.
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