Ohio State was extremely talented last year. Ohio State is almost always extremely talented.
Then came the offseason, when a slew of star players — defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau, running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, among others — decided to remain in Columbus and chase a national title rather than enter the NFL Draft. That was followed by the signing of the fourth-ranked recruiting class in the country, per Rivals, including three five-star standouts.
Along the way, coach Ryan Day surgically worked the transfer portal to add pops at key positions including quarterback (Will Howard, Kansas State), running back (Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss) and safety (Caleb Downs, Alabama).