The Ohio State football season is getting closer by the day, now just a few short weeks away and this year has a chance to be a really special one.
Things got even more real on Thursday when head coach Ryan Day officially named Kansas State transfer Will Howard the starter, so now it’s time to smooth out the edges and get the offense humming and ready to go for the season opener vs. Akron on Saturday, Aug. 31.
The Buckeyes are expected to not only contend for a Big Ten title but make the College Football Playoff and make a run towards the CFP national championship because of perhaps the deepest and most talented roster in the country. However, the schedule won’t be easy with Ohio State having to travel to Eugene to take on an almost equally talented Oregon squad, a trip to Happy Valley to take on Penn State, a home contests with Iowa, and — of course — the season-ending game against Michigan.
Each year, we take a look at the ESPN FPI Matchup Predictor to see what chances the geeky computer model gives OSU to win each of its games, and it just so happens the fine folks at the “worldwide leader” hit the buttons, pulled the levers, and let the bleeps and bloops spit out the numbers this week.
Here’s a look at what ESPN says are the chances of Ohio State winning each of its regular season games on the schedule for 2024, and a running, predictive record.
Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. Akron
USA TODAY SMG
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Predicted Winner | Ohio State
Buckeyes Win Probability | 98.7%
All-Time Series | OSU leads 8-1
Projected Running Record | 1-0
Saturday, Sept. 7 vs. Western Michigan
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Predicted Winner | Ohio State
Buckeyes Win Probability | 98.2%
All-Time Series | OSU leads 1-0
Projected Running Record | 2-0
Saturday, Sept. 21 vs. Marshall
Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio Stadium…
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