Beyond the Box Score: Why the Buckeyes being ranked No. 1 in the Preseason Coaches Poll DOES matter

Coaches will say all the time that preseason rankings do not matter. Truthfully, they’re right.

All they are, in fact, are rankings that get people talking. Talk is cheap in the preseason. What ultimately matters is on-field performance.

That said, Ohio State being ranked No. 1 in the Preseason Coaches Poll does matter. These are the coaches saying who they believe is the best team in the country. That matters, because coaches know the game better than AP voters.

The coaches believe the Buckeyes are the best team in the country. That’s despite all the questions the Buckeyes are facing on defense, with so many new starters, and whether they can revive their running game, while also hoping their offensive line bounces back on the offensive side of the ball.

However, coaches must be taking into account that having Jeremiah Smith — and Julian Sayin — is enough to rank the Buckeyes No. 1 before the games are played.

It’s interesting that the national champion the year before is not always ranked No. 1 to start the next season. How is that? They were the best of the best the year before. Shouldn’t they get to be the No. 1 team to start the next season?

The Buckeyes lost in the Quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff last season. They didn’t even play for a berth in the national championship, let alone play in the national championship.

For as great and dominant a season as the Buckeyes had in the regular season, it ended with a thud in the postseason. Now, the roster looks completely different than it did the night Ohio State took the field on New Year’s Eve.

Not to mention, Ohio State also has a new offensive coordinator, a coach who hasn’t been in the college game in a long time.

Arthur Smith has had a solid coaching career to this point, but this is a highly scrutinized job he’s undertaking. Being the offensive coordinator at Ohio State is a role that puts you in the spotlight, with or without a talent like Jeremiah Smith.

New offensive coordinator, questions of being able to run the ball and their offensive line, and yet the coaches think Ohio State is the No. 1 team in the country. That’s… interesting.

Maybe it was the Buckeyes’ dominance in the regular season that coaches believe is why they should be No. 1 coming into this season. But the roster is just so different, the schedule is so much tougher this season, and there are questions on both sides of the ball.

Still, though, it is good to know how coaches view Ohio State heading into 2026. Now, it’s on the Buckeyes to show they deserve that No. 1 spot, even with so many new faces and a much harder road to the Big Ten Championship and National Championship.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →