Former Michigan star tight end Jake Butt weighs in on the only question remaining about this Ohio State team.
The only question that surrounds this 2025 Ohio State team is if they are better than last year's National Championship group.
It is a fun hypothetical to debate, and obviously, we will never know the answer, but the conversation itself tells exactly how good this year's team is. The most recent person to weigh in on the debate is Big Ten Network personality Jake Butt.
Butt is a former standout tight end for Buckeye's rival, the Michigan Wolverines. Like many others, Butt has a tough time finding an argument against it.
"I think it's Ohio State and then a gap, whether big or small, between Ohio State and the rest of college football. It begs the question, which is crazy to ask, 'Is this team better than last year's?' Jeremiah Smith was asked that and he thinks this 2025 team tops last year's. Pretty crazy"
He went on to describe all of the positives that this Buckeyes team possesses this season, and it really is amazing what head coach Ryan Day and his squad bring to the table.
One of the major advantages that the 2025 Ohio State team has over last year's team is that the versatility on defense, along with their unique skillset, athleticism, and football IQ. They are led by linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs, who are both act as coaches on the field. Both Styles and Downs' intelligence of the game ensures that the Buckeyes are constantly aligned properly and in the right spots.
That allows defensive coordinator Matt Patricia the ability to use a "multiple" defense approach, which is a common mindset in the NFL.
Since the Buckeyes are able to confuse their opponent based on scheme, it allows for the defense to take advantage of any hesitation due to being immensely more talented than their opponent at every level. Facing Ohio State's defense is a daunting task for any opponent, and it makes for a significantly larger challenge than what last year's elite group presented.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes picked up right where they left off last season. They improved at every position except in the run game.
Both Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are widely considered the top wide receivers in college football, while the offensive line is much more consistent and healthy than last year's group. In addition to the success up front, quarterback Julian Sayin is playing at a Heisman-caliber level.
The only area in which they are seeking improvement is in the run game. They will never reach what they were last year because they lack the raw talent that from last season's dynamic duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. However, the youthful switch to two freshman rushers in Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, along with the veteran CJ Donaldson, will be enough to compliment the pass game.
Ohio State has all of the goods to make another run at the title and then the conversation can officially begin: who is better, the 2025 Champions or the 2026 Champions?