The Ohio State Buckeyes were able to make an impressive run to a national championship win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last season. It was a run that almost didn’t happen.
In the final game of the 2024 regular season, Ohio State came up short at home against the Michigan Wolverines. Losing that game caused a lot of bad things to happen in Columbus.
Right after the loss, the fan base turned on the Buckeyes. Fans were calling for Ryan Day to be fired and they had a lot of nasty things to say about coaches and players alike. Despite that reaction, Ohio State was able to find a way to stay together and prepare for the College Football Playoff.
On their way to the national championship, the Buckeyes defeated Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas. They showed no signs of a hangover from losing to Michigan.
Paul Finebaum Doesn’t Hold Back About Clemson, Cade Klubnik
Caleb Downs was a key piece for Ohio State. He is arguably the best safety in the nation and many believe that he will be a top-10 pick when he heads off to the NFL Draft.
Heading into the upcoming 2025 campaign, the Buckeyes will be looking to repeat as champions. They lost a lot of key players to the NFL, which has made many members of the media write them off. Downs isn’t ready to give in to those projections.
Ahead of the 2025 season, Downs spoke out and revealed the team’s key to championship contention without hesitation.
“The importance of leadership, the importance of having people that can get everybody on the same page and get a singular focus to allow yourself to have the best chance to win,” Downs said.
Ohio State’s leadership starts at the top. Day is one of the best head coaches in the nation and he instills confidence and leadership into his players. Downs will be one of the key leaders on this year’s version of the Buckeyes.
Nick Saban Could Leave ‘College GameDay’ for Coaching Job: Report
Last season in his first year with Ohio State after transferring from Alabama, Downs racked up 81 tackles, 0.5 sacks, two interceptions, and six defended passes. He’ll be asked to handle an even larger workload this season.
While there are a lot of changes and losses to overcome from a roster perspective, the Buckeyes still have a few key pieces of their core left over. They also still have Day leading the way.
They might enter the start of the season as an underdog, but they’re the defending champions for a reason. Ohio State should not be counted out and Downs will do everything he can to lead the team back to a second straight national championship run.
For more Ohio State Buckeyes and college football news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Read the full article here
