Ohio football just rode a roller coaster, and we’re taking you seat by seat. We open with the Buckeyes’ Cotton Bowl disappointment—five more sacks, red zone stalls, and special teams nerves—then trace how pressure and protection flipped winnable moments into missed chances. From staff shifts to portal priorities, we lay out how a grown roster, a steadier plan against the blitz, and a dependable kicker can turn a stacked depth chart into a real title chase. With a 2026 gauntlet featuring Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, USC, and Michigan, the margins only get thinner.

We shift to Cincinnati’s late-game stumbles and what must change now: spend the $77M cap space on speed and certainty at safety, corner, and the front; keep Burrow upright with a cleaner interior; and demand sharper situational football. Draft crushes like Caleb Downs bring leadership and sure tackling, the exact traits that stabilize January drives. Then it’s Cleveland’s pivot: moving on from Stefanski, wrestling with an enormous Watson cap hit, and choosing between a WR1, a refreshed offensive line, or both. With two first-rounders and a defense that can still dictate, smart choices could flip the AFC North script fast.

We cap it with playoff predictions and a look at what truly wins now: pressuring quarterbacks, protecting your own, and stacking small, repeatable edges. Ole Miss carries a chip and mobility, Oregon brings experience and balance, and the path forward for every Ohio team runs through the trenches and the red zone. Thanks for riding along all season—subscribe, share with a fellow fan who needs therapy, and tell us: which Ohio team turns it around first?

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