The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by sixth-year head coach Ryan Day and played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. It was the Buckeyes' 135th season overall and 112th as a member of the Big Ten.
As the favorites to win the Big Ten, Ohio State started the season 5–0 before falling 32–31 to No. 3 Oregon on the road at Autzen Stadium. Subsequent to the loss, the team won its next five, including one on the road against No. 3 Penn State and one at home against No. 5 Indiana. However, an upset home loss to unranked Michigan, a fourth consecutive loss in the rivalry, knocked them out of the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State still qualified for the 2024–25 College Football Playoff and was selected as the No. 8 seed. They defeated No. 9 seed Tennessee in the first round, 42–17, and avenged their regular season loss against No. 1 seed Oregon, defeating them 41–21 in the Rose Bowl. They subsequently defeated No. 5 seed Texas 28–14 in the Cotton Bowl Classic to advance to the CFP National Championship, where they defeated No. 7 seed Notre Dame 34–23, claiming their first national championship since the 2014 season. The Buckeyes were the first 12-team College Football Playoff champion (winning four playoff games), the first team since the 2007 LSU Tigers to win a national championship with two losses on the season, the first team to win the national championship without winning their respective conference championship game since the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs and the lowest-seeded team in college football history to win a championship. The Buckeyes also set an NCAA record for most wins against top-5 teams in a single season, with five.
A record-breaking attendance of 936,550 was recorded at home games in the 2024 season, including the December playoff victory over Tennessee.
Offseason
Coaching staff changes
Departures NamePositionNew schoolNew position Tony Alford Assistant head coach for offense/running backs coach Michigan Run game coordinator/running backs coach Mike Dawson Program assistant - defense Kansas Senior analyst - defense Corey Dennis Quarterbacks coach Tulsa Quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Perry Eliano Safeties coach Toledo Cornerbacks coach Todd Fitch Senior analyst - offense LSU Sr. offensive analyst Parker Fleming Special teams coordinator None Joe Philbin Senior advisor/analyst - offense Las Vegas Raiders Senior offensive assistant
Additions
NamePositionPrevious schoolPrevious position Tim Drevno Quality control - offense UCLA Offensive line coach Matt Guerrieri Safeties coach Indiana Co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Michael Hunter Graduate assistant - defense Tulsa Defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Tony Johnson Senior advisor/analyst Olentangy Berkshire Middle School Assistant coach Brandon Jordan Program assistant - defense Seattle Seahawks Pass rush specialist Chip Kelly Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach UCLA Head coach Carlos Locklyn Running backs coach Oregon Running backs coach
Players drafted into the NFL
+ 1 4 Arizona Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr. WR 2 54 Cleveland Browns Mike Hall Jr. DT 4 123 Houston Texans Cade Stover TE 5 148 Las Vegas Raiders Tommy Eichenberg LB Undrafted Detroit Lions Steele Chambers LB Undrafted Buffalo Bills Xavier Johnson WR Undrafted Miami Dolphins Matthew Jones OL Undrafted Jacksonville Jaguars Josh Proctor S
Source:
Transfers
Outgoing The Buckeyes lost 26 players to the transfer portal. PlayerNumberPositionHeightWeightClassHometownNew school Omari Abor #23 DE 6'3" 258 Sophomore Duncanville, Texas SMU Jyaire Brown #18 CB 5'11" 183 Sophomore New Orleans, Louisiana LSU Reid Carrico #28 LB 6'2" 235 Junior Ironton, Ohio West Virginia Ja'Had Carter #14 S 6'1" 203 Senior Richmond, Virginia NC State Connor Cmiel #8 WR 6'2" 200 Senior Rocky River, Ohio Coastal Carolina Victor Cutler Jr. #59 OL 6'3" 300 Graduate West Monroe, Louisiana Louisville Julian Fleming #4 WR 6'2" 210 Senior Catawissa, Pennsylvania Penn State Nigel Glover #37 LB 6'3" 210 Freshman Clayton, Ohio Northwestern Kyion Grayes #7 WR 6'0" 187 Sophomore Chandler, Arizona California Sam Hart #81 TE 6'5" 255 Junior Aurora, Colorado Colorado Will Hartson #30 RB 5'9" 205 Freshman Massillon, Ohio Southern Illinois Cedrick Hawkins #26 S 5'11" 182 Freshman Titusville, Florida UCF Dallan Hayden #5 RB 5'10" 205 Sophomore Memphis, Tennessee Colorado Jakob James #78 OL 6'5" 297 Senior Cincinnati, Ohio Toledo Parker Lewis #23 K 6'3" 220 Senior Phoenix, Arizona Arizona State Cameron Martinez #3 S 5'10" 198 Senior Muskegon, Michigan Boston College Kyle McCord #6 QB 6'3" 215 Junior Mount Laurel, New Jersey Syracuse Jaden McKenzie #90 DT 6'2" 286 Senior Wake Forest, North Carolina East Carolina Jesse Mirco #29 P 6'4" 220 Junior Fremantle, Australia Vanderbilt Evan Pryor #21 RB 5'11" 198 Junior Cornelius, North Carolina Cincinnati Bryson Rodgers #86 WR 6'2" 185 Freshman Zephyrhills, Florida Withdrew Noah Rogers #80 WR 6'2" 201 Freshman Raleigh, North Carolina NC State Joe Royer #84 TE 6'5" 255 Senior Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati Kye Stokes #13 S 6'1" 195 Sophomore Seffner, Florida Cincinnati Chip Trayanum #19 RB 5'11" 233 Senior Akron, Ohio Kentucky Ryan Turner #12 CB 5'11" 189 Sophomore Hollywood, Florida Boston College Enokk Vimahi #66 OL 6'4" 313 Senior Kahuku, Hawaii Washington
Incoming The Buckeyes added 10 players from the transfer portal. PlayerNumberPositionHeightWeightClassHometownPrevious school Caleb Downs #2 S 6'0" 205 Sophomore Hoschton, Georgia Alabama Will Howard #18 QB 6'4" 235 Graduate Downingtown, Pennsylvania Kansas State Quinshon Judkins #1 RB 6'0" 219 Junior Pike Road, Alabama Ole Miss Will Kacmarek #89 TE 6'6" 260 Senior St. Louis, Missouri Ohio Seth McLaughlin #56 OL 6'4" 305 Graduate Buford, Georgia Alabama Keenan Nelson Jr. #16 DB 6'1" 185 Junior Philadelphia, Pennsylvania South Carolina Julian Sayin #10 QB 6'1" 203 Freshman Carlsbad, California Alabama Anthony Venneri #35 P 6'0" 225 Junior Hamilton, Ontario Buffalo
Recruiting class
Recruiting class rankings WebsiteNational rankConference rank5 star recruits4 star recruits3 star recruitsTotal 247Sports 5 2 1 12 8 22 ESPN — — 1 14 6 21 Rivals 4 2 3 14 4 21
Walk-ons PlayerNumberPositionHeightWeightClassHometownPrevious school Morrow Evans #41 LS 6'1" 205 Freshman Bellaire, Texas Episcopal High School Glorien Gough #29 DB 5'11" 175 Sophomore Palos Verdes Estates, California Mater Dei High School Zach Hayes #37 LB 6'3" 220 Freshman La Grange Park, Illinois Nazareth Academy Hadi Jawad #39 P 5'11" 185 Senior Dearborn, Michigan Wayne State Shawn Lodge #80 WR 6'0" 170 Junior Akron, Ohio Presbyterian Simon Lorentz #64 OL 6'3" 280 Freshman Dover, Ohio Dover High School Buakri Miles Jr. #34 CB 6'2" 190 Freshman West Chester Township, Ohio Lakota West High School Nate Riegle #66 LB 6'3" 210 Freshman Findlay, Ohio Findlay High School Eli Riggs #38 LB 6'4" 230 Freshman Cincinnati, Ohio Indian Hill High School Rashid SeSay #30 RB 5'11" 190 Freshman Zanesville, Ohio West Muskingum High School Ahmed Tounkara #59 DL 6'1" 260 Freshman Dublin, Ohio Dublin Scioto High School Joey Velazquez #39 LB 5'11" 226 Graduate Columbus, Ohio Michigan Dorian Williams #84 WR 6'2" 200 Freshman Cincinnati, Ohio Princeton High School
Preseason Spring game Date Time Spring Game Site TV Result Attendance Source April 13 12:00 p.m. Offense (Scarlet) vs. Defense (Gray) Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH Fox Offense 34-33 80,012
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries vs Akron
On August 31, Ohio State opened their season by hosting the in-state Akron Zips from the MAC. Ohio State looked to continue their 108-year winning streak over in-state opponents. Two weeks before the game, Ryan Day named Kansas State transfer Will Howard Ohio State's starting quarterback for the 2024 season. Ohio State's injuries for the game included starting linebacker Cody Simon and left guard Donovan Jackson.
Ohio State got the ball first and went three-and-out after highly touted freshman Jeremiah Smith dropped his first career target, followed by a false start penalty and an incompletion. On Akron's first play, Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun was nearly ejected for targeting after a late hit on sliding Akron quarterback Ben Finley, but it was overturned upon review. Backup quarterback Tahj Bullock would enter the game and lead the Zips down the field; they would take a 3–0 lead after a 48-yard field goal by Garrison Smith. Jeremiah Smith would make his first career catch on the next drive, an 11-yard reception to convert third-and-10. He would catch his first career touchdown on a 16-yard pass from Howard later in the drive, which gave Ohio State a 7–3 lead. A sack on second down by Buckeye linebacker C. J. Hicks would cause Akron's next drive to stall. Ohio State then drove down to the Akron 25, but turned it over on downs after an incompletion from Howard to Emeka Egbuka. Two plays later, Ohio State would get the ball back after an interception of Finley by Denzel Burke. The Buckeyes would cash in the short field with a 40–yard field goal by Jayden Fielding to increase their lead to 10–3. Akron went three-and-out again on their next drive after a third-down sack of Finley by JT Tuimoloau. Ohio State would subsequently orchestrate another touchdown drive, with Howard completing a 16-yard pass to Carnell Tate to convert third-and-8 before throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Smith to extend the lead to 17–3. Akron's next drive reached Ohio State territory, but stalled out at the 34 after Finley ran out of bounds on fourth-and-5. The half ended with Ohio State holding a 17–3 lead.
Akron held the ball for over six minutes of game clock on their first drive of the second half, but eventually punted. On Ohio State's second play of their next drive, Howard connected with Smith on a 45-yard deep pass, before Quinshon Judkins plunged in for a 2-yard touchdown run, his first as a Buckeye, extending Ohio State's lead to 24–3. On Akron's next drive, junior Caden Curry forced a Bullock fumble on a hit from behind, which was recovered by safety Lathan Ransom and returned for a touchdown, giving Ohio State a 31–3 lead. Akron's next drive was successful, getting inside the Ohio State 30 before Smith hit his second field goal of the day, this one a 49-yarder to trim the deficit to 31–6. Ohio State scored another touchdown on their next drive via a 4-yard run by James Peoples, extending their lead to 38–6. After forcing another punt, the Buckeyes would score again on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Howard to Tate, increasing the lead to 45–6. After a trade of punts, Ohio State would score for the final time on a pick-six by junior linebacker Gabe Powers, placing the final score at 52–6. Statistics AKROSU First downs 11 24 Plays–yards 64–177 64–404 Rushes–yards 35–47 33–170 Passing yards 130 234 Passing: –– 18–29–2 18–31–0 Time of possession 34:03 25:57 Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Tahj Bullock 9/13, 68 yards Rushing Tahj Bullock 14 carries, 42 yards Receiving Jake Newell 2 receptions, 41 yards Ohio State Passing Will Howard 17/28, 228 yards, 3 TD Rushing TreVeyon Henderson 8 carries, 65 yards Receiving Jeremiah Smith 6 receptions, 92 yards, 2 TD
vs Western Michigan
Statistics WMUOSU First downs 6 30 Plays–yards 48–99 72–683 Rushes–yards 31–28 39–273 Passing yards 71 410 Passing: –– 8–17–0 25–33–0 Time of possession 25:24 34:36 Team Category Player Statistics Western Michigan Passing Hayden Wolff 8/15, 71 yards Rushing Keshawn King 8 carries, 22 yards Receiving Anthony Sambucci 3 receptions, 41 yards Ohio State Passing Will Howard 18/26, 292 yards, 1 TD Rushing Quinshon Judkins 9 carries, 108 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jeremiah Smith 5 receptions, 119 yards, 1 TD
vs Marshall