Buckeye Nation won’t like the Big Ten outlook that Josh Pate has on Ohio State heading into the season

The Buckeyes have to get over the hump in the Big Ten.

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day takes the field during the first football practice of the season at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on July 31, 2025. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ohio State Buckeyes haven’t won the Big Ten since the 2020 season, when they defeated the Northwestern Wildcats. Since then, the Buckeyes have made multiple College Football Playoff appearances and won a national championship, but they still haven’t taken care of business in the conference as much as they’d like.

With the expanded playoff format, winning the conference isn’t quite as critical, though it still guarantees a spot in the field.

College football analyst Josh Pate released his conference predictions for this season, and Buckeye fans will not like what he had to say.

Josh Pate believes Oregon and Penn State are ahead of Ohio State in the Big Ten this season

Coming off their national championship, Pate has the Buckeyes finishing third or worse in the conference. He predicts that Penn State will defeat Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. A year ago, Oregon won the Big Ten before falling to Ohio State in their first College Football Playoff matchup.

Ohio State won’t face Oregon in the regular season, with a potential matchup only possible in the Big Ten title game or the playoff. Penn State, however, will visit Columbus in early November, and that game will likely play a pivotal role in deciding the conference. The Buckeyes’ three toughest games are undoubtedly Texas, Penn State, and Michigan.

There’s some doubt about Ohio State heading into the season when it comes to conference play. The Buckeyes are set to have a new starting quarterback and plenty of new faces on both sides of the ball. Still, with stars like Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs returning, Ohio State should reload quickly. Expect the Buckeyes to be in the mix when it matters in 2025.

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