Ohio State football returns tomorrow with the Buckeyes opening the 2026 season against Ball State, and the march toward another college football playoff run begins after a disappointing one-and-done exit last year with a loss to Miami.

 As always, new faces will step into significant roles for Ohio State, and this freshman class brought in plenty of talent ready to contribute early, along with a slew of transfers. 

Ahead of the opener, here are three freshmen who I’m watching the most in this Week 1 opener against Ball State. 

Jay Timmons is the freshman most likely to start

Defensive back Jay Timmons appears to be the freshman closest to locking down a starting spot. Timmons is expected to start at slot cornerback for Ohio State as a true freshman, and the buzz around him has been building all offseason. 

Getting his debut out of the way against Ball State matters because of what comes next. Texas will test Ohio State’s secondary, and the Longhorns are going to go after a freshman cornerback. Getting one game under his feet before that matchup, even against Ball State, could prove valuable for Timmons and the Buckeyes’ defense.

Chris Henry Jr. could be Ohio State’s most productive freshman

Former 5-star recruit Chris Henry Jr. has had a strong offseason with the Buckeyes. Between Henry and wide receiver Brock Boyd, they were the two most talked-about freshmen throughout fall camp. Henry is the one who projects as the most productive freshman for Ohio State in 2026. 

His debut has been highly anticipated after being committed to the program for nearly two years before arriving on campus. Getting Henry the ball early against Ball State will be an important thing to watch, and he’s a player worth keeping an eye on early. 

Luke Fahey is the most underrated freshman on the roster

The most underrated name to watch is quarterback Luke Fahey. Fahey has risen over the last few weeks of fall camp, making his presence known as he openly competes for the backup quarterback spot with Tavien St. Clair. That competition alone says a lot. Fahey was not expected to come in and have a role right away, and the fact that he’s pushing a former 5-star quarterback for the No. 2 spot speaks to who he is as a player.

The 5-foot-10 signal caller would have been a much higher-profile recruit if he were a couple inches taller. Instead, Fahey came out of California as a 3-star prospect. He’s not going to get a chance to play much this year because Ohio State’s schedule is so tough, but getting out there against Ball State is going to be important for the future of his college football career no matter where he ends up.