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Nobody’s roster is anywhere close to set. The transfer portal remains open until April 22, underclassmen have until June 15 at 5 p.m. to withdraw from the NBA draft and retain their collegiate eligibility and the 2025-26 national championship game is still 363 days away.
And yet, it’s already time to start projecting what next season will look like. For Ohio State, the big question is whether the Buckeyes will make their return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out in each of the last three years.
Last season, first-year coach Jake Diebler led the Buckeyes to a 17-15 finish and ended up on the wrong side of the bubble. One more win, particularly in either of OSU's last two games, would likely have made the difference.
Relate Ohio State basketball: Ohio State's season is over after Buckeyes decline to play in College Basketball Crown
Now in year two with Diebler in charge, where is Ohio State projected to be when the 2025-26 season gets underway? As the confetti from Monday night’s national championship game is still likely being swept from the floor inside San Antonio’s Alamodome, the Buckeyes look to be on the cusp of the top 25 to open next year even as they work to finalize their roster.
USA Today’s way-too-early preseason top 25 includes five Big Ten teams. Ohio State is not among them. The same goes for 247Sports and Fox Sports, while On3 has six Big Ten teams but not Ohio State.
ESPN has the Buckeyes at No. 23 nationally and sixth in the Big Ten behind Purdue (No. 2), Michigan (5), UCLA (10), Wisconsin (14) and Michigan State (18).
“There's optimism in Columbus given they started only one senior this past season and seem poised to bring back four starters,” Jeff Borzello wrote. “Bruce Thornton is one of the best point guards, and John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal should take another step forward. The one key addition thus far has been Santa Clara transfer Christoph Tilly, a 7-footer from Germany who should immediately slot into the lineup.”
Ohio State Buckeyes: Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy
CJ Moore at The Athletic has Ohio State at No. 24 and also sixth in the Big Ten behind Purdue (No. 1), Michigan (5), Michigan State (7), UCLA (20) and Illinois (21).
“Love the Bruce Thornton and John Mobley backcourt,” he said. “Adding Christoph Tilly from Santa Clara solidifies the center position after a year of riding the Aaron Bradshaw roller coaster. It will be important for Jake Diebler to prove he’s the coach to lead this program after a slightly disappointing first full year, but retaining a strong core from a top-40 team will get you ranked in this exercise.”
Ohio State’s opening futures for winning the national championship are +8000, tied for 31st nationally.
Ohio State men's basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at [email protected], on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Where is Ohio State in way-too-early 2025-26 projections?
Continue reading...
And yet, it’s already time to start projecting what next season will look like. For Ohio State, the big question is whether the Buckeyes will make their return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out in each of the last three years.
Last season, first-year coach Jake Diebler led the Buckeyes to a 17-15 finish and ended up on the wrong side of the bubble. One more win, particularly in either of OSU's last two games, would likely have made the difference.
Relate Ohio State basketball: Ohio State's season is over after Buckeyes decline to play in College Basketball Crown
Now in year two with Diebler in charge, where is Ohio State projected to be when the 2025-26 season gets underway? As the confetti from Monday night’s national championship game is still likely being swept from the floor inside San Antonio’s Alamodome, the Buckeyes look to be on the cusp of the top 25 to open next year even as they work to finalize their roster.
USA Today’s way-too-early preseason top 25 includes five Big Ten teams. Ohio State is not among them. The same goes for 247Sports and Fox Sports, while On3 has six Big Ten teams but not Ohio State.
ESPN has the Buckeyes at No. 23 nationally and sixth in the Big Ten behind Purdue (No. 2), Michigan (5), UCLA (10), Wisconsin (14) and Michigan State (18).
“There's optimism in Columbus given they started only one senior this past season and seem poised to bring back four starters,” Jeff Borzello wrote. “Bruce Thornton is one of the best point guards, and John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal should take another step forward. The one key addition thus far has been Santa Clara transfer Christoph Tilly, a 7-footer from Germany who should immediately slot into the lineup.”
Ohio State Buckeyes: Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy
CJ Moore at The Athletic has Ohio State at No. 24 and also sixth in the Big Ten behind Purdue (No. 1), Michigan (5), Michigan State (7), UCLA (20) and Illinois (21).
“Love the Bruce Thornton and John Mobley backcourt,” he said. “Adding Christoph Tilly from Santa Clara solidifies the center position after a year of riding the Aaron Bradshaw roller coaster. It will be important for Jake Diebler to prove he’s the coach to lead this program after a slightly disappointing first full year, but retaining a strong core from a top-40 team will get you ranked in this exercise.”
Ohio State’s opening futures for winning the national championship are +8000, tied for 31st nationally.
Ohio State men's basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at [email protected], on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Where is Ohio State in way-too-early 2025-26 projections?
Continue reading...
