Can the 2026 Defense Top the 2024 Defense?

Can Ohio State’s 2026 defense be even better than the Buckeyes’ 2024 national championship defense?

Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr compare the two defenses position by position, including the defensive line, linebackers, cornerbacks, safeties, and special teams. They discuss why the 2024 defense sets such a high bar with players like J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton, Cody Simon, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Lathan Ransom, Jordan Hancock, Denzel Burke, and Davison Igbinosun.

They also look at where the 2026 Buckeyes could have an edge, including the cornerback room, the potential of the linebacker group, the return game, and whether a full-time special teams coordinator could make a major difference.

00:00 — Intro
00:10 — Comparing this year’s Buckeyes to a national championship team
00:44 — Tony sets up the 2026 vs. 2024 defense debate
00:54 — BuckeyeInsiders.com update
01:27 — Why this comparison is different from asking who can win it all
02:02 — Defensive line comparison
03:12 — Why the 2024 defensive line gets the edge for now
04:38 — Linebacker comparison
05:59 — Could the 2026 linebackers eventually catch the 2024 group?
07:32 — Cornerback comparison
08:55 — Why the 2026 cornerback room may have the edge
10:30 — Safety and nickel comparison
12:19 — Why the 2026 safeties could still be one of the nation’s best groups
13:40 — Special teams comparison
16:10 — Why 2026 special teams could be better
18:04 — Final position-by-position thoughts
19:23 — Listener question and wrap-up

Can Ohio State’s 2026 defense top the 2024 national championship defense? Drop your position-by-position picks in the comments.

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