What Is the Ceiling Now For the Buckeyes?

Ohio State enters the second half of the season with one enormous unknown at the most important position on the field: quarterback.

On this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr ask the big-picture question — what is the ceiling for this Ohio State team now?

The answer depends heavily on what the Buckeyes get from Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair. If Ohio State can get something close to average recent Buckeye quarterback play, Tony and Tom believe there is enough talent around the position to still win a lot of games.

They also discuss the difficult second-half schedule, what would now constitute a successful season, how much beating Michigan matters, and whether a 9-3 or 10-2 Ohio State team could still make noise in the College Football Playoff.

0:02 — What is Ohio State’s ceiling?
0:39 — How much does everything depend on quarterback play?
1:45 — Would you take Kyle McCord-level production right now?
2:54 — Why average QB play may be enough
4:22 — How difficult is Ohio State’s remaining schedule?
5:57 — What now counts as a successful season?
6:30 — Is beating Michigan enough?
8:12 — Could a 9-3 Ohio State team make the playoff?
9:45 — What would 10-2 mean for this team?
10:45 — Why the uncertainty could actually be fun
11:11 — The upside of Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair
12:00 — Beat Michigan and everything else is a bonus

Ohio State’s remaining schedule is loaded with capable opponents, including USC, Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan. Tony and Tom argue that there are no easy outs remaining, but also no team on the schedule that the Buckeyes are incapable of beating with competent quarterback play.

The discussion eventually turns to the new definition of success. A win over Michigan would go a long way toward changing the way the season is remembered, while a 10-2 finish and a playoff berth would represent a major accomplishment considering the quarterback situation.

Tom also makes the case that even 9-3 could leave Ohio State with a viable playoff résumé, especially if the Buckeyes finish with multiple quality wins and demonstrate that the offense remains functional with a new quarterback.

So what would constitute a successful season for you now? Beat Michigan? Make the playoff? Win a playoff game? Let us know in the comments.

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