We’re almost there. Another long college football offseason is almost over, as the calendar now shows August, with the first games kicking off on August 24. College football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the fresh start. College football fever is running rampant across the country as we get closer to the season, but this offseason has been a little easier than others, as the new EA Sports NCAA 25 video game just came out in mid-July. All in all, it’s an exciting time to be a college football fan, and one fan base that’s excited for the season are Ohio State football fans. The Buckeyes have entered the 2024 season with a lot of hype.

This college football season is going to be great and look a lot different than years past. The sport is going through some big changes, and some of those changes will be visible for the first time in the 2024 season. Let’s take a look at the most notable changes.

First off, there will be some rule changes in college football this year, and some fans aren’t going to like them. Perhaps the biggest change is the introduction of the two-minute warning, like in the NFL. If you’re like most college football fans, you’re tired of all the commercials we see during games. Well, the two-minute warning is just another way for TV networks to cram another break into the action.

However, there are other changes that most fans are in favor of, but some still don’t like. College football will look completely different next year as the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams and the conference is realigned. California schools playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference? Yes, things are changing.

With conference realignment, everything looks very different. The Power Five is no more, as the Pac-12 is essentially dead. All teams except Oregon State and Washington State have moved to a new conference. Those two teams have terminal alliances with the Mountain West, but are not actually in the conference.

All other Pac-12 schools have found new homes. Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State are now in the Big 12. Oregon, Oregon State, USC and UCLA have joined the Big Ten. Most recently, Cal and Stanford have joined the ACC (makes total sense, right?).

The other big change in conferences is in the SEC. Oklahoma and Texas are both leaving the Big 12 and will join the SEC. The Big Ten and SEC are loaded with good teams, and some believe things could be heading toward two superconferences.

This season, 12 teams will also make the College Football Playoffs, up from just four. The College Football Playoffs will run for about a month. Some people aren’t in favor of the big expansion, but there will be more college football games, and that’s hard to get upset about.

All in all, this will be one of the greatest college football seasons ever. The game is changing and this is the beginning of a new era.

Ohio State football must deliver this year

This is a great season for the Ohio State football team. The Buckeyes have been one of the best college football teams each of the last three seasons, but have failed to meet the challenge in their most important games. Many fans have been unhappy with head coach Ryan Day because of this, but against teams not named Michigan, he has been excellent. Now that Jim Harbaugh and many players from last year’s Wolverines team are gone, it seems as though Day can overcome the Michigan hurdle this year.

There’s no doubt about it, this season is either national championship or bust for the Buckeyes. Many players who were expected to turn pro after last season have come back because they want to win it all. Ohio State also brought in one of the most impressive transfer classes in the country. Given the talent this team has, it would be a bit of a disappointment if they don’t win a national title.

First things first: Ohio State needs to focus on beating Michigan and winning the Big Ten. That’s been their biggest obstacle the last three years, and if they can do that, they’ll have a much easier time winning the national title. If the Buckeyes win the Big Ten, they’ll have a bye to the second round of the College Football Playoff, so they only need to win three CFP games instead of four.

One thing that will be crucial on their path to a possible Big Ten title and more is quarterback play. That was one thing that wasn’t up to Buckeye standards last year, and it needs to be better in 2024. Will Howard, Devin Brown, and Julian Sayin are currently battling for the starting job, and that will be won by…

Will Howard

Will Howard will be the starting quarterback for the Ohio State football team in 2024. Howard transferred from Kansas State in the offseason and Buckeyes fans hope he can bring top-notch quarterback play back to Columbus.

Last year at Kansas State, Will Howard was 219-357 for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Remember, many Ohio State fans blame Kyle McCord for their shortcomings from last year. McCord was 229-348 for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. Better completion percentage, nearly 600 more yards on fewer attempts and fewer interceptions.

The thing is, McCord was surrounded by elite talent at Ohio State and Will Howard played at Kansas State. With the elite talent he has around him in Columbus, he should be able to improve on his numbers from last year. However, it’s important to note that Buckeyes fans may not be happy if they end up looking similar.

Devin Brown and Julian Sayin are both solid quarterbacks, but Howard is the right man for the job. Sayin will be a great college quarterback one day, he just lacks experience. He will likely be the next Buckeyes starter after Will Howard. It would not be a surprise if Brown ends up in the transfer portal after this season. He got one chance against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and it did not go well. He did not get much time, as he went down after a big hit, but he did not look particularly good in the few appearances he did have.

Will Howard will be the man for Ohio State’s football team, and there is a lot of pressure on him to perform.