First is the Worst, Second is the Best: 2013 Preview of the Ohio State Buckeyes

All three major polls rank the Alabama Crimson Tide as college football’s best team in the nation. The coaches, Associated Press, and USA Today also agree unanimously on another thing: THE Ohio State University being right behind them.

In Urban Meyer’s second season at the helm of the Buckeyes, and in his first with bowl eligibility, is he the one man who can take down the devil himself, Nick Saban?

Meyer was robbed of a chance to dethrone Saban last year, after his team completed an undefeated season but had to serve a bowl ban due to multiple scandals surrounding the Buckeyes. This past offseason has also seen more drama surrounding OSU off of the field, including the school imposed three game suspension of star running back Carlos Hyde.

This past week, the team also suspended Hyde’s projected fill-in, Rod Smith, and junior cornerback Bradley Roby from the season opener versus Buffalo.

Despite the allegations surrounding Ohio State, they still remain the favorites in the Big 10, as well as for the National Championship Game. Even without impact and role players, the Buckeyes’ schedule should not pose a problem to their quest to finish 12-0 again.

Ohio State may have one of the easiest schedules in the Top 25, with only three ranked opponents, #23 Wisconsin, #22 Northwestern, and #17 Michigan. The biggest test of the season for the Buckeyes will come in Ann Arbor for the annual meeting with Michigan to end the regular season.

Other than the three clashes with ranked opponents, the only other significant matchups the Buckeyes will have this season will be against Penn State and Iowa State at home.

Regardless of the strength of their schedule, Ohio State will still have one of the most dynamic quarterbacks since Robert Griffin III’s Baylor years, Braxton Miller.

In his sophomore season, Miller finished fifth in the Heisman voting after topping Hyde’s rushing production by running and passing for 28 total touchdowns and over 3,000 offensive yards.

An early Heisman candidate, Miller will be armed with most of his weapons from last season with eight other returning starters on offense. Miller will have his two favorite targets from last season, Philly Brown and Devin Smith, who both put together 600+ yard seasons. Other than sophomore right tackle Taylor Decker, Miller will have the same veteran protection, which is vital to a mobile quarterback.

On defense, the Buckeyes lack the thorough experience of the offense with only four returning starters. Linebacker Ryan Shazier will be the only returning starter up front as he looks to build off his sophomore season where he averaged over nine tackles per game and lead the OSU pass rush.

Behind Shazier will be the Buckeye defense’s biggest strength, the secondary, with three returning starters, C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant, and Roby, when he returns. In addition to these three who combined for over sixteen tackles per game last season, the Buckeyes will also be adding three of top ten cornerbacks in this year’s recruiting class, Eli Apple, Gareon Conley, and Cam Burrows as well as a top five safety, Vonn Bell.

Apple, Conley, Burrows, and Bell are part of one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, which includes seventeen commits from ESPN’s Top 300 List. Other notable freshmen include linebacker Trey Johnson, wide receiver Jalin Marshall, and running back/wide receiver Dontre Wilson who may see some action with the absences of Hyde and Smith.

Built for the future with a stellar recruiting class, the Buckeyes are still strong in the present, with a prominent and experienced offense and a promising defense. Considering both Ohio State and #1 Alabama’s talent, both have relatively easy schedules and there should not be a problem with either team finishing undefeated or leaving their current ranking, setting up for the BCS Title Game of the century, two iconic coaches and two storied programs in one decisive game.