Ohio State Buckeyes 2007 Football Season Preview

The Buckeyes 2006 season will be remembered as one that "should have been" in Columbus. The Buckeyes went undefeated throughout the regular season and were ranked number one in the country in both polls for the entire season. The Buckeyes played in an unprecedented three one-versus-two games during the season: at Texas, home against Michigan, and then in the Tostitos National Championship Game against Florida. The game against Michigan provided the most build-up for any game in Columbus ever, and the Buckeyes squeaked by with a 42-39 victory to advance to the National Championship. The Buckeyes were expected to win the National Championship Game but experienced a monumental let-down for the team and fans, losing to the Florida Gators.

2007 Schedule
Ohio State has two key games that jump out on their schedule for the 2007 season. The Buckeyes play highly-touted Wisconsin in Columbus on Nov. 3 and they have their annual bout with the Wolverines up north in Ann Arbor on Nov. 17. The Buckeyes are fairly widely regarded as the number-three team in the Big Ten going into the 2007 season, behind the Badgers and the Wolverines. Another important date to note is Ohio State's Sept. 1 battle against Youngstown State, because Head Coach Jim Tressel is formerly the long-time successful coach of YSU. The game to watch out for is when Ohio State heads to State College, PA, on Oct. 27, to take on Coach Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions. This is a night game, and Ohio State has traditionally had difficulty playing at night on the road.

2007 Outlook
The Buckeyes have lost a ton of star players on offense, including the Heisman Trophy Winner QB Troy Smith. The big test for the Buckeyes during the 2007 season will be with how well Coach Tressel can rebuild his receiving group and finding a quality replacement at quarterback. The Buckeyes lost several star players on offense, including a running back and receivers. The Buckeyes' defense should once again be one of the stingiest in the country, as they have many returning lettermen. If Ohio State can get past their key games during the middle of the season, the Buckeyes could once again be battling the Michigan Wolverines for the Big Ten Championship and a BCS bowl bid. The Buckeyes will be battling for a New Year's Day Bowl bid in 2007.