Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33, or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about cause and effect. We
will explore domino-effect scenarios that could impact OSU’s season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”If This, Then That” articles here.
We are in the midst of “If This, Then That” Week here at Land-Grant Holy Land, where we examine theoretical situations surrounding Ohio State athletics. Those can be things that could potentially happen in the future, or things that might have worked out differently in the past. And that is where we are going today.
We all know that the Buckeyes have won two College Football Playoff national titles — the very first one in the 2014 season and the first 12-team version at the end of the 2024 season. In addition, they have made the CFP five other times. That leaves five seasons in which OSU was not eligible to take home the natty at the start of the postseason, but in true Buckeye fan fashion, I still believe that at least one (or maybe two or three) of those years, that Ohio State was not only capable of winning it all, but might have been the favorite had they made the field.
So, in this week’s fan survey, we want to know which version of Ohio State you think would have had the best chance to win the CFP National Championship, had they made the playoff. So, take a look at the options below, then vote in the survey at the bottom of the article. Over the weekend, we will share the results, so make sure to check back in with us in a few days. And if you want to explain your rationale, head down to the comments and break it down.
Question: What year would the Buckeyes have won a title if they had made the CFP?
As you undoubtedly know, Ohio State won CFP titles in 2014 and 2024, and they also made the postseason tournament in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2025. That leaves five other seasons for you to choose from. The Urban Meyer-coached teams in 2015, 2017, and 2018; and Ryan Day’s teams in 2021 and 2023.
All of these teams had strengths, and — obviously, since they didn’t make the CFP — all of them had weaknesses, but I firmly believe that there is another title or two in those teams, had things broken just slightly differently during the regular season. I won’t prejudice the voting pool by giving my thoughts on which team I think was most likely to have won a title, but I will give you a hint… I blame Sparty and Urban Meyer.
