A beloved tradition for college football enthusiasts has made a triumphant return to newsstands: The Sporting News has published its first college football preview magazine in a decade.

This welcome comeback, a collaboration with 10Ten Media and McClatchy Lifestyle & Entertainment, instantly sets the stage for the upcoming 2026 season, and we at TrustPost.org are eager to dive into its predictions.

The Return of a College Football Staple

For those of us who remember the days when print previews signaled the true start of football season, the return of The Sporting News magazine is a nostalgic delight.

After a ten-year hiatus, this 146-page annual, retailing for sixteen dollars and ninety-nine cents, offers a comprehensive look at the landscape, including its highly anticipated preseason rankings.

Buckeyes Land at No. 2 Nationally

Ohio State fans will find their team positioned prominently, with The Sporting News ranking the Buckeyes No. 2 nationally and No. 2 within the Big Ten.

The only team ahead of them in both polls is the Indiana Hoosiers, a familiar rival after last season’s historic Big Ten Championship game.

Rounding out the national top 10 are Georgia at third, Texas fourth, Notre Dame fifth, Oregon sixth, Miami (Fla.) seventh, Ole Miss eighth, Oklahoma ninth, and USC tenth.

Other Big Ten teams making the top 25 include Michigan at No. 13, Penn State at No. 17, Iowa at No. 19, Illinois at No. 22, and Washington at No. 24.

Reflecting on an Unfulfilling 2025 Season

The Buckeyes are coming off a 2025 season that saw them finish 12-2, tying Indiana for the Big Ten regular season championship with a 9-0 record.

Despite knocking off preseason No. 1 Texas 14-7 in their opener and holding the No. 1 spot for much of the year, their national championship hopes were dashed.

Ohio State suffered a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten title game and was then upset by No. 10 seed Miami (Fla.) 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl national quarterfinal, leaving them with an “unfulfilling” end to the year.

Coach Ryan Day will lead a team with 11 returning starters, though seven players were selected in the first two rounds of the 2026 NFL draft, including four first-rounders.

Navigating a Brutal 2026 Schedule

The Sporting News doesn’t mince words about Ohio State’s path forward, describing it as “one of the toughest schedules in the nation” and the “highest degree-of-difficulty schedule in the Day era.”

This challenging slate includes a nonconference road trip to No. 4 Texas on September 12, a rematch of last year’s season opener that Ohio State won 14-7.

Key road trips to No. 19 Iowa on October 3 and, crucially, to No. 1 Indiana on October 17, will be pivotal, especially after last year’s Big Ten championship loss to the Hoosiers. Ranking college football’s toughest schedule stretches of 2026 is certainly something we’ve been tracking, and Ohio State’s path is undeniably among the most demanding.

The Buckeyes will also host No. 6 Oregon on November 7 and No. 13 Michigan on November 28, with a road game against No. 10 USC on October 31.

Playoff Projections and Heisman Hopes

Despite the daunting schedule, The Sporting News projects Ohio State to be firmly in the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff mix.

Their playoff bracket curiously doesn’t align perfectly with their rankings, but it slots No. 4 Ohio State as one of four teams receiving a first-round bye, alongside No. 1 Indiana (Big Ten champion), No. 2 Georgia (SEC champion), and No. 3 Notre Dame.

Ohio State would then be slated to play the winner of the Texas-Boise State first-round game, likely in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on December 30.

On the Heisman Watch, TSN’s Bill Bender lists Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith as one of three favorites, alongside Notre Dame QB CJ Carr and Texas QB Arch Manning.

Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin is also among ten other players identified as potential Heisman hopefuls, indicating a strong individual talent pool.

Ohio State’s 2026 Schedule at a Glance

Here’s a look at the Buckeyes’ challenging 2026 schedule, with opponents’ Sporting News preseason rankings:

  • Sept. 5, Ball State, home
  • Sept. 12, Texas (No. 4), away
  • Sept. 19, Kent State, home
  • Sept. 26, Illinois (No. 22), home
  • Oct. 3, Iowa (No. 19), away
  • Oct. 10, Maryland, home
  • Oct. 17, Indiana (No. 1), away
  • Oct. 31, USC (No. 10), away
  • Nov. 7, Oregon (No. 6), home
  • Nov. 14, Northwestern, home
  • Nov. 21, Nebraska, away
  • Nov. 28, Michigan (No. 13), home
  • Dec. 5, Big Ten Championship Game at Indianapolis
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