COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The reasons to write off Ohio State aren’t particularly hard to find, and the temptation to actually do it might even be understandable.
The roster looks too young. The team is perhaps a year away from contending. Too much talent must by replaced in critical spots, even with a veteran quarterback returning.
But the Buckeyes have heard those arguments against their national-title hopes before, and all they did was methodically tear them apart week after week while growing into the machine that claimed the first College Football Playoff crown.
And while previous experience dealing with those doubts certainly doesn’t ensure anything, there’s an even more ominous reason for opponents or skeptics to be careful before overlooking Urban Meyer’s team this fall.