Ohio State’s next three games are a runway for veterans to complement the youth

# Context Through three games Ohio State's most noticeable positives have been the play of younger players. That group includes cornerback Jay Timmons, pass rusher Khary Wilder, receivers Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr., and linebackers Riley Pettijohn and Tarvos Alford. The roster also contains upperclassmen and transfer additions who have waited for larger roles.

The article argues that, despite the current excitement around youth, the program needs its veterans to step up if Ohio State hopes to compete for the playoff and a national title. The piece points to the recent trend among College Football Playoff champions: Michigan, Ohio State (2024), and Indiana all leaned on veteran cores to win it all. In the current NIL and transfer-portal era, keeping experienced, mature players is harder, yet their value remains high.

# Why experience still matters Young players bring athleticism, speed, and upside. They can change a game with explosive plays and provide long-term hope for the roster. Veterans bring different contributions: consistency, physical maturity, situational knowledge, and leadership that help a team grind through the full season.

The 2024 Ohio State title is used as an example of how a veteran core — players such as Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, TreVeyon Henderson, Tyliek Williams, Donovan Jackson, Emeka Egbuka, and Denzel Burke — sustained the program through rough patches and provided the foundation for postseason success.

# The next three games: a practical timeline The immediate schedule gives Ohio State a three-week stretch that feels like a good runway for veterans to assert themselves:

• Home vs Illinois: The opener to Big Ten play and an opportunity to start setting a tone for conference football.
• At Iowa: A meaningful road test that the article frames as an important checkpoint before the calendar turns to tougher opponents.
• Home vs Maryland (Homecoming): A final chance at The Horseshoe before a trip to Bloomington to face the defending national champions.

These matchups are framed as manageable enough for veterans to regain form and workload without displacing the young players who are producing, with the goal being both groups contributing at a high level simultaneously.

# Why this matters for the rest of the season After the Illinois–Iowa–Maryland stretch Ohio State faces tougher tests that will expose weaknesses if veteran play hasn't improved. The piece stresses that balancing both roster elements — youthful explosiveness and veteran reliability — is the most realistic path to achieving the program's postseason goals given how the sport now works with NIL and the portal.

# Bottom line Ohio State's early-season identity has been youthful and exciting. The next three games are presented as a realistic window for the veteran core to show they still matter, so the team can enter the back half of the schedule with depth, stability, and a clearer chance to pursue a national title.