Imagine this: It's the 2026 college football season, and Ohio State's entire starting offensive line from the previous year is back. Sounds like a recipe for dominance, right? But here's the harsh reality: their performance at the end of 2025 left a lot to be desired, raising serious questions about whether continuity is enough. Did they peak too soon, or did opponents finally expose their weaknesses?
It's a football cliché, but it's true: games are often won or lost in the trenches, where the offensive and defensive lines battle for every inch. For Ohio State in 2025, this proved especially critical in their last two outings. For most of the season, the Buckeye offensive line was a fortress, particularly in pass protection. Quarterback Julian Sayin thrived, becoming one of the nation's most efficient passers, thanks in part to the line allowing a mere six sacks during the regular season. The team stormed through the regular season undefeated at 12-0. The rushing attack was more inconsistent, but the line seemed to be finding its stride, even dominating their rivals at Michigan in the regular-season finale, paving the way for 186 rushing yards and a decisive 27-9 victory.
That Michigan game, however, turned out to be the high point. And this is the part most people miss: the unit's performance inexplicably plummeted afterward.
Following a disappointing loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game (a 13-10 heartbreaker where they surrendered five sacks and managed only 58 rushing yards), hope remained that the offensive line could rebound in the College Football Playoff. After all, the previous year's line had overcome a similar setback against Michigan and delivered a series of stellar performances in the CFP, leading the Buckeyes to a national title. Remember Donovan Jackson's incredible transition to left tackle?
But instead of a resurgence, the offensive line faltered badly in the playoff quarterfinal against Miami at the Cotton Bowl. They gave up another five sacks, and the running game was practically non-existent, netting only 45 yards on 24 carries in a 24-14 loss. This exposed some serious problems.
Throughout the regular season, concerns about the offensive line lingered, but few opponents possessed the talent to truly exploit their weaknesses. Indiana, however, revealed those flaws, giving the Buckeyes nearly a month to address them. Unfortunately, their efforts proved insufficient against a dominant Miami defensive front, which led the nation with a staggering 46 sacks.
"Not at all did we underestimate the matchup. We knew we were playing against a good front. We prepared, planned for that front. We just did not execute well early," said offensive line coach Tyler Bowen after the game, acknowledging the unit's struggles.
Injuries certainly didn't help. Right guard Tegra Tshabola was sidelined before the game, and his replacement, Gabe VanSickle, struggled in his first start, leading to a switch to Joshua Padilla in the second quarter. Left tackle Austin Siereveld played through a leg contusion in the first half, but his injury clearly hampered his performance, forcing Ian Moore to step in for the second half.
However, last year's team had overcome even more significant injuries – season-ending blows to key players Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin – and still won a national championship. Bowen himself refused to use injuries as an excuse.
"We have a next man up mentality, and I think a couple guys stepped in and did some good things. Certainly, we want to have Austin out there, and Austin's a warrior, battled through it as long as he could, and I'm proud of Austin for that," Bowen said. "But just overall, as a group, we didn’t play well enough to win the game."
The good news for Ohio State is that they could bring back their entire starting offensive line in 2026, potentially creating one of the most experienced units in the country. All of their top eight offensive linemen from 2025 have at least one year of eligibility remaining.
Left tackle Austin Siereveld, left guard Luke Montgomery, and center Carson Hinzman are the most likely candidates to consider the 2026 NFL draft. However, Hinzman hinted after the Cotton Bowl that he's leaning towards returning for his fifth year, saying, "I don't have any pressure to leave. If the opportunity presents itself, I'm coming back. If there's a better opportunity at the next level, then maybe that would be another choice, but that would be a decision I would make with God and my family. But I love it here. I have no problem staying here and being Unc for another year."
Montgomery and Siereveld both stated that they need to decide whether to return for their fourth year. Montgomery believes the experience he and his teammates gained throughout the season will be invaluable in 2026.
"We've already been in it, we've learned from it," Montgomery said after the Cotton Bowl. "If I come back for my last year, it will be my fourth year. It’ll be my last year, and through three years, I've learned a lot."
Hinzman echoed this sentiment, expressing optimism about the offensive line's potential in 2026. "For us to grow in maturity and grow in knowledge of the game, because we have a lot of maybe not necessarily young guys but younger guys on the team that will be more mature next year, we have a lot of opportunity in that aspect," he said.
But here's where it gets controversial... The disappointing end to the season raises the crucial question: should Ohio State stick with this group of offensive linemen, hoping for improvement through experience and coaching, or should they actively seek upgrades in the transfer portal? It's a tough call.
The most obvious area for potential improvement is at right guard, where Tshabola split snaps with Padilla, VanSickle, and Ethan Onianwa throughout the season, despite starting every game in 2024. While the Buckeyes have three viable options, they must determine if one can consistently perform at a high level.
Right tackle is another position warranting scrutiny. Phillip Daniels, a transfer from Minnesota, started every game except one (due to injury) but struggled in pass protection down the stretch, allowing a team-high 19 quarterback pressures, including six in the final two games, according to Pro Football Focus. Should they bring in someone to push Daniels for the starting role?
One key difference between the 2025 and 2024 offensive lines was the absence of a player like Donovan Jackson, who transformed into a dominant left tackle after Simmons' injury and became a first-round draft pick. The Buckeyes didn't have any first-team All-Big Ten offensive linemen this year (though Hinzman was named a first-team All-American and Montgomery was a second-team All-American), suggesting they should aggressively pursue difference-makers in the transfer market.
Another significant change was the coaching staff. Tyler Bowen replaced Justin Frye as the offensive line coach after Frye departed for the Arizona Cardinals. Bowen's limited experience as a full-time offensive line coach prior to joining Ohio State (three seasons at Fordham and Maryland) has led to questions about his suitability for the role, especially after the unit's struggles in the postseason.
While it's unlikely Ohio State will replace Bowen after just one season, he acknowledged the need to thoroughly evaluate what went wrong to ensure the line meets the program's high standards.
"We have to continue getting it there. We're obviously not there based on that performance," Bowen said. "And we've got to look at everything, starts with me, looking at everything and how we can get the offensive line to be able to perform at the level that we need to in a game like that. I don't think you've ever found me after a game and think that the offensive line is up to the standard. After any game we play, win or lose, the issues are always there. We try to constantly address those issues. I've gotta take a hard look at what we're doing and make sure the issues get addressed."
So, what do you think? Should Ohio State bank on the experience of their returning offensive line, hoping for significant improvement? Or should they actively pursue upgrades in the transfer portal, even if it means disrupting team chemistry? Is continuity overrated if the performance isn't there? Is Bowen the right coach to lead this unit forward? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!
