Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes No. 2 in ESPN preseason power rankings

Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise. Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Buckeyes football, recruiting, basketball and more in Scarlet Sunrise.

Ohio State opens season behind Georgia in ESPN preseason power rankings

Another day, another power ranking with Georgia at the top and Ohio State at No. 2. This time, the list comes via the ESPN preseason power rankings, which were released Monday by the self-proclaimed ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports.’

Yes, Ohio State checks in at No. 2 as the season is set to begin in the next week and change. The Buckeyes trail Georgia but are ahead of Oregon, Texas, Alabama, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, Michigan and Florida State to round out the top 10.

Ohio State will go on the road to play Oregon and Penn State — and then the Buckeyes will host Michigan on Nov. 30. They’ll also face Iowa at home on Oct. 5; the Hawkeyes open the season at No. 25 in the preseason power rankings.

This is just the latest example of the Buckeyes showing up a spot behind the Bulldogs. The Coaches Poll and AP Poll both revealed that Ohio State will open the regular season in the second slot earlier this month.

Six Buckeyes featured on AP All-American teams

The AP released its preseason first- and second-team All-American lists on Monday, a week after the voters in the AP Poll voted the Buckeyes No. 2 and one spot behind top-ranked Georgia to open the season. Four Buckeyes are on the preseason first-team list — more than any other school in the country.

The six total players selected on the first- and second-team are more than any other school in the country.

On offense, star left guard Donovan Jackson is a first-team choice for the Buckeyes. He’s entering his third year as the starting left guard for this offense. The other offensive star on the first-team list is senior wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who was voted one of the Buckeyes’ team captains this past weekend.

Notably, neither TreVeyon Henderson nor Quinshon Judkins, the two star tailbacks for the Buckeyes, made the first-team list. Henderson is on the AP’s second team.

Safety Caleb Downs, a freshman All-American last year at Alabama, is on the list as he prepares for his second year of college football — and first at Ohio State. Downs transferred in January and has high expectations as one of the best safeties in the country. He and senior cornerback Denzel Burke are first-team selections. Senior defensive tackle Tyleik Williams is a second-team selection for the Buckeyes.

READ MORE: Four Buckeyes selected to AP preseason All-American team

Jeremiah Smith named to On3 True Freshman All-American team

Ohio State doesn’t often need freshmen to contribute right away when they arrive on campus. But Jeremiah Smith is no ordinary freshman at all.

No, Smith is different. That’s why the former Five-star + and No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking is now in line for a major role in Year One at Ohio State.

And it’s certainly why the folks at On3 have named him to the Preseason True Freshman All-American team on Monday afternoon.

Smith is well-aware of the sky-high expectations he has in his debut campaign with the Buckeyes. But he’s not letting all of the noise surrounding his freshman season cloud his work ethic or personality. He’s choosing to keep it out of his view — and keep working toward being great.

READ MORE: Jeremiah Smith named to On3 Preseason Freshman All-American team

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 11 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 102 days

Are you a Lettermen Row member yet?

Are you ready to get all your latest Buckeyes news in one place? Become a member of Lettermen Row today. With your Lettermen Row/On3+ membership, you’ll not only have access to everything that’s happening with the Buckeyes, but you’ll also be able to peruse other fan sites within the network to hear just how rivals are feeling about Ohio State, as well. Make sure to follow along on X, Instagram and on Youtube for all the latest Buckeyes news you need to know.