So far into the 2019 season, the Buckeyes seem to be doing pretty well. They have had a four-game win streak and have seemed to settle into their groove.

The team’s direction this season is uncertain yet exciting, especially considering this is the first season without the team’s legendary coach, Urban Meyer, who stepped down in 2018 due to health problems. Meyer started his final season on a rough note, having been suspended for three games following an investigation that determined that he mishandled domestic abuse accusations made towards former assistant coach Zach Smith.

Meyer’s departure marks a huge shift in the program for The Ohio State University (OSU) who under Urban Meyer’s leadership has led the team to multiple conference championships and even a national title.

Meyer was replaced as head coach by Ryan Day. Day previously served as the Buckeyes’ quarterback coach and offensive coordinator, as well as the quarterback coach for the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

In addition to a new head coach, the team also has new quarterback Justin Fields, replacing Dwayne Haskins, who graduated after the 2018 season. Fields is a second-year transfer from the University of Georgia, where he served as the backup to starting quarterback Jake Fromm.

Fields seems to be having a pretty successful season so far. He has made 13 passing touchdowns, as well as 880 passing yards, in addition to six rushing touchdowns and 150 rushing yards. In the game against Miami University (located in Ohio), Fields scored six touchdowns in a single quarter. Fields is the first quarterback to have four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the first half of a game since University of Louisville Cardinals’ Lamar Jackson in 2016. 

In the first couple of games, the future of OSU seemed to be a little less certain than it had been in previous years. Even though the Buckeyes beat the Florida Atlantic University Owls 45-21, the game was way closer than it should have been. In the past, the Buckeyes have consistently beat their non-conference opponents by a landslide, and should have been expected to do that again in this game, especially against such a much weaker team. The closest nonconference game last season is the game against Texas Christian University, a major Big 12 Conference team, where the Buckeyes won by a margin of 12 points.

Overall, the football powerhouse has had no problems in its first four games of the season, their closest game this season being against the Owls. However, It is important to note that the teams the Buckeyes have played so far have weaker football programs that are unlikely to stand up to the Buckeyes.

The team’s next game will be against Big Ten opponent University of Nebraska—Lincoln this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Buckeyes will go on to play minor rival Michigan State University, ranked No. 25 on the AP Top 25 rankings, on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. It’s likely that OSU will plow through both teams like with the teams they have played so far, although both Nebraska and Michigan State will put up some resistance against the Buckeyes.

It will be interesting to see where the Buckeyes will go during the remainder of this season. Will the Buckeyes continue to adjust to the new changes on the team and on their coaching staff, or will the adjustments become too much for the team?