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Right now, even coach Jim Tressel is a believer.
''I don't think (national title hopes) would be outlandish at all,'' Tressel said. ''We have talented guys, we have bright guys, we have experienced guys.''
For all that went wrong early in the year, the Buckeyes did an incredible job of bailing water on what seemed to be the U.S.S. Disaster. Following a 33-7 loss at Iowa -- the worst under Tressel -- Ohio State won five of its last six games.
The defense held Michigan tailback Mike Hart to 61 yards on 18 carries and Oklahoma State tailback Vernand Morency to 20 yards on eight carries.
''The way we ended last year has given a lot of people a lot of hope,'' linebacker Bobby Carpenter said. ''Those last two games we played were as good as any we've played around here in a long time.''
He's probably right.
Ted Ginn emerged as one of the top playmakers in the country and will likely be a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate. The offense returns nine starters and the defense could feature the top trio of linebackers anywhere in the country in Carpenter, A.J. Hawk and Anthony Schlegel.
The only losses from last year are Mike Kne, a former walk-on at right guard, defensive end Simon Fraser, who was invisible much of the year and cornerback Dustin Fox, who missed time with a fractured arm.
''Every team should go into every season with that mentality that they can win the national championship,'' receiver Santonio Holmes said. ''With the players on our team, why not set that as a goal and go for it?''
When they did it in 2002, the Buckeyes took most everyone by surprise. Coming off that 7-5 season in '01, Ohio State opened the year ranked 13th and gradually worked its way up.
That likely won't have to happen next year. A top-five preseason ranking is certainly realistic, and the most difficult early game -- against Texas -- comes at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 10. A win over the Longhorns and the Buckeyes could be 10-0 headed to Michigan Stadium on Nov. 19.
Ohio State drops annual tormentor Wisconsin and Purdue and picks up an improved-but-still terrible Illinois team and Minnesota. Both the Badgers and Boilermakers beat Ohio State last year.
''We want to be up there,'' Carpenter said. ''You never say, ÔWell I hope we go 7-4 this year. We want to go 11-0. We want to win a national title. That's been my goal every year since I've been here, even if I didn't think we necessarily had the best talent -- which this year I think we do. You still want to be No. 1 when the day's over.''
jlloyd@morningjournal.co
