Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, September 1, 2015
All eyes are on Ohio State as it opens the 2015 season as the first-ever unanimous preseason No. 1 team in the AP poll.
[ MORE: Polls: Who wins Week 1 games? | Week 1 Big Ten previews ]
The Buckeyes are coming off a 14-1 season, winning their last 13 games en route to claiming the national championship. Can the Buckeyes, who open at Virginia Tech on Monday, run the table this year and win it all once again?
I asked some leading Big Ten writers for their opinion on if they think Ohio State can go unbeaten.
Ryan Dunleavy, Asbury Park Press and MyCentralJersey.com
Unbeaten through the regular season? Yes. Unbeaten all the way to the national title? No. Go with the history here: USC in 2004 is the last national champion to go wire-to-wire as No. 1. It's too hard to do under the pressure. And there was no Twitter then!
Dave Briggs, Toledo Blade
No. In the regular season, yes. But in a year that has become Ohio State vs. the field, history says go with the field.
Dave Bartoo, CFBMatrix.com
No. The odds are against it, especially in a 15-game season to win a national title. However, they have the fifth most returning starts and the No. 2 EOS (ease of schedule) in the country (last year it was no. 1). Their biggest game will be in their mind to focus and climb the mountain again. Fortunately, they have one of the best and most experienced coaches in this situation to maintain championship focus.
Audrey Snyder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
No. That'd have them entering this year's Big Ten title game with their last loss coming Sept. 6, 2014 vs. Virginia Tech. That means they'd be 25-0 since the Tech loss which is pretty crazy to even think about. There has to be a hiccup along the way, right?
Michael Spath, TheWolverine.com
Regular season, yes. I think MSU will test them and Michigan will be close once again, but I expect them to go 12-0 because they are clearly the most talented team and they now know how to dial it up. After that … I'd have to see who they're playing.
Samuel McKewon, Omaha World Herald
Yes. So long as Ohio State picks the right QB — which is JT Barrett.