Ohio State will look to get off to a fast start against an inferior opponent, the Akron Zips on Saturday to open the 2024 season. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes will welcome the Akron Zips to the Horseshoe in just a few short weeks, with the season kicking off on August 31st at 3:30 pm EST. The Scarlet and Gray are hoping to kick off a very different college football season with some highlights and excitement.

Ohio State fans may be feeling a little empty after last season’s disappointment. The regular season was going great with big wins at Notre Dame and against Penn State. However, the Buckeyes lost The Game again and followed that up with an abysmal three-point showing against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.

The season could not have ended worse, but the excitement about the new season is as big as ever. Many guys who have NFL futures returned, as Ohio State welcomes back seven offensive and nine defensive starters from a year ago. Not to mention some of the biggest transfers added from the portal and freshmen who may see the field right away.

Ohio State started their season last year with an underwhelming win at Indiana. Yes, it’s a slightly better opponent than most of the season-opening matchups, but even a road Big Ten contest should’ve yielded better results and hope for the season.

There is a different buzz around Columbus and Ohio about the squad suiting up under Ryan Day this season, and that buzz will get louder once the Akron game kicks off. Not too much to talk about, no offense to Akron, but here are some headlines to keep an eye on as the 2024-25 season opener for the Bucks takes place.

Ohio State Needs to End It Early

The line for this game is currently set at Ohio State -50.5, with the over/under total at 58.5 with an expectation of a 50-piece at least for the Buckeyes, with Akron scoring just once. 

The last time these teams faced was in 2021, when Ohio State won 59-7 giving CJ Stroud a rest and starting freshman Kyle McCord along with other young guys like TreVeyon Henderson. Ohio State led that game 38-7 at halftime, which isn’t too far off the expectation for this game.

A few questions remain on this year’s team, mainly on offense. The Buckeyes will likely be rolling out another new quarterback, Kansas State transfer Will Howard. He will bring veteran leadership and knows to get the ball in his skill players’ hands, as they are some of the best in the nation.

The offensive line was another concern after how last season ended, so some in-game reps will only help the guys get used to each other. With talent across the field, there should be no issues even if an assignment gets missed here and there.

The hope is to get everyone some playing time, score a lot of points, and leave the game healthy. It will be good to see the offense find the endzone and see some new faces and combinations. The offense won’t show off too much, as they will save some of the good plays for later on.

As for the defense, we know a little more about what to expect. Almost everyone returned, and the defensive line and secondary are flooding with talent. Add in All-American transfer Caleb Downs, who is just a sophomore, and it’s easy to see how the defense should somehow be better.

They likely won’t give up more than a touchdown, even with backups getting a good amount of time down the stretch. Akron showed last year that they are vulnerable in a lot of phases, but here is a quick look at the Zips.

Akron Enters the Shoe

The Akron Zips finished last season just 2-10, and 1-7 in the MAC conference. They narrowly beat Morgan State and Kent State, and their best performance may have been a four-overtime thriller and narrow loss to Indiana on the road.

Last season their top quarterback had just 1,378 passing yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. The leading running back had 641 yards, and the leading receiver just 575 yards. The offense managed just 16.3 points per contest, but they did add some guys from the portal.

Some former three-star and four-star prospects join the Zips hoping to win more than two games. They have guys transferring in from schools like Oregon, Kentucky, and Missouri, and a new quarterback from Cal.

The offense may be better but shouldn’t expect to find the endzone more than once at most. The defense didn’t lose a ton of guys like the offense did, but will have their hands full with the weapons Ohio State possesses.

A team that has just seven wins in the last five seasons, with just four wins against FBS competition, has only one way to go which is up. Akron added head coaching experience who knows how to improve an offense. The offensive line should be a tad better and a new quarterback and weapons leave room for optimism. 

The defense has some veterans and a coach who saw good things at times from that unit last season. Keep an eye on the new Zips addition Paul Lewis III. Other key guys to watch out for include edge CJ Nunnally, safety Darrian Lewis, and linebacker Antavious Fish.

As hopeful as this Akron team may be, that optimism may need to wait till week two. I would hate to be the team that faces this hungry football team in Columbus in week one. An explosion of scoring and defensive turnovers is definitely in the cards, and Ohio State will roll to a 1-0 record with ease.

Prediction: Ohio State 59, Akron 7