The early betting favorite to win next year’s national championship is Ohio State. The question nobody can really answer at this time is what sort of game will the Buckeyes or anyone else return to when they kick it off again seven months from now.

Ohio State comes in ahead of the best the SEC has to offer and Big Ten rival Penn State to lead the way in the USA TODAY Sports way-too-early Top 25 for the 2025 season. The No. 1 Buckeyes have to replace quarterback Will Howard but will be able to surround the new starter with an elite collection of skill talent headlined by star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Buckeyes rule Ohio State is the national champion. That means the Buckeyes own the top spot in the final AP Top 25 college football poll. Now that the obvious is out of the way who followed Ohio State in the final rankings?

Even as many Ohio State fans turned on Ryan Day, his players never wavered in their support of the coach who would lead them to the national title.

Ryan Day deserved to feel vindication when he won a national championship less than two months after it seemed his Ohio State job was on the line.

Takeaways from Ohio State's national championship on Day, a historically great resume, Will Howard, keys to the title run and what's next.