Carly: You are listening to the Beatline Podcast Network, where we break down the college basketball landscape one team at a time. Today, we’re staring directly into the heart of Columbus and trying to solve a puzzle that has analysts scratching their heads across the country.
Doug: It’s a paradox wrapped in a financial windfall and tied with a rope around its ankles. Ohio State has nearly seventeen million dollars a year flowing in from JPMorganChase for jersey patches, but on the court, they are facing a point guard crisis that could sink their season before the first tip-off.
Carly: Welcome to today’s power rankings episode! I’m Carly, and this is Doug. If you’re new here, we live for the details—the spreadsheets, the matchups, the hot seats. We’ve got three things coming up: where OSU stands in the Big Ten hierarchy, the critical vacancy at point guard, and our updated win projection for the 2026-27 campaign.
Doug: And we’re going to touch on that executive order from Governor DeWine, which adds another layer of complexity to how these roster moves are playing out right now.
Carly: Before we dive into the rankings, quick ask: if this breakdown helped you see the Big Ten picture more clearly today, consider supporting the show. It keeps us free and daily. Just use the link in the episode description.
Doug: We appreciate every single listener who chips in. It means the world. Now, let’s get to the rankings.
Carly: Okay, Segment One: Division Standing. Doug, look at the board. Where does Ohio State sit in the Big Ten right now, entering this preseason window?
Doug: If you’re looking at last year’s final standings as the baseline, they were eighth. And honestly? Our prediction hasn’t changed. We still project them to finish eighth in the conference.
Carly: Eighth. That feels... precarious. Especially when you look at the top half of that league. Indiana, Purdue, Michigan—they all have established cores returning.
Doug: Exactly. The Big Ten is deep. You have teams projecting to be floor-raising powers. For Ohio State to stay above .500 in conference play, they need stability. And right now, the instability is centered on one position: point guard.
Carly: Right. Because Milan Momcilovic transferred to Kentucky. That wasn’t just a loss; it was a systemic failure in ball-handling security. When you lose your primary initiator, the entire offensive structure wobbles.
Doug: It does. And it’s not just about scoring. It’s about pace control. It’s about running the pick-and-roll without turning the ball over. Without a proven PG, Ohio State is vulnerable to switching defenses that can trap the ball handler and force mistakes.
Carly: But here’s the twist, isn’t it? They aren’t broke. They signed this lucrative deal with JPMorganChase. Nearly seventeen million dollars annually. Does that money change their ranking trajectory?
Doug: Financially? Yes. It gives them resources for facilities, staff, and yes, recruiting transfers. But in college basketball, money doesn’t instantly create chemistry. A jersey patch doesn’t run a fast break. So while the ceiling might be higher because of the resources, the floor is lower because of the roster hole.
Carly: So they’re an eighth-place team with a top-tier budget and a bottom-tier backcourt depth chart. That’s a dangerous mix.
Doug: It is. If they don’t address it quickly, that eighth place could slip. But if they find a solution—via transfer portal or internal development—they could surprise people. Still, eight is the realistic anchor right now.
Carly: Let’s talk about that solution. Who are they looking at? Or are they just hoping someone steps up?
Doug: That’s the mystery. The brief doesn’t list specific incoming transfers yet, but the rumor mill is spinning. With the DeWine executive order allowing 2022 athletes to play, there might be some eligibility nuances affecting who can join the roster immediately versus who has to redshirt.
Carly: Wait, hold on. The executive order lets 2022 athletes play even though NCAA guidance excludes those who played four seasons? How does that help a point guard void right now?
Doug: It’s complex. If there’s a veteran player available who fits the criteria, it opens a door. But typically, you want fresh legs or a proven commodity. This order seems designed to help programs navigate the transition period of the new NCAA rules. It’s a loophole, but a narrow one.
Carly: So they can’t just snap their fingers and fix the spot. They have to hunt. And hunting takes time. Time they don’t have much of before practice starts.
Doug: Precisely. Every day spent searching is a day less of installing systems. That’s why the eighth-place projection holds. It assumes they’ll muddle through, maybe win six or seven conference games, and scrape by.
Carly: We’ll see. Let’s move to Segment Two: Strengths and Question Marks. What do you actually like about this roster, Doug? Aside from the bank account?
Doug: The frontcourt. Ohio State has always had size. Even with the backcourt issues, if they can get the ball inside, they can dictate paint touches. Rim protection is usually a strength for them.
Carly: Rim protection helps. But can they get the ball inside without a good passer? That’s the chicken-and-egg problem. If the defense collapses on the post, who gets the lob? Who hits the skip pass to the corner three?
Doug: That’s the question mark. The spacing. If the point guard is hesitant, the defense can sag off the perimeter shooters. Then you’ve got big men standing in traffic. It becomes a half-court grind.
Carly: So the strength is interior presence, but the weakness is exterior creation. And that weakness is amplified by the lack of a primary ball-handler.
Doug: Exactly. And defensively, if they switch everything, which many Big Ten teams do, they need guards who can stay in front of quicker players. If they’re playing smaller guards to compensate for the lack of height, they might get bullied on the boards.
Carly: Rebounding. Another area where the backcourt absence hurts. You need energy off the glass. Can the forwards handle that load alone?
Doug: They can try. But it’s exhausting. And fatigue leads to turnovers. Which leads to easy buckets for opponents. It’s a vicious cycle.
Carly: I’m worried about the coaching staff’s ability to manage this. Coaches hate uncertainty. Having to figure out the starting lineup until December is a nightmare for preparation.
Doug: It is. And in the Big Ten, one bad game against Maryland or Michigan State can derail your whole season. You can’t afford a losing streak in January because you’re still figuring out your rotation.
Carly: Let’s pivot to Segment Three: Season Outlook and Win Projection. We predicted ten wins last week. Are we sticking with that?
Doug: We are. Ten wins. It’s a safe number. It accounts for the home games, which should be decent. But away games? Those will be tough.
Carly: Tough how? Specifically, what kind of schedule makes ten wins feel earned rather than lucky?
Doug: They need to split their non-conference slate. Maybe take one big loss, but win the rest. Then in the Big Ten, they need to win four home games and two road games. That’s it. Fourteen total wins, minus conference losses.
Carly: So no tournament. No serious NIT hopes unless they catch a break. You’re talking about survival mode.
Doug: Survival mode. And even then, it’s fragile. If they lose two straight early, the pressure mounts. The fans expect more, especially with that JPMorganChase money flashing on the jerseys.
Carly: The disparity between the marketing and the reality is stark. Seventeen million dollars a year, and they’re fighting for tenth place. That’s a headline writer’s dream.
Doug: It is. And Dickie V’s radar is definitely picking this up. He loves a story about struggle and redemption. This is both.
Carly: Alright, let’s wrap this up. Final thoughts. Is there any scenario where this team exceeds expectations? Like, hits fifteen wins?
Doug: Only if they land a superstar transfer at point guard overnight. Someone who can carry the load. Otherwise, ten wins is the floor and the ceiling.
Carly: Fascinating. And frustrating. Thanks for walking us through it, Doug. We’ll be back next week with more Big Ten chaos.