Ohio State lands two AP preseason All-America selections on a season-opening spotlight

The Associated Press released its college football preseason All-America teams on Tuesday, and Ohio State’s preseason profile included a high-end honor at the program level but a comparatively short list at the player level. The AP had voted the Buckeyes as its No. 1 team heading into the new season, yet only two Ohio State players were selected across the first and second teams of the AP preseason All-America roster.

The All-America teams, built from voting connected to AP coverage, are intended to identify the position-by-position standouts expected to be difference-makers before kickoff. In that context, Ohio State’s presence indicates that the Buckeyes still carry a small core of nationally recognized talent, even if the preseason projection did not translate into a larger number of first- and second-team selections for the program.

Ohio State’s limited representation on the AP preseason All-America teams also underscores the nature of preseason awards. Even for teams viewed as favorites, the individual selections can skew toward players at programs perceived to be more complete, more explosively featured, or more statistically aligned with voters’ expectations. The gap between being ranked No. 1 as a team and having only two players named to the first two AP teams is a reminder that preseason honors do not always map cleanly onto postseason outcomes.

For the Buckeyes, the immediate value of the selections is credibility and visibility. Preseason All-America recognition tends to shape national attention, media narratives, and opponent scouting priorities, especially for the players named to the AP’s first and second teams. It also sets internal benchmarks, since Ohio State will be measuring whether the selected contributors can sustain the level implied by a preseason distinction while navigating the realities of a full schedule.

The selections will be tested early as preseason expectations meet game planning. The AP preseason teams are not meant to predict injury luck, role changes, or the development curve of younger contributors. They also do not account for how quickly a team’s leadership group solidifies once roles are locked in during the first weeks of the season.

What to watch next for Ohio State is not just whether the two preseason All-Americans repeat or improve their production, but whether additional players emerge as the season unfolds and the Buckeyes’ talent pool shows up in national conversations. If Ohio State’s roster depth becomes more visible as the games start, the preseason award snapshot could look incomplete by midseason.

For now, the headline is straightforward: Ohio State enters the season with the AP’s top team vote, but its preseason All-America footprint is concentrated, with only two players named to the AP first and second teams. That contrast sets up a season storyline defined by proof, not reputation.