2013 NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions: The experts on Ohio State

We're just under six hours from the main event of the NCAA Tournament getting underway, and Ohio State has all the sounds of being a real favorite amongst the experts to make their second straight Final Four. The Buckeyes have won eight straight and head in to their first round matchup with Iona as 14-point favorites in that #2/#15 matchup.

Thad Matta's arguably done his best work to date with this year's team, but inquiring minds in Buckeye Nation still want to know whether or not Ohio State has it in them to make another run at that elusive national title. It doesn't matter whether you're stuck in the office rapidly pressing the boss button at a moment's notice or taking Thursday and Friday off to play hooky and take in arguably the best 48 hours in sports. You'll undoubtedly be spending the better part of the next two weeks watching your bracket's various upset picks fall flat on your face and the teams you're relying on most heavily let you down time and time again. Survive and advance...or at least survive and crumble up your work pool's entry and toss it into the nearest recycling receptacle come Saturday.

But then there's that matter of the Buckeyes. The good news is that given their seed and draw, the road back to a second Elite Eight in as many years doesn't seem that daunting. And while Gonzaga might not be getting the respect from Ohio State fans they might should be given last year's game, especially after last weekend, a Final Four doesn't feel that impossible. To get you prepared for what's to come, here's a run down of how the college hoops authorities at some of the web's leaders have the Buckeyes doing in their bracket predictions.

Jay Bilas: Ohio State to the Final Four

John Gasaway: Ohio State to the Final Four

Seth Greenberg: Gonzaga wins the West

Joe Lunardi: Gonzaga wins the West (specifically calls Ohio State "the weakest No. 2 seed")

Ken Pomeroy: New Mexico wins the West

Eamonn Brennan: Ohio State to the Final Four

Andy Katz: Gonzaga wins the West

Digger Phelps: Ohio State losing in the national championship game to Miami

Myron Medcalf: Ohio State to the Final Four

Dick Vitale: Ohio State to the Final Four

Robbi Pickeral: Ohio State to the Final Four

Jay Williams: Ohio State winning the national championship (says Lenzelle Smith and Sam Thompson will step up)

Seth Davis: New Mexico wins the West

Luke Winn: Ohio State to the Final Four

Stewart Mandel: Ohio State to the Final Four

Pete Thamel: Ohio State to the Final Four

Andy Glockner: Ohio State to the Final Four

Kelli Anderson: Gonzaga wins the West

Gary Parrish: Ohio State to the Elite Eight

Gregg Doyel: Ohio State wins the national championship

Jeff Goodman: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Peter Tiernan: Ohio State to the Final Four

Jeff Borzello: Ohio State to the Elite Eight

Matt Norlander: Ohio State to the round of 32

Jerry Palm: Ohio State to the Final Four

Dennis Dodd: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Doug Gottlieb: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Mateen Cleaves: Ohio State to the Elite Eight

Wally Sczerbiak: Ohio State to the Elite Eight

Pete Gillen: Ohio State to the Elite Eight

Alaa Abdelnaby: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Mike Lopresti: Ohio State to the Final Four

Scott Gleeson: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Eric Prisbell: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Nicole Auerbach: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

Eddie Timanus: Ohio State to the Sweet 16

The final tally

Ohio State to the round of 32: 1

Ohio State to the Sweet 16: 9

Ohio State to the Elite Eight: 6

Ohio State to the Final Four: 14

Ohio State to the national title game: 1

Ohio State to win it all: 2