Look, let's not kid ourselves. Having a first year head coach with the pedigree of Urban Meyer come in, take a challenging situation with a team still in the process of learning an offense radically different than its predecessor all the while juggling a MASH unit of a defense, and then make the end product just the sixth undefeated season in school history, and well, you're going to have rather lofty expectations for the encore.
Many (most?) Ohio State fans expect 2013 to follow in the foot steps of Urban Meyer's previous year twos. Utah? Undefeated season. Florida? National championship with a, let's just call it 'humbling', victory over a team we all thought would be the first ever to beat three #1 AP teams in a single season. The Buckeyes are reloaded on defense, and the offense? Well as filthy as it looked at times last year, it should be even better in 2013.
But why then are some skeptical of Ohio State's title chances? Inexperience? Law of averages? Just how many breaks it takes to actually not only get through the gauntlet of a twelve game regular season and a conference championship game, but also beat a near talent equal to claim the sport's highest praise?
SB Nation's Dan Rubenstein explores the topic from an independent national vantage. Even if you disagree, hear him out (it'll help you with arguments all fall; we promise), and then let us know why Ohio State will run the table in the comments below.