You think you’ve seen dominant defenses before? Look closer at Columbus. What the Ohio State Buckeyes are doing in 2025 isn’t just winning games; it’s rewriting the record books. With every snap, the comparisons to the sport’s all-time great units get louder, and the numbers suggest we’re watching something that shouldn’t be possible in the modern era.
Ohio State Making College Football History
It sounds like hyperbole, but the data screams otherwise. Start with the run game. The Buckeyes have held opponents under 100 rushing yards in 10 straight games. The last time that happened in Columbus? 1936. Nearly 90 years later, in a world of spread offenses and tempo, Ohio State is strangling opponents just as it did during the leather helmet era.
FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt circled the number that tells the real story:
Through 11 games, this unit allows just 7.6 points per outing. That’s the second-lowest mark by any defense in the last 35 years.
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Everyone compares modern defenses to the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs. That unit is the gold standard, producing:
- 7 first-round draft picks
- 14 total NFL draft selections
- A national title built on suffocating physicality
Right now, Ohio State isn’t just in that conversation. They might be leading it.
How Does the Talent Stack Up to NFL Standards?
Klatt noticed something else familiar. The Buckeyes are loaded with NFL talent straight down the middle, mirroring those dynasty rosters:
- S Caleb Downs: widely considered the best safety in America and an awards contender.
- LB Arvell Reese: a future Sunday player discussing top-5 pick status.
- LB Sonny Styles: the positionless, violent chess piece every coordinator wants.
- DT Kayden McDonald: a first-round-caliber wrecking ball inside.
That’s potentially four first-rounders before you even look at the perimeter. With several stars not even draft-eligible yet, it looks like Georgia’s 2021 blueprint all over again.
The advanced stats back up the eye test. In PFSN’s impact defensive grade, Ohio State sits at 96.5 (No. 2 nationally), trailing only Indiana. The dominance shows up everywhere:
- Passing yards allowed: 126.6 (elite)
- Points per drive: 0.77 (No. 1)
- First downs allowed: 140 (No. 2)
- Rushing TDs allowed: 4 (No. 2)
- Third down defense: 24.3% (No. 3)
- Explosive plays allowed: Among the nation’s best
There isn’t a weak spot on the field.
Why Has Matt Patricia’s Scheme Worked So Well?
When Ohio State hired Matt Patricia to replace Jim Knowles, questions arose. Could an NFL guy handle the college game? Could he adjust to the tempo and option looks?
He didn’t just adjust. He dominated.
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Patricia has unlocked a scary combination of NFL structure and college aggression. The unit plays fast, physical, and disciplined. RJ Young put their performance in rare company, noting that since 2006, only five defenses have allowed fewer than 7.6 points per game through 10 contests:
- 2006 Ohio State
- 2011 Alabama
- 2021 Georgia
- 2023 Michigan
- 2025 Ohio State
The history here is telling. The last three teams on that list, 2011 Alabama, 2021 Georgia, and 2023 Michigan, all won the national championship.
This puts Ohio State officially in “all-time unit” territory.
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But in Columbus, stats don’t hang banners. This defense can join the pantheon with those legendary Alabama and Georgia squads only if they finish the drill in January. The résumé is absurd, and the talent is undeniable. But none of it matters if they don’t repeat as national champions.
And if they do? We might be looking at the best defense the sport has ever seen.
