It. Is. TIME. We get to finally have a real, solid, tangible college lacrosse game tomorrow.

Months of angst, gnashing of teeth, rending of garments over the course of last season can finally cease as the proverbial next year is finally here. Up first is the absolute class of the ASUN, Utah. The Utes will come to Columbus, again, starting off the season with a test that should be, frankly, not that difficult. No disrespect intended. But Utah just is not the same as they once were.

This preview is going to be much shorter, as there are no current statistics for the season and no tape on how Utah is going to be operating. So we’re limited to past results and personnel.

Utah Recap

Last year, Utah was also the Ohio State season, and home, opener. The game was pretty standard, until a small Utah run late made the score a more respectable 11-8 in favor of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Utah showed through 2024 how desperately it needs a Big XII lacrosse conference, utterly demolishing a bunch of bad competition, while getting crushed by the few powers they played. Ohio State, as you’ll remember, was just mediocre.

Utah scored an absolutely absurd number of goals through 17 games, but was defensively poor against good teams. The Utes were crushed 19-7 in the opening round of the national tournament by Duke, and ushered unceremoniously into the offseason.

Attack

Ohio State will face an offensive unit that is massively depleted. Ryan Stines (#9) is the Utes leading scorer from 2024, and the best player on the roster. Essentially the rest of the top 6 graduated after 2024 ended, so it’s going to be Stines and no one else come Saturday. That said, Stines had an outstanding year. Through 17 games, he tallied 48 goals, 19 assists, and shot just under .333 for the season. Stines is going to be a handful, but luckily for Ohio State the Buckeyes are pretty solid down low on defense.

Starting with Stines could be anyone. Native Ohioan Zachary White (#12) had 11 points last season, and could be out there. Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. I’ve got nothing.

Advantage: Ohio State

Midfield

Utah will return Cody Hart (#3) at midfield, after Cody scored 18 goals for the Utes last season. Otherwise, we’re all in the same ignorant boat, floating on a sea of mystery. I’m not sure who Utah will start, what their strengths are, or how they’ll perform. I’m going to be much more prepared for every other team, but I just have no information to go on, since Utah lost so much of its offensive production.

I can tell you that I wouldn’t be surprised to see top 50 recruit Chase Robertson start here. That’s the highest rated player Utah will field for a long while, based on recent results. I would guess that Robertson draws Eiland, and Hart the LSM to start.

Advantage: Ohio State.

Defense

Utah was bad last year on defense, at least against good teams. They allowed opponents to get over 60% of shots on goal, always a sign of poor defense, and gave up 185 goals over the course of 17 games. Ohio State’s 11 goals was the fewest given up to a major opponent by the Utes, which was 5 less than the next closest total of 16. Luca Pivetta (#18) and Dallin Tanner (#419) return at close defense this year.

Starting goalie Colin Lenskold (#2) returns this year, having saved 51.7% of his shots faced last season. A respectable number, but a bit deceiving. Utah isn’t going to really have the players to overwhelm the Buckeyes on defense, so this will be more about seeing what Ohio State is capable of on offense. I think that there should be some decent opportunities. We'll just see what shakes out tomorrow.

Advantage: Ohio State

Final Prediction

Ohio State scheduled the whole ASUN, pretty much. And should have absolutely no trouble dispatching the entire conference. In theory.

The Buckeyes won’t lose tomorrow, at home, to an opponent coming from two time zones away on short recovery, in the first game of the year, with an entirely new offense. Ryan Stines gets 4 goals and 2 assists. Buckeyes still win. And the recap will post the same day as the game. Probably in the afternoon.

Score: Ohio State 13, Utah 9.

As an exercise that interests only me, I’m going to keep track of each opponent’s Ohio players and give an Ohio-based rating to all of them. For reference, Ohio State has 8 players from Ohio (not counting imported players who played at Western Reserve Academy).

Utah Ohioan Counter: 5

Ohio Rating: Summer Cedar Point visits and one trip to Jacobs Field.

Go Bucks!

Game is at noon EST, on BIG+. God help us all.