Ohio State won't face a lot of elite quarterbacks this fall.
In years past, the Buckeyes have had to defend the likes of Trace McSorley, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Deshaun Watson. The latter two came in postseason games, so there's a strong chance a matchup like that could exist for Ohio State down the road.
But looking at the regular season slate, there aren't a lot of names that could turn the heads of most fans. Here's a look at the most dangerous quarterbacks the Buckeyes face this fall.
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Desmond Ridder was a bit of a surprise for Luke Fickell's squad last season. He started the season on the bench as a backup, but after starter Hayden Moore struggled in the season opener against UCLA, Ridder came in and led the Bearcats to a come-from-behind 26-17 win.
The redshirt freshman started every game for the rest of the year, and he thrived. A dangerous dual-threat, Ridder threw for 2,455 yards and added 572 yards on the ground. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes with 25 total touchdowns against just five interceptions in 2018.
Peyton Ramsey, Indiana
Indiana's Peyton Ramsey has already done some work against the Buckeye defense.
In last year's 49-26 Ohio State victory, Ramsey carved the Buckeyes up with 322 passing yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. A dual-threat like Ridder, Ramsey finished the 2018 season with 3,229 yards of total offense to go along with 24 touchdowns.
Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
Adrian Martinez had an up-and-down season as a freshman starter for Nebraska last year, but he found his bearings down the stretch despite the Cornhuskers' depleted roster.
That was especially true when Nebraska made the trip north to Columbus for a November showdown with Ohio State. He completed 22 of his 33 throws against the Buckeyes for 266 yards and a touchdown (and no interceptions) while running for 72 yards and two more scores. Ohio State narrowly escaped the Martinez-led comeback, winning 36-31.
When the Buckeyes see Martinez this fall, it'll be in Nebraska and almost certainly under the lights in primetime.
Shea Patterson, Michigan
Shea Patterson is the only signal-caller on this list who took a long, legitimate look at the NFL after last season ended.
After transferring to Michigan from Ole Miss and gaining immediate eligibility with the Wolverines, he started every game and threw for 2,600 yards and ran for 273. He's a good decision maker and threw for 22 touchdowns against just seven interceptions.
It was difficult for him to post big numbers in Jim Harbaugh's run-heavy offense, but the feeling going into 2019 is that the Wolverines will open things up for their quarterback this fall. That could mean a big year for Patterson, who will face the Buckeyes on his turf in Ann Arbor in the season finale.
