Last week, the NCAA passed a rule change allowing players to wear the No. 0 in college football beginning this season, meaning a clean, brand new, single-digit number is now up for grabs this offseason.
One thing is clear: someone will be wearing the new number this fall – likely multiple someones – we just aren't exactly sure who it's going to be. But that's not going to stop us from talking about it, anyway.
Here are our best guesses as to who will debut the new number for the Buckeyes this season.
Trey Sermon
Oklahoma graduate transfer running back Trey Sermon is the decided favorite to earn Ohio State's starting running back spot this season, but he doesn't officially have a number yet.
Sermon wore No. 4 at Oklahoma and was wearing a No. 4 Ohio State jersey in his commitment graphic, but that number is currently taken by Julian Fleming on offense.
— Trey Sermon (@treyera) March 22, 2020
Sermon could want to start fresh in Columbus with a new number, and if he does, No. 0 sure wouldn't look bad sharing a backfield with No. 1.
Julian Fleming
If Trey Sermon is indeed wearing the No. 4 this fall as his recruiting graphic suggests, that means Julian Fleming will be the one looking for a new number.
If he fancies a single digit, his only other option as an offensive player would be No. 8, and No. 0 seems like the crispier choice. Plus, he'd get to start a legacy as the first Buckeye ever to wear the number – at least offense.
Kamryn Babb
There are currently three players on the roster wearing No. 7 – C.J. Stroud, Sevyn Banks and Kamryn Babb – and the new NCAA rule only allows two players to share a number.
Given that Banks both shares a first name with his number and plays the other side of the ball while Stroud's Twitter name is currently "S7VEN," odds are that Babb will be the one switching.
If you're looking for a new number, why not choose college football's newest number?
Shaun Wade
Unlike on offense, no player defensive has to switch numbers ahead of the season, but I'm sure someone will want to rock the new number, and the team's star player and future first-round pick seems like a fine choice.
Wade's worn No. 24 throughout his Buckeye career and has no real reason to switch, but he wore No. 7 in high school, so we know he has at least some affinity for single-digit numbers.
No. 0 is available and is a much sexier number for a star player than No. 24. It's especially awesome for a defensive back – zero coverage, zero completions, etc. etc.
Lathan Ransom
If a veteran player doesn't take No. 0, Lathan Ransom is the best pick among the freshmen. Ransom wore No. 8 in high school, but that's already taken by redshirt sophomore defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste on the defensive side of the ball.
The next-best choices in that same vein are No. 18 and No. 28, but they are both already claimed by Buckeye defenders as well, with Jonathon Cooper and Ronnie Hickman owning those numbers.
Ransom's going to have to change numbers, so why not snag No. 0, especially as a defensive back.
Drue Chrisman
This is a sleeper pick for sure, but if nobody on defense claims the number, I'd bet Drue Chrisman would at least think about add the No. 0 to his quirky legacy.
Between his camp check-in shirts, bottle flipping, and unmatched love story, he's Internet royalty at this point. Finishing his Ohio State career rocking the No. 0 across his chest would be the icing on the cake.
Dawand Jones
This is more of a pipe dream than anything, but who doesn't want to see the team's biggest player rock college football's smallest number? I mean, if Michigan can give a quarterback No. 98, we can give a 6-foot-8, 360-pound offensive tackle No. 0.
