2023 Season Preview: Creating Over/Unders and Predicting Results For Ohio State’s Best Players

That’s the question we‘re looking to answer today in our 2023 Ohio State football preview, coming up with over/unders for some of Ohio State’s best players – numbers that we believe could realistically go either way – and predict whether each Buckeye will hit the respective overs.

TreVeyon Henderson

O/U: 1,049.5 rushing yards, 11.5 rushing touchdowns

After an impressive freshman campaign, one in which Henderson totaled 183 carries for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 27 catches for 312 yards and four touchdowns in 2021, the running back tore a ligament in his foot in 2022, an injury that eventually forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. He had just 107 carries for 571 yards and six touchdowns in his sophomore season.

While leading the deepest running back room in the country this fall, Henderson will look to have a bounce-back season. But with so much talent in the backfield, how many opportunities will Henderson actually receive every game? That will be the biggest factor in whether Henderson notches at least 1,000 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground for the second time in three seasons.

Prediction: Over
With a starting quarterback that has yet to be named and Henderson back at 100%, the junior will take advantage of shouldering more of the workload offensively and get back to the numbers he had as a freshman.

Miyan Williams

O/U: 849.5 rushing yards, 8.5 rushing touchdowns

Despite dealing with a number of ailments of his own last season, Williams had a career year with 128 carries for 825 yards (6.4 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns in 2022. The senior would be RB1 on the majority of teams throughout the country because he is one of the best running backs in college football.

Prediction: Over
He will receive fewer opportunities than Henderson, but Williams proved last season that he can be relied upon in any situation. Ohio State's running backs will play more of a role this season and Williams will have yet another great season for the second straight year. Expect him to receive more goal-line opportunities as well.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

O/U: 1,199.5 receiving yards, 13.5 touchdowns

The best player in college football regardless of position, Harrison had 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore (the latter two of which are fourth in program history for a single season), a season that concluded with Harrison becoming Ohio State's first unanimous All-American receiver. Even then, Harrison still has a chip on his shoulder after not winning the Biletnikoff Award in 2022.

That was also with the No. 2 pick in NFL Draft last April. With a first-year starter behind center this fall – whether it's Kyle McCord or Devin Brown – things probably won’t be as easy for the passing game, at least early on.

Day and Hartline will put Harrison in the best position to dominate, including in the slot, where the junior is expected to be used more often than he was during his first two seasons in Columbus, but it will be a learning process with a new quarterback. Then again, if McCord wins the job, he and Harrison were high school teammates who have plenty of chemistry and experience together.

Either way, we all know that Ohio State's offense will evolve around the best player in college football this fall and Harrison is going to get his.

Prediction: Over
No matter who the starting quarterback is, Harrison will dominate. He's that good. Unless the opposing team double-teams him at all times, the best receiver in college football will prove to be unguardable all season. Bet the over for Harrison. Always.

Emeka Egbuka

O/U: 1,099.5 receiving yards, 9.5 touchdowns

The second-best wide receiver in the country is WR2 in Columbus, which perfectly explains just how stacked Ohio State's wide receiver room is without even discussing the rest of the talent in the unit.

A season ago, Egbuka had 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns (the latter two of which are fifth in program history for a single season) while also sharing the workload with Harrison, among others.

Egbuka is extremely talented, but his final stats will come down to how much of the workload he will get in a loaded wide receiver corps.

Prediction: Over on touchdowns, under on yards
Egbuka will notch 1,000-plus receiving yards but I don't expect him to get much more than that. Although he will be second on the team in receiving yards, expect Egbuka to lead the team in receptions. He'll take advantage of opposing defenses focusing on Harrison.

Julian Fleming

O/U: 449.5 receiving yards, 4.5 receiving touchdowns

The highest-rated receiver to sign with Ohio State in the modern recruiting era, Fleming has dealt with injuries on and off throughout his time as a Buckeye. The senior had his finest season as a Buckeye in 2022, totaling 34 catches for 533 yards and six touchdowns, including a touchdown in five straight games.

If he can stay healthy, he should receive plenty of open targets given how much the opposing defense will focus on Harrison and Egbuka. But he has to stay on the field consistently to put up big numbers.

Prediction: Under
There are only so many receiving yards to go around when I believe Ohio State will be a more run-heavy offense than they have in recent years. Fleming will make plays when given the opportunity, but it could be tough for him to rack up the numbers as WR3 with an unproven quarterback behind center. Then again, Hartline said that Fleming would be a first-round pick next April, so maybe I'm completely wrong here.

Xavier Johnson

O/U: 99.5 rushing yards, 349.5 receiving yards

The most versatile player on Ohio State's loaded offense, Johnson is looking to have his best year yet in his sixth (and final) season as a Buckeye.

The do-it-all skill player on offense's role has grown very gradually in his first five years in Columbus. He had just four carries and zero catches in his first four years as a Buckeye before last season. Then, in 2022, he totaled 13 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 12 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown, a season that Johnson instantly proved he could be a playmaker on Ohio State's offense in addition to his regular playing time on special teams.

Hartline has said he wants to take advantage of Johnson's versatility, but with so much talent at wide receiver and running back, his numbers will come down to where Johnson's skill set fits in the offensive game plan.

Prediction: Over on receiving yards, under on rushing yards 
Day and Hartline are going to make sure to get the ball in Johnson's hands no matter where he is on the field. They will use his versatility to Ohio State's advantage and the hybrid skill player will take advantage of every opportunity in order to have his best year as a Buckeye. Expect some trickery involving Johnson out of the backfield just to keep the opponent guessing, too.

Cade Stover

O/U: 399.5 receiving yards, 4.5 touchdowns

In a season that started hot and slowed down as the months went on, especially in November, Stover was still able to notch 36 catches for 406 yards and five touchdowns in 2022. He’ll look to prove that production wasn’t a fluke in 2023.

Prediction: Over on yards, under on touchdowns
Stover will regain his early-season success in 2022 and the first-year starting quarterback will lean on his tight end to make plays early on and in short-yardage situations outside of the red zone. That said, inside the red zone, I expect Ohio State to lean more on its running backs. He will have one of the most productive seasons by a Buckeye tight end in recent memory in terms of yardage but will have fewer touchdowns than last year.

JT Tuimoloau

O/U: 7.5 sacks

One of the best defensive ends in the country, Tuimoloau will look to make a bigger impact in the box score this year after totaling 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season, numbers that certainly don't jump off the stat sheet.

The junior is expected to have his best season yet. If he lives up to expectations this fall, Tuimoloau would become the first Buckeye to have at least six sacks since 2019, when Chase Young (16.5) and Davon Hamilton (six) both reached that number.

Prediction: Over
While every game won't be like last season's game at Penn State, Tuimoloau will prove to be the best defensive end since 2019 and be a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen all while making a living in opposing backfields.

Jack Sawyer

O/U: 6.5 sacks

Tuimoloau and Sawyer could be one of the best defensive end duos in the country this season. That's a big if, but the two certainly have the talent to do so.

In 2022, Sawyer had 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss, numbers that the junior wants to improve upon this fall now that he’s playing defensive end full-time. And he should have more opportunities for sacks given that Ohio State's secondary is supposed to be much improved.

Prediction: Under
This one will be close. I expect that he will have a better season than he did last year but that Sawyer will finish with six sacks, just under the over/under.

Mike Hall Jr.

O/U: 6.5 sacks

Hall put his potential on display early in the 2022 season, recording 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in Ohio State’s first six games of the year alone. But a shoulder injury prevented him from recording another TFL for the rest of the season.

If he can stay healthy, he should end the year with bigger numbers in 2023.

Prediction: Over
Hall will prove he’s worth a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft and be a menace for opposing quarterbacks in the middle of the defensive line.

Denzel Burke

O/U: 2.5 interceptions

After an impressive offseason following a disappointing 2022 season, one that didn't live up to expectations due to a number of different injuries following an impressive freshman season in 2021, Burke wants to be a lockdown cornerback for Ohio State in 2023.

Ohio State’s cornerbacks didn't record any interceptions in 2022, but that's expected to change this season. As the top cornerback in a group that claims it’s ready to regain BIA status, he’ll need to make some big plays to back up the talk.

Prediction: Over
Burke has talked the talk all offseason and he will walk the walk this season, bringing back Ohio State's BIA status. If opposing quarterbacks continue to throw at Burke as the season goes on, he will easily catch at least three interceptions.