Ohio State is always in the discussion for the national championship, but something seems different about this year’s team. If the Buckeyes win this week, they will be 8-0 for the first time since 2015.

But the wins aren’t really the biggest difference; the dynamic defensive playmakers are according to The Athletic’s Stewart Mandal.

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“After seeing Ohio State in person, this is the most impressive team I’ve seen,” Mandel said on ‘The Audible’ podcast. I haven’t seen LSU in person, I have not seen Clemson or Alabama. I have seen Oklahoma. To me, what’s different about them is they have so many difference makers on defense to go with Justin Fields, to go with a deep corps of receivers, to go with a really underrated, terrific running back in J.K. Dobbins. They can beat you so many different ways.”

Mandal’s fellow podcast host, Bruce Feldman, disagreed slightly, pinpointing the biggest difference in Ryan Day’s first year as something mental.

“What really struck me … there’s an energy they have. You see it from Chase Young, you see it from a lot of their key guys that feels different than it has,” Feldman said. “I was around them in previous years for a couple of time a year, and this team feels a lot looser, and I think a lot more confident than at least the vibe I got from last year.”

Considering Ohio State had some big personalities such as Ezekiel Elliott, Nick Bosa, Michael Thomas and others recently, that’s quite a statement.

Ohio State will be aiming to improve to 8-0 against a Wisconsin team that just lost to Illinois. The No. 3 Buckeyes will host the No. 13 Badgers at 12 pm ET on Saturday.