Heading into this season, the expectations were extremely high for the Ohio State Buckeyes, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The combination of returning players and incoming stars from the transfer portal had many people predicting this to be the best defense in college football.

The Buckeyes have done nothing on Saturday to change that opinion, as they have held Akron to only three points as they near the start of the fourth quarter. The defensive staff put an added emphasis on forcing fumbles, and Lathan Ransom capitalized and took a fumble back the other way for a touchdown.

The Ohio State offense has been up-and-down on Saturday, but the defense looks like it is in midseason form. The past couple of seasons, the defense has been a weakness for the team, and a big reason why the Buckeyes have lost the big games to Michigan.

The team loaded up on defensive help this off-season, and through one game, it looks like a unit that is as formidable as there is in college football.