Some pretty shocking news came out of Ohio State's preseason practices this morning. Star quarterback Braxton Miller is expected to miss the entire 2014-2015 season due to a shoulder injury, first reported by Tim May of The Columbia Dispatch.
This recent announcement throws a wrench in Urban Meyer's plans for the upcoming season. Not only were the Buckeyes expected to make a run at one of the four teams to break the inaugural playoff season, but there was also a lot of pressure on Miller to make up for the slew of offensive losses Ohio State suffered to graduation.
The Buckeyes lost their leading rusher and receiver as well as four of their starting offensive lineman from last year's squad, but Miller was still primed to make the offense gel like it has the past two years with him at the helm. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes have now lost their leading passer and second-leading rusher from last year's 12-2 team.
They also lost backup quarterback Kenny Guiton, who seemed to bail the Buckeyes out of tough situations time and time again. So they will turn to largely unproven redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett to take the reins under center. He is a former four-star recruit according to ESPN.com, and while he will not be as dynamic as Miller, he is a dual-threat quarterback and brings a wide range of skills to the position. He has impressed during spring and fall drills, and will only get better as he gets more game experience.
But as much as Miller's injury puts Ohio State behind the eight-ball, it hurts the Big 10 conference even more.
In an age where so much money changes hands in college football and prestige is at the top of everyone's list, conferences are trying to get any edge they can. With this upcoming season being the first one with the new playoff system, any conference with a team in the "Final Four" will receive even more exposure than in previous years.
And Ohio State was the Big Ten's horse in the race. The Buckeyes had one of the most exciting players in the country as well as one of the most polarizing coaches, making them the perfect team to represent the conference on the national stage.
Now, with Ohio State very likely out of the playoff picture, the Big 10 doesn't really have any team to hang their hat on. Michigan State won the Rose Bowl last season, but they lost a lot from last year's team and are not being seriously considered by anyone to crack the playoff. Michigan and Wisconsin are both very talented as well, but do not have much of a chance to be mentioned in the same conversation as the nation's elite.
Ohio State, on the other hand, can still make something of the season. They have had one of the best recruiting classes in the country each of the past three years under Meyer, giving them a deeply talented roster that is good enough to overcome its youth. Even with all of their losses on the offensive side of the ball, they reloaded with their remarkable recruiting. Also, I think that Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman will be able to make a solid offense out of what they have.
The Buckeyes will win a lot of games this year, that is without a doubt. Meyer has won everywhere he has been, and 2014-2015 will be no different.
However, the Big Ten is going to be hurt the most. They almost certainly will not be represented in the first playoff, and they can thank Miller's injury for that. And with recent reports that Miller plans to return in 2015 for his final season of eligibility, the future is even brighter for Buckeye City.