Trade Target: Buckeye in-state LB offer discusses Ohio State and Michigan.....

A linebacker Ryan Day and James Laurinaitis offered a scholarship returned to Ohio State for the Michigan game.

Back on Sept. 21, Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville 2026 linebacker Cincere Johnson attended the Ohio State 49-14 win over Marshall with his brother and Ted Ginn Jr. and landed a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes on the field before the game. The offer came from Ryan Day and his linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.

Johnson also attended the Ohio State – Michigan game last weekend.

Games to watch for Ohio State fans during conference championship weekend

Which games Buckeye fans might want to tune into over the next couple of days.

Ohio State fans are still hurting from last weekend, and rightfully so. The Buckeyes lost 13-10 to Michigan, the fourth consecutive defeat handed to the Scarlet and Gray by their rival. It was one of the worst upsets in the 120-year history of The Game and one that Ohio State fans aren’t soon to forget.

But a new weekend is upon us. The Buckeyes’ loss to the Wolverines eliminated them from Big Ten Championship Game contention, meaning the Scarlet and Gray won’t get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon on Saturday. Instead, they will watch from home as Penn State — a team Ohio State beat on the road — gets the trip to Indianapolis and the chance to knock the Ducks from their perch.

Additionally, eight other conferences will play their championship games this weekend. While it may feel a bit soon for Buckeye fans to return to college football and start watching other teams win conference titles, some of these games could directly impact the Scarlet and Gray’s future. With the new 12-team College Football Playoff, it is still unclear who Ohio State will play in the first round, although it is very likely that the game will be played at Ohio Stadium later this December.

Here are the games to watch this weekend with an eye on the Buckeyes’ future.

The loser of this Moutain West Conference Championship Game is likely out of the Playoff, while the winner will get in as a conference champion. However, which winner could impact who Ohio State plays in the first round.

A Boise State win almost certainly gives the Broncos a first-round bye as one of the top four conference champions. This means the Buckeyes are more likely to be the No. 7 or No. 8 seed in the Playoff, which could mean a rematch with Indiana or, as many experts have projected, a game against Tennessee. A UNLV changes things, as the Rebels likely slot in as the No. 12 seed. Depending on other results, this could put Alabama in the mix to come to Ohio Stadium.

This game likely matters the least and would only really impact the Scarlet and Gray due to other results shifting around the seeding. However, fans might be interested in this Big 12 Championship Game because the winner could be on their way to the Horseshoe for the first round of the Playoff. Get some early scouting in, perhaps?

If Texas wins the SEC Championship Game, there will at least be a conversation about where Ohio State and Georgia rank in relation to each other. These two teams were compared closely in most of the Playoff rankings, with the Buckeyes sitting higher than the Bulldogs until the penultimate ranking last week when “the vote was really close in terms of where they fell,” according to Playoff committee chairman Warde Manuel.

While the committee isn’t likely to change much with the teams not playing, a third Georgia loss, to one of the teams the Bulldogs beat, could see them drop. Depending on other results, this could allow the Scarlet and Gray to climb as high as the No. 6 seed and get, on paper, an easier first-round matchup.

If Oregon wins the Big Ten Championship Game during the Ducks first year in the conference, Ohio State will likely climb back ahead of Penn State in the final Playoff rankings. Both teams will have two losses and the Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions head to head at Beaver Stadium last month. This gives the Scarlet and Gray a better chance at the No. 6 seed.

Clemson needs to win the ACC Championship Game to get into the Playoff field. If the Tigers do get the victory in Charlotte, there’s a possibility of a renewed rivalry between Ryan Day and Dabo Swinney at Ohio Stadium later this month. An SMU win wouldn’t change much, as the Mustangs would get a first-round bye.