As Ohio State prepares for the opening game of the 2026 college football season, one of the most important questions surrounding the Buckeyes is beginning to receive an answer: Who will make up the starting offensive line?
For much of the offseason and preseason, Ohio State’s offensive line has been one of the more closely watched position groups in Columbus. Head coach Ryan Day and his staff have experimented with different combinations, moving players between tackle and guard while trying to identify the five linemen who can provide the best combination of experience, physicality and consistency.
That uncertainty now appears to be narrowing.
With the season opener against Ball State approaching on Sept. 5, the Buckeyes appear increasingly likely to enter the season with a veteran-heavy interior and Ian Moore getting an opportunity at left tackle. Day has stopped short of calling the lineup official, but recent developments have provided a much clearer picture of where the competition stands.
The potential lineup is significant because Ohio State enters the new season with enormous expectations. The Buckeyes are again viewed as one of the nation’s strongest programs, and their offensive line will be expected to support an offense built around quarterback Julian Sayin, star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and a talented running back room.
There is little room for an extended adjustment period.
Experience Gives Ohio State a Strong Foundation
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the amount of experience returning to the offensive line.
Carson Hinzman, Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld all started every game for Ohio State in 2025. The three were also named to the 2026 Outland Trophy preseason watch list, making Ohio State one of only three schools with three offensive linemen on the list.
That kind of continuity is valuable, particularly for a unit that has been through the highs and lows of a championship-caliber season.
Hinzman provides stability at center. He enters the year as one of the most experienced players on the offense and is expected to remain the person responsible for much of the communication along the line. His ability to identify defensive fronts, make protection calls and keep the interior organized could prove particularly important with a new season and new challenges ahead.
Montgomery has also established himself as a reliable presence at left guard. After earning second-team All-American and All-Big Ten recognition in 2025, he returns with expectations that are considerably higher than those attached to him earlier in his career.
Siereveld is another major piece of the puzzle. He played extensively last season and has demonstrated the versatility to work at multiple positions. That flexibility has become especially important during this year’s competition because the coaching staff has been able to move him around while evaluating different combinations.
The fact that three returning starters have already earned significant recognition gives Ohio State a strong starting point.
The question is how the pieces around them will fit.
Ian Moore Could Be the Missing Piece
The biggest development in the offensive-line competition appears to involve Ian Moore.
Moore has emerged as a leading candidate at left tackle, a position that has attracted considerable attention throughout preseason camp. Day has used different combinations during practices, including moving Siereveld to right guard while giving Moore opportunities at left tackle.
That arrangement could ultimately produce a starting five of Moore at left tackle, Montgomery at left guard, Hinzman at center, Siereveld at right guard and Phillip Daniels at right tackle.
That is not necessarily a final depth chart yet, but it increasingly looks like the direction Ohio State is heading.
Moore’s potential emergence is especially important because tackle is generally viewed as one of the most demanding positions on the offensive line. A left tackle must be capable of handling elite pass rushers while also contributing to the running game.
Ohio State needs someone who can protect Sayin’s blind side without requiring constant assistance from tight ends or running backs.
Moore has been given that opportunity, and the timing could hardly be more important.
Phillip Daniels Brings Stability on the Right Side
Phillip Daniels is another returning starter who could help provide continuity.
His presence at right tackle would allow Ohio State to avoid making wholesale changes along the line. Instead of rebuilding the unit, the Buckeyes would essentially be replacing one starting piece while rearranging another.
That distinction matters.
Offensive line play depends heavily on communication and chemistry. Five talented individuals do not automatically make a good offensive line. The players must understand one another’s assignments, recognize defensive movements and know how the lineman next to them is likely to react.
A veteran group has an advantage in that regard.
Ohio State’s projected combination would feature four players with substantial starting experience and a fifth player in Moore who has already been involved in the competition and appears to have earned the coaching staff’s confidence.
Recent reports have also described the offensive line as significantly improved compared with last season. Defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., for example, characterized the unit as “night and day” better.
That is an encouraging assessment coming from a player who faces the offensive line every day in practice.
The Offensive Line Has Something to Prove
Despite the optimism, Ohio State’s offensive line enters the season with something to prove.
The group was a concern during the closing stages of the 2025 campaign. The Buckeyes struggled physically in their losses to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game and Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Those performances have not been forgotten.
Ohio State can point to an impressive regular season and plenty of individual talent, but the standard in Columbus is not simply to win regular-season games. The goal is to compete for championships.
That means the offensive line must be at its best when the competition becomes most physical.
The 2026 schedule will provide plenty of opportunities to find out whether the changes made during the offseason have worked.
Ohio State opens against Ball State on Sept. 5 before traveling to face Texas the following week. The Buckeyes also have difficult conference games later in the season, including matchups that could determine their position in the Big Ten race.
The Texas game, in particular, will provide an early test.
A young or unsettled offensive line might be exposed against an elite defense. Ohio State therefore needs its starting five to develop quickly rather than gradually finding its identity halfway through the season.
Why the Right Combination Matters
The offensive line is particularly important this season because of what Ohio State wants to accomplish offensively.
Julian Sayin enters the season as the established starting quarterback after an impressive 2025 campaign. That means the Buckeyes do not need to build the passing game around an inexperienced quarterback.
Instead, the offensive line needs to give Sayin the time necessary to operate an offense featuring one of the nation’s most dangerous receivers in Jeremiah Smith.
At the same time, Ohio State wants to establish a stronger running game.
Bo Jackson returns after rushing for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman, while Isaiah West has reportedly impressed during the offseason and preseason.
A more physical rushing attack could help make the Buckeyes less dependent on the passing game and give the offense another way to control games.
That starts up front.
If the offensive line can consistently create running lanes, Jackson and West have the talent to make defenses pay. If the line can also hold up in pass protection, Sayin will have the time to exploit defenses with Smith and Ohio State’s other receiving options.
The possibilities are obvious.
Austin Siereveld’s Versatility Could Be a Major Advantage
One of the most interesting aspects of the competition has been Siereveld’s versatility.
He has experience at tackle but is now being considered at right guard. That flexibility gives Ohio State several options.
If Moore establishes himself at left tackle, Siereveld can settle into the right guard position. If circumstances change, however, the coaching staff has another player capable of moving outside.
That could become valuable during a long season.
Injuries are inevitable in college football, particularly along the offensive line. Teams rarely make it through a full season using the exact same five starters in every game.
A player who can handle multiple positions gives a coaching staff greater flexibility and makes it easier to respond when something goes wrong.
Siereveld’s experience also means Ohio State does not have to sacrifice much in terms of physicality or knowledge when moving him around.
The key now is finding the position where he can make the biggest overall contribution.
The Competition Is Nearly Over
At the beginning of preseason camp, Day openly acknowledged that the offensive line still needed to be sorted out. He specifically pointed to the group as one of the areas he wanted to see develop.
That concern appears to be easing.
Recent reports indicate that the coaching staff has increasingly settled on a combination featuring Moore at left tackle, Montgomery at left guard, Hinzman at center, Siereveld at right guard and Daniels at right tackle.
There can still be changes before the opener, and Day has been careful not to make an official declaration.
But the important point is that the competition has gone from a wide-open question to a much more defined picture.
That is exactly what Ohio State needed heading into the final stretch of preseason preparation.
A Unit That Could Become a Strength
Perhaps the most encouraging development is that the offensive line no longer looks like a position group defined primarily by uncertainty.
Instead, it has the potential to become one of Ohio State’s strengths.
Four returning starters provide experience. Montgomery and Hinzman bring proven production. Siereveld offers versatility and physicality. Daniels provides continuity at right tackle. Moore now has an opportunity to establish himself at left tackle.
That combination gives the Buckeyes a solid foundation.
There will still be questions. Can the line consistently win against elite defensive fronts? Can it improve in short-yardage situations? Can it protect Sayin when opponents bring pressure? Can it create enough movement for Ohio State’s running backs against the best teams on the schedule?
Those questions will not be answered in preseason camp.
They will be answered on the field.
The first opportunity comes against Ball State, but the real test will arrive quickly with Texas. From there, the Buckeyes will face a demanding schedule that will continually challenge the offensive line.
For now, however, Ohio State appears to be heading toward the start of the season with far more clarity than it had a few weeks ago.
The offensive line may not have been the easiest position group to figure out during the offseason, but the pieces are finally falling into place.
If Moore can handle left tackle and the experienced interior performs at the level expected, Ohio State could enter September with one of the more dependable offensive lines in the country.
And for a team with championship ambitions, that could be one of the most important developments of the entire preseason.
The Buckeyes have the quarterback. They have elite playmakers. They have talented running backs. They have a defense expected to compete at a high level.
Now the offensive line appears close to having its answer.
The next step is proving that the answer is good enough when the games begin to matter most.
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