A new year is upon us, and with it, many unknowns arise. Such as, who will start the 2024 season at quarterback for Ohio State? Will Jim Harbaugh finally jump to the NFL, and by doing so, stay one step ahead of the law? And will the Blue Jackets bring back Boomer, the manly mascot, just to make fans laugh so they don’t always have to cry?

These are the questions that must be asked, if not necessarily answered in this space. Instead, we present five predictions for Columbus-based sports that include elements of “This is what we think will happen.” … “This is what we wish would happen.” And … “There is no way on God’s green earth this will happen, but outrageous prognostication is fun, so deal with it.”

We’ll let the reader decide which is which.

Ohio State makes the 12-team College Football Playoff and goes on the road for the first-round game

The Buckeyes lose two regular-season games. You can guess one of the two. Hint: Sounds like MissedAgain. OSU enters the playoff seeded ninth or lower, which means it won’t play a December game in the Horseshoe. But … Ohio State will win its first road game and advance. How far? Let’s just say Ryan Day won’t need to shave his beard and wear a disguise around the city in early 2025.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce buy the Blue Jackets after making John McConnell an offer he can’t refuse

Something in the range of $750 million ought to do it, although it might help if Swift writes the owner a breakup song, “Dear John Mac" and dedicates it to the Fifth Line.

But that’s not all, folks. Traylor (the couple's "ship name") dips into their billions – OK, her billions – and brings an NBA franchise to Columbus, explaining that with Kelce being from Cleveland and playing college football at Cincinnati, birthing the Columbus Swifties in Nationwide Arena is a cool way to represent the entire Buckeye State.

Blue Jackets clean house in the front office by June

Jarmo Kekalainen does not come close to being the worst general manager in franchise history, and president of hockey operations John Davidson at least understands the game, but neither one has been able to get the Jackets over the hump, and another dismal season without making changes at the top sends the wrong message to a young team that losses are acceptable. When that happens, you risk ruining the potential of promising rookie Adam Fantilli and other talented up-and-comers. Bonus prediction: Coach Pascal Vincent also will be shown the door. No surprise there.

Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord – remember him? – will throw for more yards and touchdowns than Ohio State’s starting QB

McCord went 11-1 for the Buckeyes this season but entered the transfer portal when coach Ryan Day did not guarantee him the starting job in 2024. Apparently, McCord also wanted more NIL money, as our Bill Rabinowitz reported. The Orange must have shown him more of the green.

McCord will not have the plethora of weapons at Syracuse he enjoyed at OSU, but playing in a dome will help his stats, especially from late October through November. Additionally, he will be competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which this season was weaker defensively against the pass (208.4 yards allowed per game) than the Big Ten (197.8). Of course, McCord won’t be playing in the playoff, but he also won’t lose to Michigan.

Crew successfully defend MLS Cup

Columbus’ title team will avoid the letdown and lethargy that often follows a championship and win a second consecutive Cup, making Black and Gold gear a mandatory clothing choice for any Arch City citizen who wants to feel like a champion. With coaching savant Wilfried Nancy running the show for a second season, the Crew will have a better handle on how to play the game even more beautifully.

roller@dispatch.com

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State Buckeyes football make playoff in 2024, Crew defend title