Ohio State to host pair of elite running backs Saturday for Purdue game

The Buckeyes also made multiple top schools lists on Monday, and sent out some scholarship offers following the Penn State victory.

Ohio State is now 7-1 following an impressive victory at Penn State Saturday. The win is easily the best this season for the Buckeyes, and the team’s showing proved to fans and the college football world that Ohio State is still one of the best teams in the country.

After an important win, Ohio State will now begin preparing for this weekend when Purdue comes to Columbus. The Boliermakers will not be alone in their trip to Columbus this weekend, as the Buckeyes will be also playing a host to another group of blue-chip recruits.

Many of the headlines surrounding Ohio State’s football team will focus on last week’s win and how the Buckeyes plan to follow it up with a game against a team notorious for playing the Buckeyes tough. However, Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff will continue to hit the recruiting trail head first and keep the Buckeyes in the recruiting headlines.

This held true on Monday and in case you missed any Ohio State recruiting news Monday, Land-Grant Holy Land has you covered.

Ohio State set to host 2025 and 2026 running backs

As was previously mentioned, Ohio State is set to not only play host to Purdue this weekend, but the Buckeyes will also be hosting a pair of running backs from both the 2025 and 2026 class.

2025 four-star RB and current Alabama commit Anthony Rogers (Montgomery, AL / Carver) is one of a small number of recruits Ohio State is still targeting to close out this year’s class, and he will now be making his official visit to Ohio State.

Rogers committed to Alabama in June of 2023, but has not completely shut his recruitment down. The Buckeyes officially threw their names in the hat and offered him in April of this year, and he is now making the trip to Columbus to see if he likes the Buckeyes more than his hometown school.

Ohio State is not alone in its pursuit of Rogers, as Auburn and Georgia have both hosted him on visits recently. Added to this, he is still committed to Alabama, so the Tide remain the favorites to land him.

The Buckeyes hold commitments from two running backs in the class with four-star backs Bo Jackson and Isaiah West. The duo is already an impressive haul, and adding Rogers would be the icing on the cake.

Rogers is the No. 6 running back in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 118 overall prospect. He is also the No. 9 recruit from Alabama.

Rogers will not be alone this weekend, as the Buckeyes will also be playing host to one of the nation’s top RB’s in the 2026 class in Georgia four-star decommit Derrek Cooper (Hollywood, FL / Chaminade-Madonna Prep).

Cooper is viewed as one of the top overall prospects in next year’s class, and the Buckeyes offered him a scholarship in May of 2024. The Buckeyes have some stiff competition for Cooper as he also has offers from Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Tennessee, among others, and Georgia is still very much in play.

Ohio State has to like where it sits in his recruitment, getting to play host to him on a visit. However, Miami has also been gaining momentum in his recruitment hosting him on a visit back in September. Ohio State will need to continue prioritizing him if it is going to be the team to land him, but it certainly is possible.

Cooper is the No. 3 ATH in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 28 overall prospect. He is also the No. 3 recruit from the talent-rich state of Florida.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State is seemingly making top schools lists daily for some of the nation’s top recruits. This trend continued to start the week as two blue-chip recruits included the Buckeyes in their top schools Monday.

2026 four-star edge Rodney Dunham (Charlotte, NC / Myers Park) has the Buckeyes in his top eight schools, while 2026 four-star running back Carsyn Baker (Fairburn, GA / Langston Hughes) included Ohio State in his top 13 schools.

• Ohio State also dished out a pair of scholarship offers recently. The first went to 2025 three-star Cincinnati cornerback commit Jordyn Woods (Cartersville, GA / Cartersville). Ohio State has been looking to add a third CB to its 2025 class, and they will hope to swoop Woods away from Cincinnati.

The Buckeyes also sent an official scholarship offer to 2027 TE Luke Brewer (Norwalk, IA / Norwalk).