Ohio State No. 1 again -- why the Buckeyes are the rightful kings of spring; plus retiring a Matt Patricia question on havoc and more: Doug Rants

The Buckeyes are back on top in the offseason SP+ ratings? What else is new?

Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia (left), with New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh (right) at the Buckeyes’ Pro Day, said NFL coaches commented on how “clean” the film of the OSU defense was. (Photo courtesy of Ohio State)

COLUMBUS — Ten thoughts on Ohio State’s SP+ ranking, my number one question for Matt Patricia, a stray Big Ten basketball idea, and an interesting Ohio State-Alabama comparison.

1. Ohio State is always the best team in the country in the spring. I think that’s where we are. I don’t think that’s wrong, but we also can’t be surprised by it — even when the Buckeyes are replacing three defensive superstars, seven total defensive starters and five potential first-round draft picks.

   ESPN’s SP+ numbers from Bill Connelly have the Buckeyes atop the country again this spring, same as it was last offseason.

   Connelly’s numbers, as he explains each year at ESPN.com, combine returning production, recruiting rankings and recent history to come up with a formula of predicted success. (He added a fourth metric this season about coaching, which mostly affects teams that punted a lousy coach for a better one. In a completely unrelated note, Michigan was No. 25 in SP+ to end last season, and is No. 14 now.)

   That method is why referencing SP+ during the season is not particularly useful, because recruiting rankings are involved. Nobody cares about your recruiting star count on third-and-4 in October.

   But in March? Very interesting.

2. Ohio State is No. 1 in those numbers released Friday, meaning in the last seven years, the Buckeyes have been No. 1 at this time of the offseason three times, second three times and fourth once.

   Here are the raw SP+ numbers and offensive, defensive and overall rankings from February/March since 2020.