Most neutral observers thought Ohio State football wouldn’t recover from a Week 2 loss to Virginia Tech to win the national championship in 2014. Most Buckeye fans, for that matter, were skeptical as well following the home defeat. But Ohio State rallied behind J.T. Barrett, while Cardale Jones made himself a household name leading the Buckeyes to the title. Now the big question is, can they repeat in 2015?

The Buckeyes begin their defense Monday night on the road against the one team to beat them in 2014: Virginia Tech. The Hokies have a mission themselves, to prove that the Columbus meeting was not a fluke, and they’ll hope to return to the national spotlight with an upset win. After failing to use that win as a springboard, Frank Beamer & company are anticipating better luck this fall. But to do so, they’ll have to overcome a Buckeye team returning plenty of talent.

Both Barrett and Jones are back for the Scarlet & Gray, while two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Braxton Miller has returned from injury and will now feature in a receiver role. The Buckeyes will miss four key players in Blacksburg; defensive end Joey Bosa, H-backs Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson, and receiver Corey Smith are all suspended for the opener, and won’t even make the trip to Virginia Tech. Much of the Buckeyes’ offense will depend on running back Ezekiel Elliott and the quarterback’s ability to scramble if necessary.

Once the Big Ten portion of the schedule begins, every team in the league will have the Buckeyes circled on their calendar. Ohio State does have a pair of home games against tough rivals in Michigan State and Penn State, but they’ll have to travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan’s first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Buckeyes lost on the road to their archrivals in the first years of Brady Hoke & Lloyd Carr, and Michigan has a history of upsetting of championship-contending Ohio State squads. Will 2015 be added to that list of Buckeye heartbreak?

The Buckeyes open the season as favorites to repeat as national champions. Will they get that opportunity, or will they struggle and miss out on the second College Football Playoff? Either way, Ohio State fans are ready to see the team back in action.