The Fix: 5 questions facing Ohio State in 2014

The Fix is a look at major storylines following this year's top college contenders, and how teams will handle these challenges heading into the season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had the regular season's number the past two years, going 24-0 in scheduled contests under Urban Meyer, but finding success beyond that has been far more elusive.

The stars all seemed to align for the Buckeyes a year ago, but they couldn't take care of business when it mattered most. They'll again be in contention for what would be the program's eighth title this year.

Here are five questions facing Ohio State entering the 2014 season:

Can Braxton Miller stay healthy?

Keeping Braxton Miller healthy has to be a top priority for Ohio State this season.

Kenny Guiton was around to carry the load when Miller went down a year ago, but the names behind the Houston-native inspire far less confidence than a year ago. Redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett and redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones are the top candidates for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart this year, and the two have combined for a total of two collegiate pass attempts.

Miller leaned more heavily on the pass in 2013 than he did in 2012, which is a good sign, but his 171 rushing attempts in effectively 11 games show that he was still using his legs quite often.

Can Carlos Hyde be replaced?

Hyde began the year serving a three-game suspension after a questionable altercation at a night club in the offseason, but he provided the team with Heisman-caliber play in the 11 games he was a part of.

Hyde averaged 151.6 yards per game and scored 18 touchdowns in those 11 games, production that will need to be found elsewhere with Hyde now a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

To make things even more difficult, backup Jordan Hall is gone as well, meaning the torch will seemingly fall down another rung of the ladder to sophomore Ezekiel Elliott, who averaged 8.1 yards per carry in limited action last season. Senior Rod Smith's back is against the wall if he hopes to show some of the talent that landed him in Columbus in the first place, while redshirt sophomore Bri'onte Dunn will be in the mix for carries as well.

Will beating Michigan State again be too tall an order?

The 34-24 final in the Big Ten title game really didn't tell the whole story. Michigan State looked like the far better squad in Indianapolis, and this year, the setting shifts to East Lansing.

The Buckeyes were able to avoid the Spartans in the regular year in 2013, but the teams did meet in 2012. That year, the Buckeyes barely eked out a 17-16 victory against an inferior Spartans squad that went 6-6 in the regular season that year.

Will luck again be on their side when facing Michigan?

Ohio State came out of Ann Arbor with a victory, but boy did they ever need some help to get it.

The team played some very sloppy football on both sides of the ball in a 42-41 win, needing to stop a two-point conversion attempt inside the game's final minute to preserve a perfect regular season.

In the midst of a lousy season, Devin Gardner lit up the Buckeyes' secondary to the tune of 451 yards and four touchdowns, adding an additional score on the ground. The Wolverines are expected to provide a much stiffer test this upcoming season after a down year in 2013.

Can they go perfect... again?

The Buckeyes have compiled consecutive perfect regular seasons and have zero appearances in the national title game to show for it.

They will enter this season on a two-game losing streak - their longest such streak in Urban Meyer's tenure with the program. Even at 12-0 there were pundits that didn't want Ohio State in the national title game, so anything short of that surely won't be good enough to get Ohio State where they want to be.

Beyond those aforementioned dates with teams from Michigan, there aren't many tough spots for Ohio State, who avoid Wisconsin this year. Dates with Virginia Tech and Cincinnati come at home, and a road trip to Penn State might be the next toughest on their slate of games.