The Ohio State football team's October slate will make or break Ryan Day's year eight. Even after a national championship a year and a half ago, Day needs the Buckeyes to move forward from last year's winless CFP run. An undefeated regular season loses value when the Big Ten isn't won, and the program exits stage left at its first CFP chance.
Not many are predicting an undefeated regular season in Columbus this year against the most daunting schedule in college football. The most difficult stretch of that schedule, at least according to Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde, is Iowa at Kinnick Stadium, Maryland at the "Shoe," Iowa in Bloomington, and USC in LA on Halloween night. Forde recognized OSU's schedule as the overall most difficult.
"If the Buckeyes were underprepared for the College Football Playoff last year after facing fairly light regular-season competition, they might be overprepared this year," Forde wrote.
Iowa is a tough place to win, as Ryan Day knows
Even though there are players from the 2019 high school class still playing college football, 2017 is too ancient a piece of history to relate to the modern game. That was Day's first season on Urban Meyer's coaching staff, and the last time the Buckeyes played in Iowa City.
Day wasn't calling plays, but the offensive staff he was a part of put up 24 points on the Hawkeyes. Ohio State's defense gave up 55, though. That loss kept the Buckeyes out of the CFP field despite a Big Ten title, allowing two SEC teams, plus the ACC and Big 12 champions, to make it instead.
History doesn't matter, but Day likely doesn't forget his first time at Kinnick.
Maryland is a major trap game on Ohio State's schedule
The Terps are not expected to be much of a threat under Mike Locksley, but Maryland cannot be overlooked on the 10. It'll be easy to overlook the Terps when the Hoosiers loom the following week in a Big Ten Championship Game rematch.
Discipline will be needed when Maryland comes to town. This is a game that the Buckeyes should win with ease, but crazier things have happened. Quarterback Malik Washington could be a major wild card if he takes a second-year leap.
Indiana and USC are 2/3rds of toughest stretch any team faces all year
October is Ohio State's toughest month, but the absolute, most grueling stretch starts against the defending champs, continues through the bye week against the Trojans, and concludes with a home matchup against Oregon on November 7.
The Ducks are expected to be among the Big Ten's top teams, right along with the Hoosiers and Buckeyes. There might not be a more complete team on Ohio State's schedule, since Texas is a bit banged up at left tackle with Trevor Goosby's bone bruise. Goosby might be back, but he likely won't be close to 100% in Austin when the Buckeyes invade DKR Stadium in Week 2. Oregon has scary depth and has been knocking on the door of its first championship for years.
OSU's schedule is a buzzsaw. October is when the toughest tests will come, and it bleeds into November.
Buckle up, Buckeye fans.
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