Big Ten football 2024 strength of schedule: Where does Ohio State football rank?

The Ohio State football team has to deal with a bigger Big Ten this season. Four new teams enter in the conference. USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington are now Big Ten members. The Buckeyes are still hoping that they can be the best team in the conference this season.

The Big Ten isn't the only thing that is expanding. This is the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff. It's a 12-team playoff and the Buckeyes have no reason to not be in the Playoff. They might have the most talent of any team in the Big Ten as well.

We talked about how they don't have a marquee non-conference opponent. That might be a good thing for them. A weaker schedule might help them this year with some new coaches and another new quarterback. The meat of their schedule comes in the Big Ten.

So where does the Ohio State football team's schedule rank compared to the rest of the Big Ten? It's fairly easy. They have the 15th hardest schedule of the 18 teams in the Big Ten. Only IU, Nebraska, and Maryland have easier schedules than the Buckeyes.

After Ohio State, Illinois, Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan State, and Oregon have the next hardest schedules. So which Big Ten team has the hardest schedule in the Big Ten? That honor goes to new member USC. Their LA counterpart has the second-hardest schedule as well.

Ohio State's hardest games are at Oregon, at Penn State, and home against Michigan. Michigan has the third-hardest schedule in the Big Ten to go along with the roster losses they have on defense. Add in that their coaching staff got raided by Harbaugh when he left, they are going to be much worse this year.

Ohio State needs to take advantage of the easy schedule they play this year. They should be competing for a first-round bye in the CFP this year.