Ohio State kicks off the 2026 season in less than 70 days!
Game 1 vs. Ball State
As any out-of-conference games against MAC opponents should be for Ohio State, this game should be a layup. Ball State is fresh off a 4-8 season and is playing at Ohio State. The Buckeyes should demolish the Cardinals. The most important question in this game will be how ready Ohio State looks for their trip to Texas the following week. Record: 1-0.
Game 2 at Texas
20 years ago, with a quarterback wearing #10 and throwing to generational wide receivers, Ohio State went to Austin and messed with Texas. Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Iniss, and Chris Henry Jr. get it done again. In '06, the Buckeyes current linebackers coach, James Laurinaitis, had a huge game, announcing his presence early in a legendary Ohio State career. I expect players like Riley Pettijohn and Cincere Johnson to step into that role in bottling up the dangerous Arch Manning and the Texas offense. Record: 2-0.
Game 3 vs. Kent State
No disrespect to the Golden Flashes. They have been working hard as a program to improve over the last couple of years and are not to be taken lightly in the MAC. That said, Ohio State should crush them pretty easily. Bucks get their third win as conference play ends. Record: 3-0.
Game 4 vs. Illinois
Ohio State opens Big Ten play at home against Brett Bielema's Illini. Illinois is coming off back-to-back 9+ win seasons with bowl game victories over the SEC. So, they can not be taken lightly. Illinois and Bielema's biggest wins were upsets of Ohio State. Bielema's career win was an upset of Ohio State, being the one in the 2010, 12-1 season, and Illinois upset #1 OSU in 2007. Despite the history Bielema and Illinois have, Ohio State should have a win as decisive as they did last year. Ohio State is just too deep across the board. Record: 4-0.
Game 5 at Iowa
This is the trap game on Ohio State's schedule. Weird mojo can hit teams in Iowa City. Just ask the 2004 and 2017 Buckeyes. Iowa will always play great defense, and have elite special teams (an area of much struggle in the Ryan Day Era) and the most bland offense of all time. As long as Ohio State plays doesn't let any success Iowa has turn into a chain reaction, they should avoid an Iowa City upset. Record: 5-0.
Game 6 vs. Maryland
The Bucks are 9-0 against Maryland since the Terps joined the Big Ten in 2014. While Marland is always a threat to make a bowl every year, and has played the Bucks closely like in 2018, they shouldn't be a threat to Ohio State. Especially this season in Columbus. Record: 6-0.
Game 7 at Indiana
The Hoosiers aren't going to rebuild this season; they're going to do like all the other elite college football teams whose ranks they've joined. They're going to reload. Curt Cignetti went out and got another potential rockstar quarterback in the transfer portal, this time in TCU's Josh Hoover. Hoover was better at TCU the last few years than Heisman winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza was at Cal. Like Ohio State was in the regular season of 2025, Indiana is the current king. They'll edge out Ohio State again in the state of Indiana. Record: 6-1.
Game 8 at USC
Back-to-back tough road games will test the Buckeyes. But Ohio State should pass. Lincoln Riley and Ryan Day last met early in their careers in 2017. Early on, it looked like Riley was poised for a bigger career, but Day's national title lands him above Riley and his three Heisman trophies. USC will have a potent offense as usual, but their also usual struggling defense should have Day, Sayin, and Smith feasting and coming away with a win. Record: 7-1.
Game 9 vs. Oregon
Dante Moore vs. Julian Sayin should be a great quarterback matchup. Both had great years in 2025 and will be looking to make them legendary by the time this November matchup comes around. Returning home after a tough couple of road trips should boost the Buckeyes, as should the running game behind Jackson and Ohio State's great interior offensive line. Record: 8-1.
Game 10 vs. Northwestern
Like Iowa, this is a game against a sneaky good opponent. David Braun is a good coach. But like plenty of good teams the Buckeyes will play this season, the elite Ohio State team should overpower them, too. Record: 9-1.
Game 11 at Nebraska
Nebraska is an interesting team in an interesting spot on the Buckeye schedule. This is likely Matt Rhule's deciding year in Lincoln. So he will either have a winning team hosting a Buckeye team that would be his best potential, or Nebraska will be wounded from a pending coaching change. Either way, it makes them dangerous. Ohio State will have to fight the ever-present game before The Game, too, which is always a battle. Only five times this century has Ohio State lost the game before The Game. 2026 won't be the sixth. Record: 10-1.
Game 12 vs. TTUN
Ryan Day hasn't beaten that team up north at home yet. In 2020, cheating Jim used the COVID pandemic to duck the Buckeyes. In 2022, he used the greatest cheating operation in football history. In 2024, Ryan Day had one of the worst coaching games in Ohio State history before having one of the best four-game runs in Buckeye history (rivaled only by 2014).
The reason 2014 and 2024 are equal is that 2014 began theirs with a win in The Game. After 27-9 in 2025, Ryan Day gets another Wolverine off his back in 2026 by doing what worked last year in Ann Arbor. The Bucks won that game because they played their game instead of trying to mirror their opponent. They do the same in 2026. Sayin and Smith in the passing game, and another big game from Bo Jackson will lead an offensive onslaught like 20 years ago in 2006. Ohio State beats that team up north. Record 11-1.
Game 13 Big Ten Championship Game
The Buckeyes will get Indiana off their backs in December. In a rematch from the Big Ten Championship in 2025, Ohio State will get the win behind their Cerberus on offense of Sayin, Smith, and Jackson. Ohio State will get another first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, but this time as a conference champion and a potential #1 seed. Record: 12-1.
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