Schedule Analysis For Ohio State Football In 2025

Schedule creation in college football is a big deal. There are generally three kinds of football games for top teams like Ohio State. Teams try to schedule at least one marquee game before their conference season starts. These marquee games before the conference schedule begins are coupled with two cupcakes. In these games, the highly ranked teams pay the lower-ranked teams to play them. This can be a major source of revenue for the lower-ranked teams.

After this, the conference schedule begins. These are games a team, like Ohio State, must play. There are challenges for the Buckeyes in all three sections of their schedule. How many games do you think Ohio State will win?

Schedule Game 1: Ohio State vs. Texas

These two teams played seven months ago in the College Football Playoff.  The Longhorns defeated the Buckeyes in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. The teams also split a home-and-home series in 2005 and 2006 (which this is), with Texas winning in Columbus and Ohio State winning in Austin. Ohio State is a three-point favorite over Texas.

It is the first time since 1978 that the No. 1 team in the AP poll, which Texas is, opens its season as an underdog. Expect a close game, with both teams being great. The Buckeyes will win by less than a touchdown at home. However, the results of this game may not matter, with both teams making the College Football Playoff.

Grambling and Ohio Games

Ohio State hosts Grambling and Ohio on September 6 and September 13, respectively. These are instances of a lower-ranked team playing at a highly ranked team and the higher-ranked team paying the cupcakes. Ohio State should win both of these games by at least 40 points. Ohio will provide more of a challenge than Grambling.

Washington September 27

This cross-country trip is troublesome because of the 2,420-mile trip to Washington. The Buckeyes will have to travel back to Columbus. Washington will be a better team than Grambling and Ohio, but not much better. Only five of the 15 players who played 200+ snaps last season return. Former Purdue coach Ryan Walters replaces Stephen Belichick, who left to coach for his dad, Bill, at North Carolina, as defensive coordinator. Head Coach Jedd Fisch aimed to add known disruptors in the transfer portal and found many. Though the fate of this team will be decided by shaky quarterback Demond Williams Jr.

@Minnesota October 6

Minnesota Head Coach PJ Fleck thinks Minnesota can make the College Football Playoff. Why not? Row the boat. Minnesota does have some good players returning and has profited from the transfer portal. Fleck will lean on 6-foot-5, 230-pound redshirt freshman Quarterback Drake Lindsey and some explosive transfers: running back A.J. Turner (Marshall) and Wide Receivers Javon Tracy (Miami-Ohio) and Logan Loya (UCLA).

On defense, Fleck returns sensational sophomore Koi Perich and landed another blue-chip transfer in Malachi Coleman (Nebraska). That said, Minnesota has no chance in Ohio Stadium. Expect the Buckeyes to win by 20 points.

@Illinois October 11

Illinois was good last season and will be good this season. Outside Linebacker Gabe Jacas returns to lead the defense. He was a third-team All-Big Ten honoree and led the Illini with 15.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks in 2024. On offense, Quarterback Luke Altmyer returns to lead the Illinois offense after completing 60.8% of his passes for 2,717 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions last season.

By the end of September, Illinois will have had road games at Duke and Indiana and hosted USC. If the Illini win all three, there is a good chance Head Coach Bret Bielema’s squad battles Ohio State for the Illibuck as one of the top-ranked teams in college football.

Penn State, November 1

Top-ranked Penn State travels to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes as the calendar turns to November. The Nittany Lions have a lot of talent on their roster, highlighted by Drew Allar at quarterback, who came back to win a National Championship. Penn State could be undefeated at this point. Expect this to be the biggest game of the season up to that point. Also, expect Penn State Head Coach, “Big Game” James Franklin, to be under scrutiny for this game. Since the game is at Ohio Stadium, Ohio State should win narrowly.

@Purdue, November 8

After the high of taking on one of the top teams in the country, Ohio State will travel to take on the worst team in the conference. This game will be a homecoming for Ohio State Tight End Max Klare, who transferred from Purdue to Ohio State. Ohio State could win this game by 50. A blowout is more likely if Ohio State loses to Penn State.

UCLA, November 15

This game will mark a return of Nico Iamaleava to Ohio Stadium. He quarterbacked Tennessee last season and was at the helm for the Volunteers for their playoff destruction at the hands of the Buckeyes. The ground game will be good for the Bruins if their offensive line gels. However, there is no way they win in Columbus. In this game, they will run the ball, control the clock, and lose by at least 17 points.

Rutgers, November 22

The Buckeyes then host the Scarlet Knights the next weekend. Rutgers will be improved, but it should not pose a challenge for the Buckeyes at home. Ohio State should win this conference game by 30 points.

Michigan, November 29

The game will kick off at noon in the Big House in Ann Arbor. Michigan was lightly punished by the NCAA for its sign-stealing transgressions. As the No. 14 team in the preseason poll, there is plenty of talent on the Wolverines’ roster. The fact that this is the last game gives freshman Quarterback Blake Underwood a chance to mature. Ryan Day, the Ohio State head coach, fails to beat his rival for the fifth year running. The past will repeat itself. The Buckeyes will lose this game and may fail to win the conference championship as a result.

Conclusion

After running this gauntlet of a schedule, Ohio State will most likely back into the College Football Playoff after winning all the other games on its schedule. The Buckeyes host Texas and Penn State, so they should prevail in those difficult games. Doing so will set up a massive showdown with the rival Wolverines.