The football schedule for Ohio State is going to be very difficult next season. It is never too early to consider football schedules, and seven games next season are toss-ups, and Ohio State could lose two or three games in the 2026 regular season.
Ohio State faces tough road games and tricky home games in 2026. There is a very low likelihood that Ohio State will go through the regular season undefeated. After considering the schedule, how many games do you think the Buckeyes will lose next season?
Football Schedule For Ohio State In 2026
Here is the football schedule for Ohio State in 2026. All of the games are probably on Saturdays, even though some game days have not been announced.
Saturday, Sept. 5 Ball State
Saturday, Sept. 12 at Texas
Saturday, Sept. 19 Kent State
Saturday, Oct. 17, at Indiana
TBA TBA Illinois
TBA TBA Maryland
TBA TBA Northwestern
TBA TBA Oregon
TBA TBA at Iowa
TBA TBA at Nebraska
TBA TBA at USC
Saturday, Nov. 28 Michigan
Analysis Of the Football Schedule For Ohio State In 2026
The Buckeyes need to play at Texas, Indiana, and USC. These are all difficult games, and could be losses. Home field in college football is typically worth 4 points. The Iowa Hawkeyes always play the Buckeyes tough.
Ohio State faces difficult home games with Illinois, Oregon, and Michigan. Ohio State has almost all of its offense coming back. However, there are significant football holes for Ohio State to fill on defense. It remains to be seen if the high-powered defensive transfers will be stars.
Ohio State has reloaded at defensive tackle with James Smith from Alabama and John Walker from the University of Central Florida. The Buckeyes got a couple of good cornerbacks in former four stars Earl Little Jr. (from Florida State) and Dominick Kelly (from Georgia). However, three starters on the Ohio State defensive line left school early for the National Football League Draft, and several graduated.
Turning Point
Looking at the 2026 football schedule for Ohio State, the fourth game of the season, at Indiana, is likely to be the most important game on the schedule. This is a Big Ten Conference game, so whoever wins it will have the inside track on the championship.
Other schedule highlights for Ohio State in 2026 are the road game at Texas and USC, and the home game when Ohio State faces a very good Illinois team, as well as the rivalry game with Michigan. Football games are money makers, so schedules are set well in advance. One factor to watch is when the games get set. Fox wants Ohio State to play in its “Big Noon” games, but Ohio State wants primetime games.
Frequently Asked Questions
The football schedule for the Buckeyes in 2026 is reviewed in this article. People might be used to Ohio State winning all of its regular season games, but there is a real chance that Ohio State will not be favored to win many of its games in 2026.
If you think about big games that will capture the attention of the nation, Ohio State plays three of those games in 2026: at Texas and at Indiana, and hosting rival Michigan.
Parting Shots
As soon as the National Championship in college football is awarded, it is appropriate to look at the schedules for the next season. In the case of perennial contender Ohio State, the 2026 schedule is difficult.
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