2026 Ohio State Football Schedule

ByShaikat Kumar

The Ohio State Buckeyes begin their 2026 football season at home against Ball State on September 5. The schedule quickly gets tougher, with a road game at No. 5 Texas in Week 2 and later matchups against No. 6 Indiana, No. 14 USC, No. 2 Oregon, and No. 16 Michigan.

Ohio State has a bye on October 24 before beginning the final stretch of the regular season. The Buckeyes close the regular season against Michigan on November 28 in The Game. If Ohio State reaches the conference championship, the Big Ten Championship Game is scheduled for December 5 in Indianapolis.

2026 Ohio State Football Schedule

DateOpponentLocationTime (ET)TV
Sat., Sep. 5Ball StateOhio Stadium, Columbus, OH12:30 p.m.BTN
Sat., Sep. 12at No. 5 TexasDKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX7:30 p.m.ABC
Sat., Sep. 19Kent StateOhio Stadium, Columbus, OH12:00 p.m.FOX
Sat., Sep. 26IllinoisOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHTBDTV TBD
Sat., Oct. 3at No. 22 IowaKinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBDTV TBD
Sat., Oct. 10MarylandOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHTBDTV TBD
Sat., Oct. 17at No. 6 IndianaMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INTBDTV TBD
Sat., Oct. 24BYE———
Sat., Oct. 31at No. 14 USCLA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CATBDTV TBD
Sat., Nov. 7No. 2 OregonOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHTBDTV TBD
Sat., Nov. 14NorthwesternOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHTBDTV TBD
Sat., Nov. 21at NebraskaMemorial Stadium, Lincoln, NETBDTV TBD
Sat., Nov. 28No. 16 MichiganOhio Stadium, Columbus, OH12:00 p.m.FOX
Sat., Dec. 5Big Ten ChampionshipLucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN8:00 p.m.FOX

Ohio State’s 2026 schedule features several highly ranked opponents and important Big Ten games. The Texas, Indiana, USC, Oregon and Michigan matchups could be especially important as the Buckeyes compete for the Big Ten title and a place in the College Football Playoff.