After an undefeated common season file in 2025, Ohio State might be going into 2026 with probably one of its hardest schedules in this system’s historical past. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes will face video games at Texas, USC, Iowa, Indiana after which residence video games towards Oregon and Michigan. All of these groups completed the 2025 season throughout the Prime 25, and nearly all of them not solely introduced again most of their 2025 roster but in addition had quantity of transfers are available. With all this thought of, will 2026 be the hardest schedule in Buckeyes historical past?
Ohio State’s first problem will are available Week 2 towards the Texas Longhorns in Austin. Final season, Ohio State opened the faculty soccer season towards Texas and gained an in depth recreation that completed 14-7. Nonetheless, with having to substitute a number of gamers leaving for both the NFL Draft or the switch portal, the Buckeyes may find yourself battling such an opponent so early within the season.
Their Massive Ten schedule isn’t the place the issues finish both. Their Massive Ten highway opponents include Iowa, Indiana, USC and Nebraska. Whereas their residence schedule has them playing Oregon, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland and Northwestern. 9 of the 12 groups they’re enjoying this yr made a bowl recreation or the playoffs in 2025. Seven of these groups had nine-plus wins final yr. And their Massive Ten opponents went 51-30 in convention play. According to CBS and different early rankings, Ohio State faces as many as 4 potential top-10 groups in 2026 and should have the one hardest schedule within the Massive Ten and within the nation.
This schedule is tough, however is it the hardest in historical past?
Properly, there have undoubtedly been different years when the Buckeyes had onerous schedules. Previous BCS and playoff runs underneath Jim Tressel and City Meyer needed to undergo Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin after which prime nonconvention video games like Texas or USC. However what makes 2026 completely different is the quantity of highway video games towards prime groups (Texas, USC, Indiana) after which additionally having to play Oregon and Michigan at residence. In previous years, Ohio State acquired examined by perhaps two or three actually elite groups, however in 2026, they may need to play 5 or extra video games towards groups ranked in at the least the highest 15.
This 2026 slate is at the least within the dialog as one of many hardest schedules Ohio State has ever performed. But when the Buckeyes survive it with one or two losses, they’ll have one of many strongest resumes within the nation.
