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Ohio State football 2026 schedule finalized as Big Ten releases dates
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- Ohio State football 2026 schedule finalized as Big Ten releases dates
Ohio State will open its Big Ten schedule for next season against Illinois on Sept. 26.
It will be the first time since 2022 that the Buckeyes have had a home game to begin their conference schedule.
Following the conference opener, the Buckeyes head to Iowa on Oct. 3 in their first visit to Kinnick Stadium since 2017.
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While the opponents for 2026 have been set for several years, the dates for all nine conference games were finalized by the Big Ten on Jan. 27.
The midseason stretch is heavier on travel as the Buckeyes will be at home in October only once. After the trip to Iowa City, they host Maryland on Oct. 10, then visit defending national champion Indiana on Oct. 17 before an idle week leads into a game at USC on Oct. 31.
The Buckeyes finish with home games in three of their final four weeks, beginning against Oregon on Nov. 7 and ending against rival Michigan on Nov. 28.
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a touchdown against Miami on Dec. 31.
It portends to be one of the more difficult schedules for Ohio State in recent years. Six of its nine opponents in the Big Ten ended this past season ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll , including Indiana at No. 1 and Oregon at No. 4. The Hoosiers defeated the Ducks in the College Football Playoff semifinals earlier this month.
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The Buckeyes' nonconference schedule also includes a trip to Texas on Sept. 12 as part of a home-and-home series that began in Columbus last year.
Here's the full schedule:
2026 Ohio State football schedule
All times TBD
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Sept. 5: vs. Ball State
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Sept. 12: at Texas
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Sept. 19: vs. Kent State
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Sept. 26: vs. Illinois
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Oct. 3: at Iowa
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Oct. 10: vs. Maryland
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Oct. 17: at Indiana
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Oct. 24: OFF
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Oct. 31: at USC
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Nov. 7: vs. Oregon
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Nov. 14: vs. Northwestern
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Nov. 21: at Nebraska
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Nov. 28: vs. Michigan
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky , Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: See Ohio State football's 2026 schedule with Big Ten games, dates
