Alright, Buckeye fans, here it is: your guide to the watchability of all 12 Ohio State football games.
Despite a slide predicting by many national writers, head coach in Ryan Day has the stuff and talent to get this team to the College Football Playoff.
Whether it be dynamic quarterback Justin Fields or five-star receiver Garrett Wilson, Ohio State is laced with incredible players that make every game a must-watch, many of which weren’t around last season.
That said, let’s dive into OSU’s twleve games, ranking them each by their watchability.
Next … The bottom four
12. Miami OH — 9/21 @ Ohio Stadium
It’s the Buckeyes first of two inner-state opponents on our rankings yet second on the actual calendar. That said, the Redhawks were 6-6 last season and didn’t have any notable commitments to become much better.
This could and should be over in the first quarter.
11. Florida Atlantic — 8/31 @ Ohio Stadium
Okay, at least there’s Lane Kiffin to watch. Who knows what he’ll do in the ‘Shoe. Yes, this will be Ryan Day’s first game as a head coach, but nothing about this game should test Ohio State. Maybe there’s some first game kinks, but it could be over early.
10. Rutgers — 11/16 @ High Point Solutions Stadium
Per Wolverines Wire recent power rankings, Rutgers is the Big Ten’s worst team.
“Losing many starters on defense will hurt though, but the secondary could be the bright spot. There’s no way this team repeats as a 1-11 team, expect improvement, but nothing drastic just yet.”
This seems like a game that — like the two above — could be over quickly. Adding in that it’s away makes it even easier to skip.
9. Maryland — 11/9 @ Ohio Stadium
Ohio State fans will already have their eyes on Penn State and Michigan as Maryland waltzes into town in early November.
Maryland does have the eleventh best Big Ten recruiting class coming in which will feature one of the state’s top-five players in four-star receiver Isaiah Hazel. However, at large, there won’t be anything to worry about here.
Next … Eight through five
8. Indiana — 9/14 @ The Rock
Kicking off Big Ten play, the team will travel to Bloomington to face Indiana in mid-September. The Hoosiers did give OSU a brief scare last season.
IU was up 17-14 at the midpoint of the second quarter. Although OSU eventually won by 23 points, it was a nail-biter for much of the game. That said, expect a similar score this season without the hot start from IU.
7. Northwestern — 10/15 @ Ryan Field
I’m not kidding when I say this has all the feeling of an upset waiting to happen.
At the time the two played last season, Northwestern was No. 21. OSU won that battle by 21 points. However, with most of its team returning, Northwestern seems to be at least a capable threat.
Away against a top-eight Big Ten team in the middle of September has been breeding ground for Ohio State’s one season-ending loss. While not a must-watch, this game could be a season-changing road trip for OSU.
6. Wisconsin — 10/26 @ Ohio Stadium
While Ohio State may have won the last two matchups, many Buckeye faithful remember the season-ruining 2010 loss. The rivalry hasn’t and won’t continue to mount, but this is certainly a game that shouldn’t go unwatched.
That same Wolverines Wire ranking has Wisconsin as the Big Ten’s fourth-best team to start the season.
Jonathan Taylor is coming off a sophomore season with over 2,200 all-purpose yards and will be one of the best backs in the country again. If he goes off, this game will be much more of a competition than many hope for.
5. Cincinnati — 9/7 @ Ohio Stadium
Who doesn’t love an inner-state rivalry? FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew have one, so why can’t to two colleges be at odds as well? That said, fully expect Ohio State to dominate this game.
Former assistant Luke Fickell is now captaining Cincinnati and may have compiled the best team in UC’s recent history. The Bearcats lost just two games last season, one of which was a 25-point blowout at the hands of UCF.
Cincinnati is arguably better this season, as many of the team’s core is returning. However, this game could be closer than many think and will be highly anticipated given the geography of the two schools.
Next … The top four
4. Penn State — 11/23 @ Ohio Stadium
One of the better teams in the Big Ten, Penn State is bringing in the conference’s second-best recruiting class. That should make them a threat to OSU’s perfect season.
Penn State must get efficient production from Sean Clifford, who appears to be the replacement for the gutty Trace McSorley.
With two minutes left in the game last year, Ohio State’s K.J. Hill caught the winning touchdown. The game was only close because of McSorley. He totaled 175 yards on the ground and 286 in the air along with two passing touchdowns.
There is still plenty of talent in Happy Valley, but for this game to be close, Penn State will need a similar type of performance from Clifford.
3. Nebraska — 9/28 @ Memorial Stadium
Is this it? Will this be that random September road loss to a Big Ten team that’ll keep OSU out of the playoffs? Well, don’t tell that to Nebraska, who is projected to be one of the best Big Ten teams this upcoming season.
While away, the hype surrounding the Cornhuskers for the first in seemingly a decade will make this a must-watch game. Winning the last four, OSU hasn’t lost to Nebraska since that wacky year in purgatory in-between Tressel and Meyer.
2. Michigan State — 10/5 @ Ohio Stadium
In 2017, Ohio State beat Michigan State by 45 points. According to MSU’s team roster, the Spartans will have over 40 players of junior or senior status. It didn’t seem to matter much last year, but with so many Ohio kids on the roster in East Lansing, the Spartans seem to always be ready when the Scarlet and Gray walk out of the tunnel.
With a chance to ruin what should be a perfect season at that point, MSU will be ready once again. Also, this will be one of Ohio State’s few home night games, so the nice September night will be primed for college football.
1. Michigan — 11/30 @ Michigan Stadium
It’s what we’ll be waiting all season for. Two of the top-five preseason teams in the nation will matchup for what should be one of the best games of the entire season.
Undoubtedly one of the best rivalries in college football, much can happen prior to that late-November game. Regardless of the two teams respective ranking or the fact that both will have many new faces in command, the passion will still be there.
Sadly, it’ll be in Ann Arbor. For Ohio State, that won’t matter though as they’ve won six of the last seven in Michigan. Will this year be different? Mr. Khakis has to break through at some point right?
