Ohio State football, the undisputed class of the Big Ten, is staring down a 2026 schedule so brutal it could rewrite their recent history. This team has stacked up double-digit wins in 21 seasons since 2000, not even counting that shortened COVID year, and they've hit 12 or more wins in ten seasons since 2010. But get ready, because this season is different, and everyone should be watching.
Six Top-25 Opponents and a Road Gauntlet
This upcoming season, the Buckeyes are facing a gauntlet unlike anything we've seen in recent memory. They've got six opponents on their schedule ranked inside the ESPN FPI top-25. We're talking absolute beasts here: Texas, Oregon, and Indiana are all chilling in the top six. Then you throw in Michigan, Iowa, and USC, and suddenly every single point of their season looks like a heavyweight fight. Bill Bender from The Sporting News didn't pull any punches, saying, "I haven't seen a schedule this difficult." He even hinted that if Ohio State ended up 9-3 with that kind of schedule, they'd still have a "very legitimate argument to get into the playoff." Think about that: three losses. Ohio State hasn't had three losses in a season since 2011. They've also only had more than one loss in conference play *twice* since 2004. This schedule is a complete nightmare scenario, and it starts early.Brutal Road Tests Stack Up Immediately
If you thought the overall opponent list was tough, wait until you see where they have to play. Right off the bat, they hit the road for Texas in Week 2. Then, just two and three weeks later, they're back on the road at Iowa, with Illinois sandwiched in between. That's a brutal start, testing them right away and away from home. But wait, it gets even crazier. Games 7, 8, and 9 could be the most difficult three-game stretch any team in the country faces. We're talking at Indiana, then at USC, and finally, a home showdown against Oregon. That's four of their five road matchups against those top-25 FPI monsters. The ESPN FPI numbers don't lie: their chance to go undefeated is a meager 9.2%.High Expectations Face a 'Perfect Storm'
Despite this absolute monster of a schedule, the expectations for Ohio State remain sky-high. Making it to the Big Ten Title game, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff, and even making a run for the national championship are still the goals. It helps that they're bringing back almost every key playmaker from last year's offense, and they're rolling into year two with Matt Patricia running one of the nation's most dominant defenses. But those FPI chances are still staring them down: 38.8% to win the Big Ten, 75.5% to make the CFP, 28.2% to make the national championship, and just 17.1% to win it all. Bender called it a "perfect storm" on their schedule this year, and you know what? He's absolutely right. This isn't just a tough schedule, it's a monumental challenge that will define their season.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.