Boy has it been an interesting postseason and offseason for the Ohio State football program. First, there were some major transfer portal defections, followed by an uninspiring loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. Buckeye Nation was up in arms, especially after a third-straight loss to Michigan, but then things got really interesting with some significant momentum.
A large majority of the highly rated junior class made decisions to return, there were some key additions from the transfer portal, and some big commitments to the 2025 recruiting class.
It has has led to hope and excitement from many that Ohio State should contend for some pretty special things in 2024. However, it won’t be easy with the schedule the Buckeyes have — especially with the addition of the four former Pac-12 teams, Oregon, Washington, USC, and Washington.
Here’s an early look at the 2024 Ohio State football schedule and what to expect as a new dawn of college football begins.
Saturday, Aug.31, vs. Akron Zips
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 8-1
Setting the way-too-early stage
This one shouldn’t be much of a contest with a veteran and talented team coming back for Ohio State against an in-state MAC opponent. It’ll be the first real look at transfer quarterback Will Howard which will keep a lot of eyeballs on the action despite the potential of a lopsided score.
Saturday, Sept.7, vs. Western Michigan Broncos
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 1-0
Setting the way-too-early stage
It’s back-to-back home games against MAC opponents and this one too should be little more than a tuneup to get the Scarlet and Gray house in order and a little mojo before going through the rest of the season.
Saturday, Sept. 21, vs. Marshall Thundering Herd
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 1-0
Setting the way-too-early stage
Ohio State’s pretty stale and unassuming nonconference schedule continues with another home game against Sun Belt conference foe, Marshall. It should be put a mere speed bump in preparation for Big Ten play the following week.
Saturday, Sept. 28, at Michigan State
Location
Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, Michigan)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 37-15
Setting the way-too-early stage
The Buckeyes hit the road for the first time and its against a conference foe. The competition will get harder from here on out, but Michigan State doesn’t figure to be a contest on the road the Buckeyes will have a hard time dealing with because of all of the off-the-field issues that have led to problems on Saturdays in East Lansing.
Saturday, Oct. 5, vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 47-15-3
Setting the way-too-early stage
It’s really hard to know what we’re going to get from an Iowa team from year-to-year, but you can probably expect a really good defense and challenged offense once again. This should be a physical game, and one that could be an issue if Buckeyes let the Hawkeyes hang around.
Saturday, Oct. 12, at Oregon Ducks
Location
Autzen Stadium (Eugene, Oregon)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 9-1
Setting the way-too-early stage
Now, we’re talking. The Buckeyes will travel to Oregon to play in one of the loudest venues in the country and it’ll be a tough, tough test. Both teams figure to have something to say about the Big Ten and national race, and it could be one of the defining games of Ohio State’s season. It won’t be easy.
Saturday, Oct. 26, vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 9-1
Setting the way-too-early stage
Nebraska could very well take a step forward in the second year of new head coach Matt Rhule, but the program shouldn’t be at a level to knock off what should be one whale of an Ohio State team in Columbus so early on in the process. Without a ton of mistakes it’s hard to see how the Buckeyes drop this one.
Saturday, Nov. 2, at Penn State Nittany Lions
Location
Beaver Stadium (State College, Pennsylvania)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 24-14
Setting the way-too-early stage
It’ll be another tough road test going to Happy Valley to play against one of the most talented teams in the Big Ten. If Penn State quarterback Drew Allar can make that leap in year two, this is another one that will test the Buckeyes significantly, and could be a huge result that goes a long way in determining who gets to Indy for the Big Ten championship game.
Saturday, Nov. 9, vs. Purdue Boilermakers
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 41-15-2
Setting the way-too-early stage
This should be a bit of a break after a fairly difficult stretch of games. The game is at home and Purdue is still trying to figure out what it’s going to be under new head coach Ryan Walters. It would be a major shocker for Purdue to make a game of it on the banks of the Olentangy.
Saturday, Nov. 16, at Northwestern Wildcats
Location
Ryan Field (Evanston, Illinois)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 65-14-1
Setting the way-too-early stage
Northwestern surprised a lot of people by heading to a bowl game under some pretty difficult circumstances surrounding the loss of head coach Pat Fitzgerald before the season unexpectedly. David Braun steadied the ship and now is tasked with trying to rinse and repeat. The talent level between the two teams should give Ohio State a significant edge, but what will the weather look like in Chicagoland this late in the season?
Saturday, Nov. 23, vs. Indiana
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Ohio State leads the series 65-14-1
Setting the way-too-early stage
Indiana will be ushering in a new head coach and things weren’t very rosy before then. The game is in Columbus so if it’s even a game, it would be a major surprise. Ohio State should roll in this one barring a series of unfortunate events.
Saturday, Nov. 30, vs. Michigan Wolverines
Location
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Series Record
Michigan leads the series 51-61-6
Setting the way-too-early stage
You know it, I know it, Ryan Day knows it. Heck, the slew of juniors that shunned the NFL to come back for unfinished business know it. This is the game that Ohio State simply has to have this year to tilt the rivalry back the other way. It’s in Columbus and the Wolverines have to replace a lot of talent. Still, it’ll be a Donnybrook with potentially major implications at play again.
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