Ohio State football faces a relentless 2026 schedule

Ohio State’s 2026 football schedule has officially been released, and to say it’s a doozy might actually undersell it. Last season, analysts and college football fans criticized Ohio State’s slate as relatively easy, arguing the Buckeyes hadn’t faced real competition. In reality, the problem wasn’t the schedule itself but the fact that several opponents simply had down years.

Entering the 2025 season, Texas, Penn State, and Michigan were all viewed as top-tier teams nationally. As the year played out, each revealed major flaws, and the narrative quickly shifted to Ohio State benefiting from an “easy” schedule. In 2026, that argument will be nearly impossible to make, as the Buckeyes face an absolute gauntlet from start to finish.

Ohio State opens the season at home against Ball State in Week 1 before traveling to Austin for a rematch with Texas. The Longhorns return quarterback Arch Manning and have been aggressive and effective in both the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail this offseason. From there, it’s Kent State and Illinois at home before a trip to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes, which is never an easy task for anyone.

The schedule then ramps up even further. Ohio State faces a pesky Maryland team before hitting what may be the most brutal stretch of games any team will play in 2026: at Indiana, the reigning national champions; at a hungry USC squad; and then a matchup with a seasoned Oregon team seeking revenge for last year’s Rose Bowl loss to the Buckeyes. That late October and early November run will test Ryan Day and his program in every possible way.

The Buckeyes close out the regular season with Northwestern, a road game in Lincoln against Nebraska, and then Michigan at home in the Shoe. There’s simply no world where this can be labeled an easy schedule. In fact, it has a real chance to be one of the toughest slates in all of college football.

With that context, Ohio State’s decision to hire Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator makes even more sense. Facing arguably the most demanding schedule of the Ryan Day era, bringing in a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator with proven experience at the highest level is a logical move. In some of those hostile road environments, having a playcaller who has already seen football on the biggest stages should matter. Ryan Day has clearly prioritized proven football minds over theoretical upside over the past two offseasons, and if Matt Patricia is any indication, that approach has worked. There’s no reason not to extend at least some belief to Arthur Smith.

This is a defining year for Ohio State. While the Buckeyes may not finish the regular season undefeated as they did in 2025, this schedule presents an opportunity to cement their status as a true blue blood in the modern era of college football. If Ohio State can navigate this gauntlet, it will send a clear message that even in the NIL era, the Buckeyes aren’t just surviving. They’re still dominating.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football stares down a ruthless 2026 slate