This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed.
AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 1h ago
Ohio State football's 2026 schedule is a 'monster.' Why the Buckeyes welcome it
CHICAGO − If Ohio State’s football schedule is overly daunting this year, quarterback Julian Sayin doesn’t mind.
“You come to Ohio State to play in those big games,” Sayin said. “You want to play against Texas. You want to play against Oregon. You want to play against USC. They're all big-time matchups.”
The Buckeyes could see as many as six preseason top-25 opponents during the regular season, including defending national champion Indiana, presenting a challenging path to return to the College Football Playoff.
The potential gantlet drew plenty of discussion throughout their turn at Big Ten media days in Chicago.
Coach Ryan Day described the slate as a “monster” when he took the stage.
“We got bangers every week,” wide receiver Jeremiah Smith said.
It projects as a more difficult regular season than a year ago when Ohio State met only two ranked opponents amid a breezy 12-0 start .
But there’s a silver lining for the Buckeyes. Beyond the prospect of playing in more appealing games this fall, the schedule could leave them in a better position for the postseason.
“Our schedule last year just felt like it wasn't as tough,” Sayin said. “We're excited for the season.”
The postseason proved a jarring contrast to the regular season at the end of 2025. After rolling into December, the Buckeyes fell to unbeaten Indiana in the Big Ten championship game , then to Miami in a playoff quarterfinal , an abrupt end to their repeat national title bid.
“We weren’t battle-tested,” Smith said. “We played one team, and that was in late August.”
Smith referenced Texas, which visited Columbus to open the year . The Longhorns were the highest-ranked team the Buckeyes faced all the regular season. But even if they finished No. 13 in the US LBM Coaches Poll , it was far cry from their status as preseason No. 1. The three-loss team missed the playoff entirely.
“We are definitely going to be battle-tested this year,” Smith said. “It’s going to show a lot at the end of the season.”
The Buckeyes were hardly overwhelmed by the Hoosiers or Hurricanes. Their losses were by a combined margin of 13 points.
But the margins mattered. The Buckeyes came up empty on consecutive red-zone trips in the third and fourth quarters against Indiana. They saw a slow start against Miami that put them in a 14-0 hole at halftime.
“That's the tale of playing in a matchup game, in a championship game,” Day said.
Day has stressed the importance of improvement in key situations, especially drives that move inside opponents’ 20-yard line.
The Buckeyes had reached Miami’s 16-yard line two plays before Keionte Scott intercepted Sayin and returned the pick 72 yards for a touchdown to double their lead.
Smith pointed to a greater sense of urgency throughout the program, something he felt the Buckeyes lacked last year.
“One play could lose us the game,” Smith said, “so we are trying to prepare like our life is on the line. The biggest emphasis is to win the game in the fourth quarter. That’s something coach Day has been talking about a lot.”
It might not take long for the Buckeyes to become experienced in the fourth quarter. Their nonconference game at Texas in September is only a week after they open against Ball State.
Four of their six opponents who project to be ranked in the preseason polls will host the Buckeyes over the first two months, including Iowa on Oct. 3, Indiana on Oct. 17 and USC on Oct. 31. Their November games against Oregon and Michigan are at home.
The formidable road trips add to the prospect of playing in more games that go down to the wire in 2026.
“We're going to be in those games in the fourth quarter maybe more than we have been in previous years,” Day said, “but the positive is as long as you're winning those games, you're going to get more and comfortable winning games in the fourth quarter the way we should.”
The presence of coordinators with NFL experience should help in the situations. Day hired Arthur Smith, who was the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, and retained Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator.
Both have called offenses and defenses in a league that sees tighter games than in college.
“Our game plan’s got to be on point,” Day said. “We have to put guys in position to be successful.”
The upside of the more formidable schedule ultimately depends on how well they can manage the grind of the week-to-week demands.
“It’s helpful if we win the dang games, Day said. “It’s going to be great, but we got to win the games. Every game is going to be on the line, and that's how it goes, and it's going to be a challenge, but that's the way you want it.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football's 2026 schedule is a 'monster.' Why the Buckeyes welcome it
Ohio StateBuckeyesOhio State'sCollege Football PlayoffCHICAGOIf Ohio State’sJulian SayinSayinTexasOregonUSCThe Buckeyes
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.
