Ohio State has usually played a rude host to the Big Ten additions that have come to the league after the Buckeyes joined in 1913. Tonight's 56-14 win over Nebraska improved the Buckeyes to 16-4 in the first four conference games it played against the teams that came into the league after it.
| Year | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Michigan State | L, 13-28 |
| 1959 | Michigan State | W, 30-24 |
| 1960 | @ Michigan State | W, 21-10 |
| 1965 | @ Michigan State | L, 7-32 |
| 1993 | Penn State | W, 24-6 |
| 1994 | @ Penn State | L, 14-63 |
| 1995 | @ Penn State | W, 28-25 |
| 1996 | Penn State | W, 38-7 |
| 2011 | @ Nebraska | L, 27-34 |
| 2012 | Nebraska | W, 63-38 |
| 2014 | @ Maryland | W, 52-24 |
| 2014 | Rutgers | W, 56-17 |
| 2015 | Maryland | W, 49-28 |
| 2015 | @ Rutgers | W, 49-7 |
| 2016 | Rutgers | W, 58-0 |
| 2016 | Nebraska | W, 62-3 |
| 2016 | @ Maryland | W, 62-3 |
| 2017 | @ Rutgers | W, 56-0 |
| 2017 | Maryland | W, 62-14 |
| 2017 | @ Nebraska | W, 56-14 |
Our sample here is Michigan State (1953), Penn State (1993), Nebraska (2011), Maryland and Rutgers (2014). The Buckeyes have done well to assert its status one of the marquee programs in the league in its first four encounters with each of these teams you see in the table to your right.
This sample of games does start with a loss. Michigan State ran through the league in its first year, dropping just a road game at Purdue en route to a conference championship and Rose Bowl win. That schedule did include a convincing 28-13 win at Ohio Stadium.
All told, Ohio State and Michigan State split their first four games when the Spartans joined the Big Ten. These first four games are conspicuous for being spread out over a 12-year period.
The next addition to the Big Ten came in 1993 when Penn State began Big Ten play. Penn State's first conference game was actually a trip to Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes scored a convincing 24-6 win to welcome the Nittany Lions to the conference.
Penn State fans instead choose to remember the next game in Happy Valley, a 63-14 Penn State rout and arguably one of the worst losses of the John Cooper era.
The Buckeyes won the next two games, including the 1995 return to Happy Valley. The 1996 win over Penn State might serve as John Cooper's most convincing demolition of an objectively great team.
The 2011 game against Nebraska came with much fanfare even as Ohio State was in a transition year with Jim Tressel's sudden resignation. Nebraska will more fondly remember what amounted to the biggest comeback win in program history.
Every other game to follow, including the Maryland and Rutgers series starting in 2014, have all been convincing wins by at least three touchdowns. Tonight's 56-14 win punctuates Ohio State's status as rude host to the new arrivals to the Big Ten that came after it.
