Ohio State’s 2018 schedule doesn’t include any unmanageable stretches that should put the Buckeyes at a disadvantage in their quest for conference and national championships.
That said, the upcoming season will certainly present the Buckeyes their fair share of challenges, especially considering that they are playing in what might be the strongest division and conference in college football.
Ohio State will be a heavy favorite going into some of its games, and the Buckeyes realistically could be favored going into all of them. But there are nonetheless plenty of games on the regular-season schedule that could put the Buckeyes to the test, and should be worth watching whether you root for or against Ohio State (or just like watching good college football).
In this installment of our Season Preview, we take a brief look at each of Ohio State’s 12 regular-season games and what to expect from each of them.
Game 1: Oregon State
Sept. 1, Ohio Stadium, Noon, ABC
Opening the season against a Power 5 opponent certainly makes for a more appealing matchup than opening the season against a mid-major opponent, but the result in this game probably won’t be much different.
Oregon State didn’t win a single game against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in 2017. The Beavers will look to turn things around this season under first-year head coach Jonathan Smith, but they don’t have the talent on either side of the ball to keep up with the Buckeyes. Ohio State is currently a 37-point favorite to win this game, per the oddsmaker Bovada, and should cruise to a season-opening victory in front of its home crowd.
Matchup to Watch: Oregon State TE Noah Togiai vs. Ohio State linebackers/safeties
While there aren’t many positions where Oregon State will match up well with Ohio State, one of the Beavers’ best players is tight end Noah Togiai, which will make for a good first test in pass coverage for the Buckeyes’ linebackers and safeties. Ohio State struggled to defend tight ends in the passing game last year – especially in its losses to Oklahoma and Iowa – and with potentially three new starting linebackers for the season opener and a new starter alongside Jordan Fuller at safety, those positions will be under the microscope in this game.
Game 2: Rutgers
Sept. 8, Ohio Stadium, 3:30 p.m., BTN
While Ohio State should face several tough games against its Big Ten East foes this season, its conference opener likely won’t be one of them.
In four games against the Buckeyes since joining the Big Ten in 2014, Rutgers has lost by at least 39 points every time, including back-to-back shutout losses the past two years. Former Ohio State assistant coach Chris Ash appears to have his program moving in the right direction, but there’s still a huge gap between the Scarlet Knights and the Buckeyes, which should lead to another lopsided win for the Scarlet and Gray.
Matchup to Watch: Ohio State wide receivers vs. Rutgers secondary
The strongest unit on the Scarlet Knights’ roster is their secondary, where cornerbacks Blessuan Austin and Isaiah Wharton and safeties Saquan Hampton and Kiy Hester are all returning starters. Damon Hayes, who started at cornerback last year after Austin went down with a season-ending injury, is also back but now playing safety; at cornerback, the Scarlet Knights also have Tre Avery, who signed with Ohio State out of high school while formerly known as Kareem Felder.
Altogether, that group should present the first real test of the season for Ohio State’s deep and experienced crop of wide receivers, who are looking to elevate their play to an elite level under new interim wide receivers coach Brian Hartline.
Game 3: TCU
Sept. 15, AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas), 8 p.m., ABC
Ohio State’s first real challenge of the season will come in its third game of the year at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, where it plays TCU – in what is technically considered to be a neutral-site game, but is really in the Horned Frogs’ backyard – in its marquee non-conference game of the season.
TCU had the Big 12’s best defense last season (with only 19 points allowed per game) and return several stars from that defense, including first-team All-Big 12 defensive end Ben Banogu. Offensively, the Horned Frogs are breaking in a new starting quarterback in Shawn Robinson, but he is a talented dual-threat who has plenty of weapons to work with, including speedster wide receiver Jalen Reagor, the 2017 Big 12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year.
Jalen Reagor and the TCU Horned Frogs will look to hand Ohio State its first loss of the season on Sept. 15. Kirby Lee – USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State has more overall talent than TCU, but the Buckeyes will need to play at their best to ensure they come back from Dallas with a win.
Matchup to Watch: TCU offensive line vs. Ohio State defensive line
The biggest area of concern for TCU entering the 2018 season is its offensive line, where the Horned Frogs only return two starters from last season. Ohio State’s defensive line, meanwhile, is expected to be one of the best in the country once again. This has the potential to be a big mismatch in the Buckeyes’ favor, and if so, it could be a long night for Robinson and the TCU offense.
Game 4: Tulane
Sept. 22, Ohio Stadium
Ohio State’s lone game against a non-Power 5 opponent this year will come against Tulane, marking the first-ever matchup between the two schools.
While it will be a historic game in that regard, though, it probably won’t be a very competitive game, as the Green Wave project to be overmatched by the far more talented Buckeyes. With this being Ohio State’s final non-conference game of the year, though, it could be one of the biggest opportunities for the Buckeyes’ backups and young players to see extended playing time, as the starters probably won’t be needed for more than a half.
Matchup to Watch: Ohio State QB Tate Martell vs. Tulane defense
While Tate Martell will probably see playing time against Oregon State and Rutgers, and could very well see some playing time in a situational package against TCU as well, this could be Martell’s biggest opportunity to see extended playing time in 2018 – much like Dwayne Haskins had last year against UNLV – barring an injury to Haskins. So in a game that probably won’t be close on the scoreboard, how Martell and other talented young players – such as offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, who might not have a lot of opportunities to play with the first-team units this year – perform will likely be the storyline of the day.
Game 5: Penn State
Sept. 29, Beaver Stadium (State College, Pa.)
Just as it was when the two teams met in Columbus last season, Ohio State’s matchup with Penn State will undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated games of this season. It’s a game that has decided the winner of the Big Ten East for each of the past two seasons, and it could have huge implications on the division championship, conference championship and playoff races once again.
Beaver Stadium has been a notoriously tough place for the Buckeyes to play, especially in recent years, as the Nittany Lions defeated Ohio State in 2016 and took the eventual national champions to double overtime in 2014. Penn State could be primed to take a step back this season after losing star running back Saquon Barkley and nine starters on defense, but that doesn’t change the fact that this will be one of Ohio State’s toughest road tests of the year.
Matchup to Watch: Penn State QB Trace McSorley vs. Ohio State defense
With Barkley now playing for the New York Giants, it will be up to Trace McSorley – a two-time second-team All-Big Ten quarterback, and potential Heisman Trophy candidate this season – to carry the Penn State offense. While the Nittany Lions have several players around him who could emerge as major offensive weapons this season, including running back Miles Sanders and wide receiver Juwan Johnson, it’s McSorley and his ability to make plays with his arm and his feet that will make this game the toughest test of the first month of the season for Ohio State’s defense.
Game 6: Indiana
Oct. 6, Ohio Stadium, 3:30 or 4 p.m.
After hosting Ohio State on the opening Thursday night of the season in 2017, Indiana will travel to Columbus in the middle of the season this year.
The Hoosiers haven’t beaten Ohio State since 1988, and it would be a surprise if that changes this year. Even last year, when the Hoosiers led the Buckeyes at halftime, they still lost by 28. But if the Buckeyes overlook this game, which could happen after the trip to Penn State, the Hoosiers have enough talent to at least give Ohio State another early scare.
Matchup to Watch: Indiana WR Nick Westbrook vs. Ohio State cornerbacks
Ohio State won’t have to worry about facing Simmie Cobbs, who lit up the Buckeyes’ cornerbacks for 11 receptions and 149 yards last season, in this year’s matchup. They didn’t end up having to face Nick Westbrook, who suffered a season-ending injury on the opening kickoff, last year. But Westbrook was the Big Ten’s second-leading receiver in 2016, catching 54 passes for 994 yards that season, and if he returns to full form after missing last season with a torn ACL, he’s another player who could give Ohio State’s cornerbacks some trouble this year.
Game 7: Minnesota
Oct. 13, Ohio Stadium
Minnesota will make its second trip to Ohio State in four years – and its first with former Ohio State graduate assistant P.J. Fleck as head coach – for the Buckeyes’ seventh overall game and fourth conference game this season.
The Golden Gophers, who went 5-7 in Fleck last season, probably won’t pose a huge test to the Buckeyes – especially considering the game will be played at the Shoe – but they will have the advantage of being fresher than the Buckeyes, playing just their second game after a bye while Ohio State will be playing for the seventh straight week.
Matchup to Watch: Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins vs. Minnesota passing defense
While the Golden Gophers weren’t among the Big Ten’s top teams last season, their passing defense was among the conference’s best, allowing just 174.5 passing yards per game. And that came without arguably their most talented defensive back, Antoine Winfield Jr. – the son of legendary Ohio State cornerback Antoine Winfield – who missed all but four games last season and took a medical redshirt. Winfield is back this year, though, and with two other returning starters and Florida transfer Chris Williamson also in the secondary, this unit has the potential to create some challenges for Haskins and the Buckeyes’ wide receivers.
Antoine Winfield Jr. and the Minnesota Golden Gophers will inhabit Ohio Stadium for Ohio State's seventh game of the season. Jesse Johnson – USA TODAY Sports
Game 8: Purdue
Oct. 20, Ross-Ade Stadium (West Laffayete, Ind.)
If you’re looking for a potential trap game on Ohio State’s schedule for the upcoming season, this is the game that stands out.
Purdue appears to be a team on the rise, going 7-6 last season in Jeff Brohm’s first season as the Boilermakers’ head coach, but this game also stands out because of the Buckeyes’ history in West Lafayette, where they have lost in five out of seven trips since 2000. Like Minnesota, Purdue will also be playing just its second game after a bye week, while Ohio State will be playing for the eighth straight week. Ohio State really shouldn’t lose this game, but there’s reason to have some trepidation about this date on the calendar.
Matchup to Watch: Purdue QBs Elijah Sindelar/David Blough vs. Ohio State passing defense
Purdue is expected to play two quarterbacks this season, after Sindelar and Blough both provided solid play last season, which will make the Boilermakers tough for any defense to prepare for. Blough is an experienced and reliable leader, having started 25 games over the past three seasons, but Sindelar – who was named this summer by Lindy’s Sports Magazine as having the strongest arm in the Big Ten – has big upside and was impressive in limited action last year. Both are good enough to put the Buckeyes’ secondary to the test, so Ohio State will need to ready for both of their skill sets.
Game 9: Nebraska
Nov. 3, Ohio Stadium
With a lack of marquee matchups in the first five games of the year at Ohio Stadium, this game looms as the most probable home night game for the Buckeyes this year.
Nebraska suffered a 56-14 blowout loss to Ohio State in its home stadium last year, when the Cornhuskers just went 4-8, but expectations in Lincoln are immediately higher for this season with former Husker quarterback Scott Frost now coaching the team. The Buckeyes are still substantially more talented than Nebraska, and should be a clear favorite to win this game, but if the energy Frost has brought to the program carries over to better play on the field, the Cornhuskers could come into this contest with confidence.
Matchup to Watch: Nebraska wide receivers vs. Ohio State cornerbacks
One of the only bright spots for the Cornhuskers in their loss to Ohio State last year was the play of JD Spielman, who caught 11 passes for 200 yards against the Buckeyes. Stanley Morgan Jr., meanwhile, is the leading returning receiver in the Big Ten, and former Ohio State commit Tyjon Lindsey has breakout star potential. It’s still uncertain who Nebraska’s starting quarterback play, but if either Adrian Martinez or Tristan Gebbia is throwing the ball well come November, the Cornhuskers’ receivers matchup against Ohio State cornerbacks Kendall Sheffield, Damon Arnette and Jeffrey Okudah should be a great one.
Game 10: Michigan State
Nov. 10, Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, Mich.)
Ohio State has lost three times to Michigan State since 2011 – twice costing the Buckeyes a shot at competing for a national championship – so the Spartans are a team that can never be overlooked on the schedule, and they could emerge as a real threat to Ohio State in November once again.
The Spartans have one of the most experienced rosters in all of college football, with 10 returning starters on offense and nine on defense, and with the exception of last year – when Ohio State won 48-3 – Mark Dantonio’s bunch almost always plays the Buckeyes tough. The Buckeyes have actually fared better in East Lansing than they have against Michigan State at home in recent years – they haven’t lost in Spartan Stadium since 1999 – but that’s no reason to look past this game as one that will likely be a real battle for Ohio State.
Matchup to Watch: Ohio State running backs vs. Michigan State rushing defense
Michigan State led the Big Ten with only 95.3 rushing yards allowed per game last season, and most of the players who led that effort are back this season, including their top four tacklers: linebackers Joe Bachie and Andrew Dowell, defensive end Kenny Willekes and safety Khari Willis. Against Ohio State, however, that defense gave up 335 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, and the two running backs who led that effort – Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins – are both back with the Buckeyes this year. So the Spartans will be out for revenge in this year’s rematch.
Michigan State's run defense will be looking for a stronger performance against Ohio State this year than last year, when Mike Weber ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns against the Spartans. Joe Maiorana – USA TODAY Sports
Game 11: Maryland
Nov. 17, Maryland Stadium (College Park, Md.)
Will this game be a coaching matchup between Urban Meyer and his former protege DJ Durkin, Ryan Day vs. Matt Canada, or some combination of the two? At the time of this writing, that remains entirely uncertain, as Meyer and Durkin are both currently on paid administrative leave from their programs.
Regardless of whether either or both coaches are reinstated, though, what won’t change is that the Buckeyes are far more talented than the Terrapins. Ohio State has beaten Maryland by at least 21 points in each of the Terrapins’ first four years in the Big Ten, and it would be a surprise if this year’s game was much closer.
Matchup to Watch: Ohio State offensive tackles vs. Maryland DE Byron Cowart
The Terrapins’ most intriguing player entering the 2018 season is Byron Cowart, the No. 3 overall prospect in the recruiting class of 2015, who never played up to expectations at Auburn but now has an opportunity for a fresh start at Maryland. And if he can come anywhere close to playing up to his potential as a Terrapin, he – along with Jesse Aniebonam, who missed last season with a fractured ankle but is also a talented pass-rusher – could present one of the toughest individual matchups of the season for Ohio State right tackle Isaiah Prince and presumed starting left tackle Thayer Munford.
Game 12: Michigan
Nov. 24, Ohio Stadium, Noon, FOX
No matter how good the Wolverines are or who else the Buckeyes play in a given season, no game will ever trump ‘The Game’ on Ohio State’s regular-season schedule. This year’s game seems especially worth looking forward to, though, because it very well could be a game that has division and conference championship and potentially even playoff implications for both teams.
Michigan hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 2011 – and hasn’t beaten Ohio State in Columbus since 2000 – but the Wolverines look set to have their strongest team in years this season, with a loaded defense that should be among the nation’s best and a big quarterback upgrade in Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson. Couple that with Ohio State once again having one of the nation’s strongest rosters, and this year’s rivalry game has the potential to end up being another instant classic.
Matchup to Watch: Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins vs. Michigan defense
There will be matchups to watch all over the field in this game, but this could be the matchup that decides the game for the second year in a row.
Haskins, who got the best of Michigan’s defense last year in coming off the bench to lead Ohio State to a second-half comeback win, should be even better with a season of starting experience under his belt. But Michigan’s defense should be even better too, with nine returning starters from last year, and the Buckeyes could need more out of their offense this year, as Michigan’s Patterson-led offense could be a much tougher matchup for their defense than John O’Korn missing wide open throws last year.
