Ohio State Announces Home Games Against Connecticut, Ball State For 2025, 2026 Football Seasons

Ohio State added a pair of opponents to future schedules on Tuesday afternoon.

The Buckeyes completed their 2025 schedule by adding a home matchup with Connecticut to fill the non-conference slate, and they announced a home season-opening game against Ball State to begin the 2026 season.

The game against the Huskies is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2025, marking the first-ever meeting between the two programs. It will be a one-off game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State will pay a $1.95 million guarantee to Connecticut in lieu of a return game, per a UConn release.

Connecticut is the third and final addition to the 2025 non-conference slate, which already features home matchups with Texas and Washington to open the season.

Below is the full 2025 schedule:

2025 Ohio State Football Schedule
DATE	TIME	OPPONENT	LOCATION
SAT, AUG. 30	TBA	TEXAS	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, SEP. 13	TBA	WASHINGTON	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, SEP. 20	TBA	INDIANA	MEMORIAL STADIUM (BLOOMINGTON, IN)
SAT, SEP. 27	TBA	IOWA	KINNICK STADIUM (IOWA CITY, IA)
SAT, OCT. 4	TBA	MARYLAND	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, OCT. 11	TBA	WISCONSIN	CAMP RANDALL STADIUM (MADISON, WI)
SAT, OCT 18	TBA	CONNECTICUT	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, OCT. 25	TBA	RUTGERS	SHI STADIUM (PISCATAWAY, NJ)
SAT, NOV. 1	TBA	NORTHWESTERN	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, NOV. 15	TBA	PENN STATE	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, NOV. 22	TBA	MICHIGAN STATE	OHIO STADIUM (COLUMBUS, OH)
SAT, NOV. 29	TBA	MICHIGAN	MICHIGAN STADIUM (ANN ARBOR, MI)

Ohio State's game against Ball State will also be the first-ever matchup between the two teams.

It will be played on Sept. 5 to open the 2026 season at Ohio Stadium. It will also be a one-off home game for the Buckeyes, who will pay an unreleased sum of money to Ball State in lieu of a second game in the series. The following week, Ohio State will go on the road to face Texas in Austin on Sept. 12.