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Ohio State's 2020 fall football season has been cancelled. Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields is leading a push to get the Big Ten to reverse its decision to cancel fall football in favor of a spring season.
But if the ACC, Big 12 and SEC continue on with their seasons and the Big Ten and Pac-12 hold strong with their decision not to play, Ohio State fans will have a void to fill on fall Saturdays.
You can partially fill that void by looking back at some classic Buckeye games. I looked back at the last two decades of Ohio State football and produced this week-by-week list of games you could revisit. Grab a bag of popcorn or your favorite pillow to cry into / punch and settle in.
Opponent No. 1: 2009 vs. NAVY
There haven't been a lot of entertaining opening games for Ohio State this century, but the 2009 matchup against Navy certainly fit the bill.
Terrelle Pryor's sophomore season kicked off with a bang. The Buckeyes led 29-14 late in the fourth quarter, but the Midshipmen stormed back with two uncharacteristically quick touchdown drives to make it 29-27. Navy's two-point attempt foolishly went to the air instead of sticking to its punishingly effective ground game, and linebacker Brian Rolle picked off the pass and returned it to the opposite end-zone for two points.
Other first opponents worth revisiting: 2002 vs. Texas Tech, 2015 vs. Virginia Tech
Opponent No. 2: 2006 vs. TEXAS
Ohio State's showdown with Texas was the first of three matchups against the No. 2 ranked team during the 2006 season, and it was the Buckeye defense that shined that night.
Quarterback Troy Smith and wideouts Ted Ginn and Antonio Gonzalez also balled out, but the defense allowed just 326 yards of offense and forced two turnovers in the 24-7 win.
Other second opponent worth revisiting: 2010 vs. Miami, 2014 vs. Virginia Tech
Opponent No. 3: 2003 vs. NC STATE
Week 3 features the first-ever overtime game in Ohio Stadium history.
The defending national champs hosted a Patrick Rivers-led NC State team that was coming off a disappointing loss to Wake Forest. The Buckeyes looked to have things in the bag, but a late rally by Rivers, who threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns on the afternoon, forced overtime.
The two teams went back and forth before the Buckeyes ultimately came away with a 44-38 triple-overtime victory.
Other third opponents worth revisiting: 2012 vs. Cal, 2016 vs. Oklahoma, 2018 vs. TCU
Opponent No. 4: 2002 vs. CINCINNATI
Week 4 for Ohio State was surprisingly ordinary, but that wasn't the case in 2002.
The Buckeyes have routinely squared up against in-state opponent Cincinnati over the years, and its rarely a contest that makes Ohio State fans sweat. But in '02, the Bearcats gave the eventual national champions all they could handle.
Cincinnati held a 19-17 lead late in the fourth quarter, but a Craig Krenzel touchdown put the Buckeyes up by four. The Bearcats drove to within striking distance, but an interception in the end-zone ended the game.
Other fourth opponent worth revisiting: 2006 vs. Penn State
Opponent No. 5: 2018 vs. PENN STATE
No Big Ten team has played Ohio State tougher over the last ten seasons than Penn State.
In 2018, the Buckeyes visited Happy Valley for a matchup between two undefeated teams. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins was making his first true road start in one of college football's most hostile environments.
Haskins stood tall, though, leading Ohio State back from a 26-14 deficit midway through the fourth quarter to a 27-26 victory.
Other fifth opponents worth revisiting: 2005 vs. Penn State, 2006 vs. Iowa, 2012 vs. Michigan State, 2013 vs. Wisconsin
Opponent No. 6: 2008 vs. WISCONSIN
Very little went right for Ohio State at the beginning of the 2008 season. An early season struggle against lowly Ohio in Week 2 and a 35-3 debacle loss to USC a week later had the Buckeyes outside of the top 10.
Jim Tressel turned the keys to the offense over to Pryor, and the true freshman turned in a classic in Madison. He and Beanie Wells helped the Buckeyes run for 183 yards in a nail-biting 20-17 victory.
Other sixth opponents worth revisiting: 2005 vs. Michigan State, 2012 vs. Nebraska, 2013 vs. Northwestern, 2016 vs. Wisconsin
Opponent No. 7: 2014 vs. PENN STATE
Ohio State needed extra time to put Penn State away in 2014.
The eventual college football playoff national champs were still rounding into form in October, but they let a game they had firm control of slip away in the fourth quarter. Leading 17-7 in the fourth, Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg triggered 10 unanswered points to force overtime.
That's where J.T. Barrett and the Buckeyes prevailed, scoring back-to-back touchdowns in a 31-24 win.
Another seventh opponent worth revisiting: 2011 vs. Illinois, 2012 vs. Indiana
Opponent No. 8: 2017 vs. PENN STATE
Barrett's best performance as a Buckeye had to make the list.
The Buckeyes hosted unbeaten and No. 2-ranked Penn State in 2017, and the Nittany Lions started the game red hot. Saquon Barkley returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, which helped Penn State build a 21-3 lead.
James Franklin's squad maintained the scoring edge late into the fourth quarter, leading 38-27 with less than six minutes to go. Barrett caught fire, though, completing his last 16 pass attempts to rally Ohio State to a 39-38 win.
Other eighth opponents worth revisiting: 2002 vs. Wisconsin, 2011 vs. Wisconsin, 2012 vs. Purdue, 2013 vs. Penn State
Opponent No. 9: 2014 vs. MICHIGAN STATE
Possibly Barrett's second-best performance as a Buckeye came in 2014 when Ohio State needed to get even with Michigan State.
The year prior, the Spartans upset the Buckeyes in the Big Ten title game, ending Urban Meyer's perfect 24-0 start in Columbus while keeping Ohio State out of the BCS national title game.
A year later in East Lansing, Barrett threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns and Ezekiel Elliott ran for 154 yards and two scores in a 49-37 upset that propelled the Buckeyes up the playoff rankings.
Other ninth opponents worth revisiting: 2002 vs. Penn State, 2003 vs. Penn State
Opponent No. 10: 2009 vs. PENN STATE
Penn State's last appearance on the list comes from the 2009 matchup in which Pryor got his revenge.
In '08, Ohio State's freshman quarterback made a deciding mistake on a late quarterback sneak near midfield. Instead of gaining the necessary yardage, Pryor tried to bounce it outside for a possible score, but he instead fumbled and the Nittany Lions went on to win in Columbus.
A year later, Pryor accounted for all three touchdowns in Ohio State's 24-7 upset win over the Nittany Lions.
Other 10th opponents worth revisiting: 2014 vs. Minnesota
Opponent No. 11: 2001 vs. MICHIGAN
You've reached the Michigan stretch of the schedule.
In 2001, back when Ohio State played just 11 regular season games, Tressel made good on his promise to make Buckeye fans proud by breaking the hex Michigan had over Ohio State during the 90s.
Krenzel was making the first start of his career against the Wolverines, but he delivered. The Buckeyes used Jonathan Wells and the run game, plus a solid showing from the defense, to build a 23-0 halftime lead. That's all the points they'd need as they held on for a 26-20 win.
Other 11th opponents worth revisiting: 2002 vs. Purdue, 2004 vs. Michigan, 2009 vs. Iowa, 2010 vs. Iowa, 2012 vs. Wisconsin, 2018 vs. Maryland, 2019 vs. Penn State
Opponent No. 12: 2006 vs. MICHIGAN
There are so many games to choose from in this spot (as indicated below), but I settled on the only matchup between Ohio State and Michigan that pinned No. 1 vs. No. 2.
Smith put the bow on his Heisman Trophy campaign with another brilliant performance against the Wolverines, throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-39 victory that correctly and gloriously finished under the lights in Ohio Stadium.
Other 12th opponents worth revisiting: 2002 vs. Illinois, 2005 vs. Michigan, 2006 vs. Notre Dame, 2007 vs. Michigan, 2008 vs. Michigan, 2009 vs. Michigan, 2010 vs. Michigan, 2012 vs. Michigan, 2013 vs. Michigan, 2014 vs. Michigan, 2015 vs. Michigan, 2016 vs. Michigan, 2017 vs. Michigan, 2018 vs. Michigan, 2019 vs. Michigan
Opponent No. 13: 2002 vs. MICHIGAN
A bonus Week 13 win over Michigan happened in 2002.
The Buckeyes, who played in a unique "Pigskin Classic" matchup against Texas Tech to start the season, played 13 games in '02. The Buckeyes needed a win over Michigan to seal its spot in the BCS title game against Miami, and that's exactly what they did.
Maurice Clarett ran for 119 yards and the deciding touchdown and Will Allen secured the late interception to send the Buckeyes to Tempe, Arizona.
Other 13th opponents worth revisiting: 2003 vs. Kansas State, 2010 vs. Oregon, 2011 vs. Arkansas, 2014 vs. Wisconsin, 2016 vs. Notre Dame, 2017 vs. Wisconsin, 2019 vs. Wisconsin
Opponent No. 14: 2003 vs. Miami
This game just cannot be topped.
Ohio State's matchup against Alabama in the first-ever college football playoff semifinal was considered a formality to some extent, with many expecting the Buckeyes to lose handedly. That notion existed tenfold against the Hurricanes.
Miami was college football's latest dynasty in 2002, and the defending national champs were riding a 34-game winning streak and entered the matchup heavy favorites over Ohio State.
The game played out differently. Ohio State's defense had an answer for everything Miami wanted to do on offense. A 17-17 tie at the end of regulation forced the teams into overtime, where the Buckeyes prevailed 31-24 in double OT.
Other 14th opponents worth revisiting: 2015 vs. Alabama, 2018 vs. USC, 2019 vs. Washington
Opponent No. 15: 2015 vs. Oregon
There's only one option for the final game of the year, and it's the second national title win of the century for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State's win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl set the stage for a title game against Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and the high-flying Oregon Ducks.
The Buckeyes defense grounded those Ducks, slowing them to a season-low 20 points in a decisive 22-point victory. Elliott was the star, running for his third consecutive 200-plus yard game (246) to complement four touchdowns.
