At Ohio State, undefeated seasons are the expectation, not the exception. That’s how head coach Ryan Day sees it.
Off the heels of a 2021 season in which the Buckeyes lost to Oregon and Michigan but won its Rose Bowl matchup over a talented Utah team, Day said this at 2022 Big Ten Media Days: “Our expectation is to win every game. Maybe at some places, 11-2 with a Rose Bowl victory is a good year. It’s not at Ohio State.”
Yet, with a roster that featured C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba and several other stars, the Buckeyes produced the same record last season. Moreover, after a second consecutive loss to Michigan, Ohio State traded a Rose Bowl win for a College Football Playoff defeat at the hands of Georgia, the eventual national champion. It was the first time Ohio State finished a season with back-to-back losses since 2013.
Despite Ohio State’s recent shortcomings, particularly against “That Team Up North,” Day expects perfection in 2023 behind the reliable contributions of Marvin Harrison Jr., Tommy Eichenberg and several other veteran Buckeyes. To become perfect, Ohio State must navigate one of college football’s most difficult schedules unscathed – a task much easier said than done.
“At Ohio State, you have to win every game,” Day said in the upcoming first episode of The Ryan Day Podcast. “You have to play well every weekend. All it takes is one week. One week can ruin your whole season. You have to bring it every week. … We can’t take stuff for granted. We go against good teams and good coaches.”
In this article, we will break down all 12 opponents on the Buckeyes’ schedule and assess what kind of threat each team poses for Day’s team week to week. We’ll start with Ohio State’s season opener against Indiana and end with its season finale against Michigan, one of the most anticipated college football matchups in 2023.
at Indiana, Sept. 2
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen looks on from the huddle in the second half of a game against Ohio State at Ohio Stadium in 2022. Ohio State won 56-14. (Photo Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch)
In 2017, Indiana head coach Tom Allen started his tenure as the Hoosiers' head coach with a home and season opener against Ohio State at Memorial Stadium. The Buckeyes won the matchup 49-21 behind a four-touchdown performance from quarterback J.T. Barrett.
After Indiana posted a 6-18 record the past two seasons, Allen’s final year in the role may end the same way it started: A blowout loss at the hands of the Buckeyes. Allen is on the hot seat in 2023, and with the Hoosiers’ roster composition ranked as one of the worst in the Big Ten ahead of this season, it could become warmer and warmer as time passes. Ohio State’s visit to Bloomington on Sept. 2 will probably be the first time the seat’s temperature rises.
Indiana returns 15 players with notable experience in 2023, including seven on offense, seven on defense and one on special teams.
Offensively, the Hoosiers will look to running backs Josh Henderson and Jaylin Lucas to produce as they break in either Dexter Williams, Brendon Sorsby or Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson – the brother of former Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis – at quarterback. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Aaron Casey will lead the Indiana defense after he recorded a team-best 86 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits last season. Cornerbacks Noah Pierre and Josh Sanguinetti will look to help Casey in his defensive efforts.
As for the special teams player with experience, punter James Evans could receive a lot more of it in 2023. Evans booted the ball 75 times last season for an average of 44.3 yards. He also downed 30 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Overall, the Hoosiers don’t stack up with the Buckeyes on the field, which should appear evident when Ohio State visits Indiana and looks to start the season 1-0.
Youngstown State, Sept. 9
Youngstown State Penguins head coach Doug Phillips looks on during the second quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field in 2022. (Photo Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports)
Ohio State has faced Youngstown State twice in team history – a 38-6 win in 2007 and a 43-0 win in 2008. When the Buckeyes and Penguins meet on Sept. 9, Ohio State will undoubtedly add another blowout victory over the in-state opponent to the record books.
Youngstown State was a respectable FCS program in 2022, collecting a 7-4 record with a 5-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. Most of the team’s success depended on running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who took his talents to the NFL after a season in which he collected 227 carries for 1,588 yards and 13 touchdowns, leaving head coach Doug Phillips and his team searching for a new identity in 2023.
As Youngstown State does some soul-searching to start the year, Phillips will rely on quarterback Mitch Davidson, running back Dra Rushton and wide receiver Bryce Oliver on offense. The Penguins will also look for defensive backs Jordan Trowers and Quincy Lenton and defensive end Dylan Wudke to slow down the Buckeyes.
Still, teams without an identity don’t perform well against Ohio State. Neither do FCS schools. Whatever Youngstown State can scrounge together after 25 preseason practices and one regular-season game won’t allow the Penguins to take down the Buckeyes in Week 2.
Western Kentucky, Sept. 16
Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley catches a pass for a touchdown and celebrates with teammates during the Hilltoppers' game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in 2022. (Photo Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports)
When Western Kentucky visits Columbus on Sept. 16, make no mistake; the Hilltoppers have no plans to let the Buckeyes walk all over them.
Western Kentucky returns Austin Reed and Malachi Corley in 2023, one of the nation’s best quarterback-wide receiver duos in 2022. Reed paced the NCAA as a passer last season, collecting 4,744 yards and 40 touchdowns. Most of Reed’s production came from his connection with Corley, who racked up 101 receptions for 1,295 yards and 11 scores.
Corley is one of the top wide receivers in America, and he’ll be coming to Columbus with confidence. In a July interview with Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus, Corley said he has Western Kentucky’s matchup with Ohio State circled on his calendar. On Sept. 16, he hopes to outshine Harrison, Emeka Egbuka and the rest of the Buckeyes’ pass-catchers, establishing himself as one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft class.
“I can’t wait to go to Ohio State,” Corley said. “That’s going to be a highly watched game. There will be 100,000 people there, and not too many will be cheering for us. I’m going to feel like a supervillain going in there. I know the whole world will be watching, and I can’t wait to show them, ‘This guy is for real.’ I want people to be like, ‘Who is this guy?’”
Defensively, Western Kentucky’s leading tackler from last season, linebacker JaQues Evans, returns for a fourth year in 2023. He collected 107 tackles, nine sacks and five pass breakups last fall. Beyond Evans, the Hilltoppers return only three other starters – defensive backs Kendrick Simpkins and Upton Stout and linebacker Aaron Key.
The Hilltoppers will present a bigger test for Ohio State’s defense than the first two opponents, but their defense is unlikely to be able to keep pace with Ohio State’s offense.
at Notre Dame, Sept. 23
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman walks onto the field before the Irish's Blue-Gold spring football game at Notre Dame Stadium in 2022. (Photo Credit: Greg Swiercz - USA TODAY NETWORK)
After Ohio State hosted Notre Dame in its season opener and defeated the Irish 21-10 at Ohio Stadium last year, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and his team will look to return the favor when the Golden Domers welcome the Buckeyes to South Bend on Sept. 23.
Freeman’s offense will look much different since Ohio State last faced Notre Dame, namely at the quarterback position, where the program added former Wake Forest signal-caller Sam Hartman from the transfer portal in January. Hartman has recorded almost 13,000 passing yards and 110 touchdowns in his five-year career, including nearly 8,000 yards and 77 scores in his final two seasons as a Demon Deacon. He will be supported by All-American left tackle Joe Alt, running backs Audric Estime (920 yards, 11 TD in 2022) and Chris Tyree and wide receivers Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie.
As for the defense, Notre Dame will be as strong as it's been in recent memory. The Irish return their four leading tacklers from last season: linebackers JD Bertrand, Jack Kiser and Marist Liufau and safety DJ Brown. Notre Dame will also welcome the contributions of defensive linemen Rylie Mills (3.5 sacks), Howard Cross (2.5 sacks) and cornerback Benjamin Morris (six interceptions), among others, as it rounds out an impressive unit from top to bottom.
Notre Dame enters the fall ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP and Coaches polls, which reflects the team’s all-around strength mentioned above.
Although Ohio State and Notre Dame’s Week 4 battle will not be advertised as the top-five showdown it was last season, the matchup should be one of the best games in college football this year, as the Irish will undoubtedly be one of the most formidable opponents the Buckeyes face in the regular season, especially when considering the game will occur at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
Maryland, Oct. 7
Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa runs around Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau in the second half of the Terrapins and Buckeyes battle at SECU Stadium in 2022. (Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
Ohio State needed a Steele Chambers scoop-and-score touchdown in the fourth quarter to finish off Maryland in 2022 as the Buckeyes escaped with a 43-30 win over the Terrapins at SECU Stadium in College Park. As Ohio State looks ahead to this season, the team will hope no late-game heroics will be required to take down Maryland on Oct. 7.
Good news for Ohio State: Since Mike Locksley took over as Maryland’s head coach in 2019, the Buckeyes have outscored the Terrapins 139-31 when the teams have faced off at the Shoe. Ohio State defeated Maryland 73-14 in 2019 and followed that performance up with a 66-17 beatdown in 2021.
Still, Locksley returns quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa this season, and whenever Tagovailoa is on the field, Maryland has a chance to make some noise. Tagovailoa completed 67% of his passes last year for 3,008 yards and 18 touchdowns. Most of that production came after Tagovailoa suffered a knee ailment in Week 7 that hampered him for the rest of the year.
This season, Tagovailoa will line up in the backfield with running back Roman Hemby, who rushed for 1,010 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He will also have wide receiver Jeshaun Jones and tight end Corey Dyches as weapons to throw to. The former collected 44 receptions for 557 yards and four touchdowns in 2022, while the latter added 39 catches for 494 yards and three scores.
Defensively, Maryland returns its three leading tacklers from last season: Defensive backs Beau Brade (85 tackles) and Dante Trader (62) and linebacker Jaishawn Barnham (58). The Terps also feature defensive back Tarheeb Still (45 tackles, four tackles for loss) and linebacker Fa’Najee Gotay (37 tackles, one interception) as weapons on that side of the ball.
While less of a threat to Ohio State in the Big Ten East than Michigan and Penn State, Maryland should hold its own in conference competition. However, provided the program’s recent performances in the Shoe, it’s fair to wonder if the Terrapins will hold their own against the Buckeyes when the teams meet following Ohio State’s idle week on Sept. 30.
at Purdue, Oct. 14
Purdue head coach Ryan Walters watches his team run through drills at the Boilermakers' preseason camp. Walters was the defensive coordinator at Illinois last season before he was hired by Purdue. (Photo Credit: Noe Padilla-Journal and Courier)
For the first time in five seasons, Ohio State will travel to West Lafayette, Indiana, to battle Purdue on Oct. 14, a road game that will provide moments of PTSD for Ohio State fans who watched Rondale Moore and D.J. Knox run wild on the Buckeyes’ defense in a 49-20 upset win for the Boilermakers on Oct. 20, 2018.
In 2023, Purdue will look to become the “Spoilermakers” once again in Ryan Walters’ first season as head coach. Walters played college football for Colorado from 2004-08 and served as a defensive coordinator for Missouri (2018-20) and Illinois (2021-22) before he accepted his new role with the Boilermakers. In his final year at Illinois, the Illini ranked first nationally in scoring defense (12.3 PPG) and second in total defense (263.3 YPG).
Walters will lean on Texas transfer quarterback Hudson Card to lead Purdue’s offense in 2023. Card entered the transfer portal after a 2022 season in which he backed up former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers as a member of the Longhorns. In his first three collegiate seasons, Card completed 65.5% of his passes for 1,523 yards and 11 touchdowns. His weapons in season No. 4 include running backs Devin Mockobee and Dylan Downing, who combined for nearly 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns last year, and wide receiver TJ Sheffield, who recorded 46 catches for 480 yards and four scores in 2022.
Purdue’s defense will feature linebacker Sanoussi Kane and cornerback Cam Allen as its leaders. Kane collected a team-best 72 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack last season, while Allen had 49 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a team-best three interceptions. Linebacker Kydran Jenkins also returns for the Boilermakers after recording four sacks, four tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits in 14 appearances as a backup.
Overall, Purdue has a talented roster that could become a respectable team in the Big Ten West. However, if the Boilermakers want to return to the conference championship for the second consecutive season, they will have their work cut out for themselves. Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State stand in their way of a title game appearance, so the Buckeyes should expect the best version of the Boilermakers to show up on Oct. 14.
Penn State, Oct. 21
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of the Nittany Lions' Blue-White spring game at Beaver Stadium in April. (Photo Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports)
With an offense that features quarterback Drew Allar, running back Nick Singleton and offensive lineman Olu Fashanu, and a defense that boasts cornerback Kalen King, defensive end Chop Robinson and linebacker Abdul Carter, Penn State head coach James Franklin possesses his best roster since Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley were Nittany Lions.
Penn State checked in at No. 7 in the preseason AP and Coaches polls. That rank reflects the kind of team Franklin will coach in 2023. It proves that the Nittany Lions are a serious threat to challenge Michigan and Ohio State and represent the East Division in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
With Ohio State’s matchup against Penn State to be played in Columbus, the Buckeyes can be thankful they don’t have to face the 2023 iteration of the Nittany Lions in front of 100,000 fans in Happy Valley, one of the loudest environments in college football.
The Buckeyes have been successful against Penn State at the Shoe, winning five consecutive matchups against the Nittany Lions at home since a 20-14 loss in 2011. Ohio State’s most recent victory in Columbus occurred in 2021 when the Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 33-24 behind a 152-yard performance from TreVeyon Henderson.
Despite their recent victories at home, Ohio State will need to be on its A-game from kickoff to the end of the fourth quarter to defeat the Nittany Lions. If Penn State is going to step out of Ohio State and Michigan’s shadow, now would be the time. The Nittany Lions could do that with a season-defining win in Columbus on Oct. 21.
at Wisconsin, Oct. 28
Former Ohio State player and assistant coach and current Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell speaks with the media at the Sky Harbor International Airport ahead of the Badgers' Guaranteed Rate Bowl matchup with Oklahoma State in 2022. (Photo Credit: Joe Rondone-The Republic)
The powers that be did the Buckeyes no favors when it placed a road game at Wisconsin immediately after a home matchup with Penn State. Granted, those powers weren’t aware at the time that former Ohio State defensive coordinator and Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell would be named the Badgers' next head coach.
Indeed, after several successful seasons at Cincinnati, including a College Football Playoff appearance in 2021, Fickell left for the Badgers in December 2022. In a rare move for a just-hired head coach, Fickell coached Wisconsin to a 24-17 win over Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
In 2023, Fickell returns one of the best running backs in the nation in Braelon Allen, who carried the ball 230 times for 1,284 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He will again receive support from Chez Mellusi, who took 112 handoffs for 491 yards and two scores. SMU transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai will have three returning starters at wide receiver: Chimere Deke (47 receptions, 689 yards, six TDs), Skyler Bell (30 receptions, 444 yards and five TDs) and Keontez Lewis (20 receptions, 313 yards, three TDs).
As for the defense, where the program is always sound, the Badgers will be led by linebackers Maema Njongmeta, Jordan Turner and CJ Goetz. Njongmeta led Wisconsin with 95 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2022, while Turner contributed 68 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks and Goetz added 61 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks.
Like Ohio State’s matchup with Notre Dame earlier in the season, the Badgers will be a formidable opponent for the Buckeyes, even moreso when the teams battle in front of what will certainly be a sellout crowd at Camp-Randall Stadium. And while Fickell is a Buckeye for life, he will do his best to deliver Wisconsin fans a marquee win over Ohio State in his first season as head coach.
at Rutgers, Nov. 4
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano walks across the field to exchange words with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day after the Buckeyes attempted a fake punt during the fourth quarter. Ohio State won the game 49-10. (Photo Credit: Joseph Scheller-Columbus Dispatch)
In the nine seasons since Rutgers became a Big Ten school in 2014, Ohio State holds a 9-0 record against the Scarlet Knights. The Buckeyes have outscored their Big Ten East counterpart 477-98 in those matchups, never scoring less than 49 points in any contest.
Expect that trend to continue in 2023.
Former Ohio State defensive coordinator and current Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano returns defensive end Aaron Lewis and Deion Jennings as his team’s leaders in 2023. Lewis recorded 55 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season, while Jennings collected a team-best 91 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack and six pass breakups. Beyond those two defensive stars, however, the Scarlet Knights don’t boast many noteworthy players.
Rutgers will start either Evan Simon or Gavin Wimsatt at quarterback in 2023. Simon completed 57.7% of his passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns last season, while Wimsatt was even less efficient, completing 44.8% of his throws for 757 yards and five scores. Simon and Wimsatt combined to toss 13 interceptions in 2022. The team’s top returning skill players are running back Kyle Monangai (109 carries, 459 yards, two TDs) and tight end Johnny Langan (31 receptions, 296 yards, one TD).
With that roster composition in mind, Ohio State should do what it always does against Rutgers: Score a lot of points and win by a lot of points.
Michigan State, Nov. 11
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker prepares for a huddle with his team in the first quarter of a game against Indiana at Spartan Stadium in 2022. (Photo Credit: Nick King-Lansing State Journal)
In the early 2010s, Michigan State was one of Ohio State's most feared annual opponents, as the Spartans had a 3-2 record against the Buckeyes from 2011-15. But a lot can change in a decade. The Buckeyes have defeated the Spartans in seven consecutive matchups, with the last three victories coming in blowout fashion.
Ohio State will ride that momentum into its Nov. 11 battle with Michigan State. The Buckeyes will also benefit from a “Gray Out” at Ohio Stadium in which the team will wear an alternate gray uniform and fans in attendance are encouraged to wear gray attire.
Head coach Mel Tucker’s team will feature Noah Kim, Katin Houser or Sam Leavitt at quarterback. Whoever wins the quarterback battle will have a handful of weapons around them, including running back Jalen Berger, who recorded 148 carries for 683 yards and six touchdowns last season, and wide receivers Tre Mosley and Maliq Carr, who combined for 51 receptions, 568 yards and six scores in 2022.
The Spartans’ strength in 2023 will be its defense, which Cal Haladay will lead. The veteran linebacker collected 120 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He will be accompanied by defensive linemen Jacoby Windmon (49 tackles, 5.5 sacks), Aaron Brule (30 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and Avery Dunn (28 tackles, three sacks). Michigan State will look for cornerback Charles Brantley (six pass breakups) to revitalize the Spartans’ pass defense, which has ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten and NCAA since Tucker took over as head coach in 2020.
All things considered, Ohio State should take care of business when Michigan State comes to town for a late-season clash. However, off the heels of a lackluster 5-7 season, Tucker and the Spartans will do whatever possible to secure a marquee win over the Buckeyes in 2023.
Minnesota, Nov. 18
Minnesota wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell outraces Wisconsin cornerback Faion Hicks to score a go-ahead touchdown that helped the Gophers defeat the Badgers in 2021. (Photo Credit: Mark Hoffman-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
With Daniel Jackson, Chris Autman-Bell, Cody Lindenberg and Tyler Nubin back for another season at Minnesota, head coach P.J. Fleck and the Golden Gophers have enough weapons on both sides of the ball to be a contender in the Big Ten West.
If all goes according to plan for Fleck and his team, Minnesota will be making its final push for a conference championship game berth when it faces Ohio State in Columbus on Nov. 18. Still, the Gophers' best hope is that it will catch Ohio State looking ahead to The Game in the penultimate week of the regular season.
Ohio State has won 12 consecutive games against Minnesota dating back to 2001, and the Buckeyes will surely want to put their best foot forward on Senior Day and their final home game of the season.
To leave Ohio Stadium with a win, the Ohio State defense will need to slow down Jackson (37 receptions, 557 yards, five TDs) and Autman-Bell, who missed all but three games last season but has caught 125 passes for 1,970 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career. The Buckeyes’ offense will also need to watch out for Lindenberg (71 tackles, three tackles for loss) and Nubin (four interceptions).
Those tasks will be easier said than done, but Ohio State will have no other option but to succeed if the program wants to enter the Michigan game with the momentum to take down the Wolverines.
at Michigan, Nov. 25
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Ohio State head coach Ryan Day shake hands before The Game at Ohio Stadium in 2022. The Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes 45-23 in the contest. (Photo Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
The 119th edition of The Game might be the most anticipated regular-season matchup in all of college football in 2023, as the Buckeyes face Michigan coming off of back-to-back losses to the Wolverines for the first time since the John Cooper era. To end Michigan’s run, Ohio State will need to defeat its rival in the year's final game, and it will need to do it in Ann Arbor.
This fall, Michigan will feature its most talented roster since Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach in 2015. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (2,719 yards, 22 TDs) and running backs Blake Corum (247 carries, 1,463 yards, 18 TDs) and Donovan Edwards (140 carries, 1,016 yards, seven TDs) will lead the Wolverines’ offense this season. Linebacker Junior Colson (101 tackles, four tackles for loss), cornerback Mike Sainristil (58 tackles, seven pass breakups) and safety Rod Moore (71 tackles, four interceptions) will pace Michigan’s defense.
The six players mentioned above are among a multitude of key players returning from last year’s team that won the Big Ten championship and made the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row, meaning Michigan will partner talent with experience in 2023. That combination, paired with a crowd of 105,000-plus packed into the Big House when Michigan hosts Ohio State on Nov. 25, will make it difficult for the Buckeyes to defeat their rivals.
But that doesn’t change the fact that beating Michigan is both the primary goal and the biggest expectation for Ohio State this year – as it is every year – and the Buckeyes will be looking forward to this game all year long with their sights set on finishing the regular season with a signature win.
“It starts with beating ‘That Team Up North.’ We haven’t beat them the past two years,” Harrison said of what a successful season would look like for Ohio State in 2023. “When you come to Ohio State, that’s the first goal we have as a program. It starts there, beating ‘That Team Up North.’ And then it’s getting to the Big Ten championship, winning that, and going on to win the national championship. When you come to Ohio State, it’s natty or bust. You can’t really have a down year or lose any games. An undefeated season – that’s a successful season.”
