Ohio State’s 2026 regular season will go by without a home night game.
The Big Ten announced Monday that the Buckeyes’ Nov. 14 meeting with Northwestern will start at noon ET on FOX, locking in another daytime kickoff for Ohio Stadium and leaving Ohio State without a night game at home this fall. It will be the fourth noon game of the season for the Buckeyes, and also their fourth appearance on FOX.
That matchup gives Ohio State a final scheduled home game of the regular season in the noon window as well.
The game will also mark the first time Ohio State and Northwestern have played at Ohio Stadium during the Ryan Day era, and the first trip to Columbus for the Wildcats since the 2016 season. Ohio State has gone 4-0 against Northwestern under Day, including two wins in the Big Ten Championship Game.
The Buckeyes have owned this series for a long time. Ohio State leads Northwestern 66-14-1 all-time, has won 11 straight meetings, and has taken 35 of the last 36 matchups dating back to 1971.
The teams last met in 2024, when No. 2 Ohio State beat Northwestern 31-7 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Carnell Tate had two touchdown catches in his hometown, and Jeremiah Smith posted four receptions for 100 yards.
Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson powered the ground game with 150 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. On defense, Sonny Styles finished with two sacks, six tackles and two pass breakups, while Jack Sawyer forced the game’s only turnover and matched the team lead with seven tackles.
Ohio State will now turn toward Nov. 14 with another noon kickoff against a familiar opponent, this time back in Columbus and back on FOX.
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