Heading into the 2026 season, Ohio State’s path through the Big Ten looks a whole lot different-and that’s exactly what this team needs.
Last year, the Buckeyes cruised through conference play. Games that were circled as marquee matchups-Michigan, Penn State, Illinois-ended up being one-sided affairs.
Ohio State looked dominant, but that dominance came at a price. With little resistance in the regular season, the Buckeyes entered the College Football Playoff untested in tight, high-stakes situations.
When the moment demanded grit and late-game execution, they didn’t have the reps to match the moment.
That likely won’t be the case in 2026.
Penn State isn’t on the schedule this time around, but in its place is a stretch of games that promises to challenge Ohio State in ways last year’s slate simply didn’t. Indiana, Oregon, Michigan, and Iowa all await-and each brings its own brand of adversity.
Let’s start with Iowa. That game comes early in the Big Ten schedule, and it’s a road trip to Kinnick Stadium-one of the trickiest venues in the conference.
Iowa’s not flashy, but they’re physical, disciplined, and relentless on defense. Just ask Indiana and Oregon, both of whom went into Iowa City and came away with wins last year.
The Buckeyes will be looking to do the same, and if they can, it could pay dividends later in the season. Winning tough road games in hostile environments builds the kind of resilience that can’t be faked in practice.
Then there’s USC. Don’t be fooled by the fact that the Trojans aren’t what they were in the Pete Carroll era.
Playing USC in the Coliseum is still a big deal. It’s a cross-country trip to one of college football’s most iconic venues, and it comes at a tricky point in the season-late October, right after a bye week and a road game at Indiana, and just before a major showdown with Oregon.
That’s the definition of a trap game. The Buckeyes will need to stay sharp, focused, and hungry, because USC, regardless of record, won’t roll over.
And speaking of road challenges, don’t sleep on Nebraska. The Cornhuskers may be an unknown commodity heading into 2026, but Memorial Stadium is no picnic-especially in late November.
Cold weather, a raucous crowd, and a team with nothing to lose? That’s a dangerous mix.
It’s also the week before The Game against Michigan, which means the Buckeyes will have to balance looking ahead with taking care of business in the moment. That’s easier said than done.
The good news? This is the kind of schedule that can forge a championship-caliber team.
There are no easy outs. There’s no coasting through the conference.
Quarterback Julian Sayin will be tested-he’ll have to make plays late in games, in pressure-packed moments, against defenses that aren’t giving anything away. That kind of experience can’t be simulated.
It has to be earned, week by week.
If Ohio State is going to make a deeper run in the College Football Playoff, it starts with being battle-tested in the regular season. And this year, they’ll get that chance.
No more cakewalks. Just a gauntlet of meaningful games that could sharpen this team into something special.