Ohio State opens the 2026 season as a massive favorite, with the Buckeyes listed at 50.5 points over Ball State and the over/under set at 56.5.
That kind of number says plenty about how Vegas sees this matchup. Ball State is coming off a 4-8 season, one that ended without a postseason berth and with a 10th-place finish in the MAC. The Cardinals also struggled badly away from home, going 0-7 on the road, and their first game of 2026 comes in that same setting.
For Ohio State, this is a far more manageable starting point than last season’s opener. A year ago, the Buckeyes kicked things off against then-No.
1 Texas in Ohio Stadium. That rematch now waits one more week, giving both teams a lighter game to begin the year.
Texas is on deck for Ohio State in Week 2, and the Longhorns are only 30.5-point favorites against Texas State, a noticeably tighter spread than what the Buckeyes are dealing with here.
There is not much mystery around what Ohio State needs to do against Ball State. The Buckeyes are expected to handle business, and the only real question is how cleanly they do it.
A lopsided win would be little more than a box checked. A tighter game would linger.
Last season, Ohio State topped 50 points only once, when it rolled Grambling State in Week 2. The Buckeyes then beat Ohio 37-9 in Week 3.
Still, the recent history against MAC opponents is dominant. Over the last 10 years, Ohio State is 7-0 against MAC schools and has won those games by an average of 54.1 points. The biggest margin in that stretch was a 71-point win over Miami (Ohio), while the smallest came last season against Ohio, when the Buckeyes won by 28.
In Other News...
Griffin Name Returns To The Shoe With Something To Prove
Diant Griffins return to Ohio Stadium in a Ball State uniform adds an unusual layer to Ohio States season opener, because the grandson of Archie Griffin spent part of his college career right there in Columbus before transferring for his final year. He left with a national championship ring, a degree and a set of relationships that still matter to him, and now hes back on the opposing sideline with the chance to measure himself in a place that helped shape his career.
For Griffin, the matchup is about more than family history or a familiar setting. He has made clear hes proud of what he accomplished at Ohio State, but he also wants to be seen as his own player, not just a name tied to Buckeye lore. Ball State gives him that stage, and the opener in the Shoe offers the kind of backdrop that can make a personal proving ground feel a lot bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio Stadium Is Changing The Buckeyes Game Day Experience This Season
Ohio Stadium is heading into the 2026 season with a noticeable makeover, and the Ohio State athletic department spent a press conference outlining a long list of changes meant to alter the experience for fans inside and around the building. The updates touch just about every part of a home game, from a new FieldTurf playing surface and a new video board above the north end zone to field level suites and improved WiFi service powered by AI.
The changes also reach beyond the field, with expanded facial authentication for entry and new traffic barriers designed to enhance security on game days. And amid all the modernization, the Buckeyes will also add a more traditional touch, unveiling a new sign honoring former coach Jim Tressel as the stadium gets ready for another chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Biggest 2026 Matchups Just Got A TV Hint
The 2026 schedule is starting to take shape for Ohio State, and the latest Big Ten media-rights draft offered a useful hint about two of the Buckeyes biggest regular-season games. Scott Dochterman reported the expected television assignments for Ohio States matchups with Indiana and Oregon, adding to a slate that already has several kickoff times and networks announced, including games against Ball State, Texas, Kent State and Michigan.
If the draft holds, the Indiana game would land in the noon window on FOX with Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt on the call, while Oregon would get a 3:30 p.m. FOX slot with Brad Nessler and Charles Davis. For Ohio State, the network placement matters almost as much as the opponent in a season built around marquee dates, and these early TV hints only sharpen the intrigue around two games that should carry plenty of weight in the Big Ten race. [Read more 🡒]