Ohio Stadium is getting a facelift - and Buckeye fans will notice the changes as early as the 2026 season.
Already set to debut new premium seating in the south end zone next fall, Ohio State is also rolling out a brand-new video board in the north end zone. The university’s Board of Trustees approved the upgrade back in December, greenlighting a $6.5 million project that includes the new scoreboard and several other enhancements.
The goal? To have everything ready to go before the first kickoff of the 2026 campaign.
This isn’t just a cosmetic update. It’s part of a broader push by Ohio State to modernize the Horseshoe and elevate the gameday experience - a continuation of the “Tradition Evolved” initiative that launched in 2025. Athletic director Ross Bjork has been clear: the Buckeyes want to blend the program’s storied history with cutting-edge technology to keep Ohio Stadium among the elite venues in college football.
The north end zone scoreboard, which last saw a major upgrade in 2009 with the addition of an LED videoboard, is due for a refresh. That same offseason, the east and west ribbon boards were also replaced and extended across the stadium’s length. Now, nearly two decades later, the next phase of renovations is underway.
But the north end zone isn’t the only part of the stadium getting attention. The south end zone - home to the main scoreboard - is also in line for a major overhaul.
That project, which carries a proposed $22 million price tag, will include a new scoreboard, ribbon board replacements, updated audio systems, and refreshed Pay Forward Society signage. While the Board of Trustees hasn’t formally approved that phase yet, it’s expected to move forward soon, with a target completion date before the 2027 season.
For context, the south scoreboard was last updated in 2012. That renovation brought a larger videoboard, upgraded sound systems, and new LED ribbon boards - upgrades that at the time helped push Ohio Stadium into the modern era. But with technology advancing rapidly and fan expectations rising, the Buckeyes are once again raising the bar.
Bjork hinted last August that the timeline for these upgrades could stretch into 2027, but the hope is to have as much in place as possible by the 2026 season.
And it’s not just Ohio State making moves. On January 13, Illinois announced plans to install a massive new scoreboard at Gies Memorial Stadium - measuring over 17,300 square feet, which would make it the largest main video display in college football. That kind of arms race in stadium tech is becoming more common across the country, and it’s clear Ohio State isn’t interested in falling behind.
For fans, these upgrades mean more than just a sharper picture or louder sound. They’re about enhancing the experience - making every Saturday in the Shoe feel just a little more electric, a little more immersive, and a lot more unforgettable.