Ohio State is heading into 2026 with the kind of schedule that leaves very little room to breathe, and On3 is already treating three of the Buckeyes’ Big Ten matchups like absolute must-watch games.
That makes sense when you look at where Ohio State is coming from. The Buckeyes went 12-0 last season before dropping their final two games, including a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game. The offense sputtered in that one, and now Ohio State gets a shot at payback in a season where the expectations are sky-high.
The Buckeyes are viewed as one of the favorites to win the Big Ten and the national championship, but they’ll have to survive one of the toughest slates in the country to get there. The first major test comes in Week 2 against Texas, and the Big Ten schedule doesn’t exactly ease up after that.
On3’s list of the top five Big Ten games in 2026 puts Ohio State at the center of the conference’s biggest matchups. The Buckeyes’ game against Indiana is ranked No. 1, their home game against Oregon is No. 2, and their home game against TTUN is No. 3.
NEW: Top 5 Big Ten Football Games in 2026🔥
(via @crainandcone) https://t.co/SLxn1ZC8zt pic.twitter.com/D1AjsGCaqb
- On3 (@On3) July 14, 2026
With Ohio State showing up in the top three, On3 is clearly signaling where it thinks the league’s biggest spotlight will land this season. The Big Ten has won the last three national titles, including Ohio State’s run in 2024, and these games loom as the ones that could shape whether the Buckeyes stay in that conversation.
Beyond the Texas trip, those three conference games stand out as the defining points on the schedule. If Ohio State is going to make another College Football Playoff push, those are the matchups that will tell the story.
The Buckeyes, though, sound confident about where they’re headed. They believe they have the pieces to run the table, and the offense gives them a real reason to think that way. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith are both back, and Ohio State expects to lean heavily on them in the passing game.
Those two should be preseason Heisman Trophy favorites, and they’ll be central to everything Ohio State tries to do on offense. The challenge, of course, is whether the defense can keep Indiana and Oregon from putting up points in those huge conference showdowns.
By the time those late-season games arrive, Ohio State should be comfortable with what Arthur Smith wants to do on offense. The Buckeyes should have the new playbook down, and the final game of the year could end up being a particularly entertaining one for fans, with the source describing it as one that could break Bryce Underwood for good.
In Other News...
Ohio State Is Suddenly Building Something Big In The 2028 Class
Ohio States 2028 recruiting board is starting to take on a familiar shape, and it begins with wide receiver Jett Harrison already in the fold. The Buckeyes have not stopped there, either, as they continue to work on other highly regarded pass-catchers, including Carson LaCombe, who earned an offer after his visit to campus.
The bigger picture is just as intriguing because the staff is also pressing ahead on quarterback Christopher Vargas, another top 2028 name who has already been to Columbus. With Harrison committed and more elite skill talent still on the radar, Ohio State is laying early groundwork for a class that could become something substantial if the momentum keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One Lingering Problem That Could Derail 2026
Ohio States special teams has been a lingering concern for a while now, and the numbers have not exactly offered much comfort. Even during the Buckeyes national championship run in 2024, the unit ranked around 82nd in efficiency, then slipped again in 2025, leaving a part of the roster that should provide hidden value instead feeling like a weekly source of unease.
The problems have shown up in the most avoidable ways, from missed field goals to shaky punt-return work and too many self-inflicted errors. With a demanding 2026 schedule looming, Ohio State does not need special teams to be flashy, just steady, clean and dependable enough to stop handing away field position and momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A New QB Pipeline Question
Ohio States quarterback room has hardly ever been the issue under Ryan Day, but the recruiting pipeline is suddenly worth watching again. Brady Edmunds remains committed to the Buckeyes 2027 class for now, yet there is real movement around his future, and that has put a little extra pressure on Ohio State to keep the position stocked the way it usually does.
Day is already working on the next wave, and Christopher Vargas has emerged as the name to know in the 2028 class. The five-star has visited Columbus multiple times and seems to have a strong feel for the program, which is why Ohio State is in a promising spot, even if nothing is locked in yet. For a staff that likes to stay ahead of the curve at quarterback, this is one of those recruitments that could shape the depth chart well beyond the current era. [Read more 🡒]