Ohio State’s 2025 schedule is loaded with heavyweight matchups, but the quarterback list the Buckeyes will see might be just as telling as the teams themselves.
With 53 days left until the season opens against Ball State, Ohio State is staring at a slate that includes Texas, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan and more. That means the Buckeyes won’t just be dealing with talented rosters - they’ll be dealing with a wide range of quarterbacks, from unproven options to established stars.
Here’s how the 12 opposing quarterbacks stack up from worst to best.
At the bottom is Ball State’s situation, which is still unsettled. Tyler Mizzell and Keldric Luste are both transfer quarterbacks battling for the job, and it’s not even clear who will get the opening-day nod. With little experience in the room, the Cardinals may be in for a rough start in the Horseshoe.
Kent State’s Dru DeShields lands a little higher because he gives the Golden Flashes a real chance to hang around. DeShields passed for more than 2,000 yards and took over midseason last year, helping Kent State finish 3-2 down the stretch after a 5-7 season. Ohio State gets Kent State on Saturday, Sept. 19 at noon ET, and the Buckeyes will likely need to make life miserable for him early.
Maryland’s Malik Washington has shown flashes, including 17 touchdown passes last season, but the bigger picture around the Terrapins is messy. After a 4-0 start, Maryland dropped eight straight, and the program kept Mike Locksley despite the recent struggles. Ohio State hosts Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 10 in Columbus in the Buckeyes’ third conference game.
Iowa’s quarterback spot is still up in the air as well, with Brown described as the more traditional option. The Buckeyes head to Iowa City on Saturday, Oct. 3.
Nebraska’s T.J. Lateef brings the most experience in that quarterback room, but stepping in for Dylan Raiola won’t be simple. Ohio State’s trip to Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 21 is its final road game of the regular season.
Northwestern’s Aiden Chiles gives the Wildcats a known commodity after transferring from Michigan State. He threw for more than 4,000 yards in East Lansing even as the Spartans struggled, and now he’ll work under offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who spent part of his coaching career with the Buckeyes in 2024 as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Still, Northwestern is projected to finish 4-8 by CBS Sports, and Ohio State will host the Wildcats on Nov. 14.
Illinois has a new face at quarterback in Houser, a former East Carolina passer with prior Big Ten experience at Michigan State. He takes over for Luke Altmyer on a team that has climbed into the upper tier of the Big Ten under Bret Bielema since 2021. Ohio State gets Illinois in Columbus on Saturday, Sept. 26, after beating the Illini 34-16 in Champaign last year.
Indiana’s Josh Hoover could make things interesting in Bloomington on Saturday, Oct. 17. The former TCU quarterback replaces former Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, and if Hoover brings his Big 12 production with him, Julian Sayin could be in for a shootout.
USC’s Jayden Maiava gets another shot to deliver a marquee win for Lincoln Riley when Ohio State visits on Oct. 31. That game has real College Football Playoff implications attached to it.
Then there’s Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, who gets another crack at the Buckeyes after a rough first try in the rivalry. Ohio State rolled to a 27-9 win last time, and while Michigan has turned over its regime with Kyle Whittingham replacing Sherrone Moore, critics still aren’t sold on Underwood as the answer.
At the top of the list sits Arch Manning and Texas, and that’s because the Buckeyes may be staring at one of the season’s biggest early tests. Manning stayed in college for another year and gets his shot at Ohio State in Austin on Saturday, Sept.
- The game could double as a very early College Football Playoff preview.
And above everyone else is Oregon’s Dante Moore. The Ducks are being treated like a Big Ten title game preview already, and Moore is a bona fide Heisman contender with first-round NFL Draft buzz. Ohio State gets Oregon in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 7, in what could feel like a conference championship before December even arrives.
However the rest of the season plays out, Ohio State’s quarterback gauntlet is no joke. But the Buckeyes have seen tough schedules before, and they’ve gotten through them.
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