Ohio State Buckeyes Change Schedule, Will Play Akron Zips in 2024 Season Opener
Ahead of their monstrous rivalry matchup with the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes announced Tuesday that they’re already making schedule adjustments for next season.
Ohio State has officially changed its opponent for the 2024 season opener, as the Buckeyes will now play an in-state foe in the Akron Zips at home on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. Ohio State was originally set to play Southern Mississippi to start the season, but the two sides “mutually agreed to cancel the game in order to modify their respective schedules.”
The game will mark the 10th all-time meeting between OSU and Akron, the last of which occurred in 2021. The Buckeyes won that game 59-7.
Ohio State leads the all-time series 8-1. Akron won the fourth-ever meeting between the two programs, 12-6, on Sept. 5, 1894. The two teams also met the following season, but wouldn’t clash again until 2001.
This season, Akron is a woeful 2-9, but the Zips’ record in not indicative of their performance. Akron has been in seven one-score games this season, winning two. The others have been losses, which has included three crushing overtime defeats.
With the changes, here’s a look at the new 2024 schedule for Ohio State:
Aug. 31 – Akron
Sept. 7 – Western Michigan
Sept. 14 – BYE
Sept. 21 – Marshall
Sept. 28 – at Michigan State
Oct. 5 – Iowa
Oct. 12 – at Oregon
Oct. 19 – BYE
Oct. 26 – Nebraska
Nov. 2 – at Penn State
Nov. 9 – Purdue
Nov. 16 – at Northwestern
Nov. 23 – Indiana
Nov. 30 – Michigan
