Here's what to know about Ohio State's second half of their schedule

Six teams down, six to go, and zero ranked opponents left on the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes’ schedule for the rest of the regular season.

Now at the halfway point of their regular season, the Buckeyes look to close the season out on a strong second act.

10/18: at Wisconsin (2-4, 0-3)

Badgers head coach Luke Fickell is hanging on by a thread to his job, and it doesn’t get any easier for him the rest of the way, starting with hosting the Buckeyes.

Wisconsin boasts a top-five run defense in the conference, allowing only 97.5 yards on the ground per game.

Quarterback Austin Simmons will look to rebound after throwing for 82 passing yards and two touchdowns in the Badgers’ 37-0 loss in the Battle for the Heartland against Iowa last week.

11/1: Penn State (3-3, 0-3)

A great deal has changed since one of the most highly anticipated Big Ten matchups of the season.

The firing of head coach James Franklin and the season-ending injury for quarterback Drew Allar have completely sunk any playoff hopes the Nittany Lions had.

Penn State’s 302.2 yards allowed per game ranks sixth in the conference and should still provide a challenge to Ohio State, even if the game has lost some of its luster.

11/8: at Purdue (2-4, 0-3)

The Boilermakers have made small strides in crawling out of a massive hole, but there is still work to do.

Purdue has thrown more interceptions than any other team in the Big Ten with nine and doesn’t pair well with the Buckeyes’ top scoring defense in the nation.

11/15: UCLA (2-4, 2-1)

Opposite of Penn State, the Bruins have ignited a fire that was invisible during the first four weeks of their season.

Offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel has helped UCLA’s offense, led by transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava, bounce back after a horrid start.

The Bruins over the past two weeks against Penn State and Michigan State have outscored their total point count from their first four games, 80-57.

More of an unknown halfway through the year, it’s difficult to project what kind of product UCLA will be by the time it takes its road trip to Columbus, but head coach Tim Skipper has his team motivated.

11/22: Rutgers (3-3, 0-3)

A team that has not been able to close out games against similar opponents, the Scarlet Knights get a tough draw near the end of the season.

Not only will they have to face a feisty Buckeyes team, but they will also fall victim to being the tuneup game before Ohio State’s bitter rivalry matchup against Michigan.

11/29: at Michigan (4-2, 2-1)

When compared on paper, the Buckeyes have the edge on the Wolverines in many of the counting stats.

But if history has taught us anything, all logic flies out the window in “The Game.”

Just like UCLA, Michigan feels like an unfinished product that’s difficult to judge.

How much will true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood develop? Can Michigan tighten down its defense after a crushing loss to USC? How will its weapons look by the end of the year?

So many questions are fluttering around Sherrone Moore’s squad, but one thing is for certain: It will bring it against Ohio State.

Pinned with two losses, Michigan will also need to win out to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, barring any miracles where multiple teams finish 9-3.

The Buckeyes will look to break the four-year losing streak to the Wolverines, likely their toughest test for the rest of the regular season.

If Ohio State has a top-two conference record by the end of the season, it will make its way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship on Dec. 6.