When Is Ohio State’s Spring Game? Everything Buckeye Fans Need to Know

Here is everything Ohio State fans need to know about the Buckeyes' upcoming spring game.

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day looks on in the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The college basketball season has officially come to a close, which means Ohio State fans can now shift their focus to the upcoming football season.

Although the college football regular season doesn't kick off until August, Ohio State will step onto the field in April for its spring game, and here is everything fans need to know about the big event.

When and where is Ohio State's spring game

Ohio State is set to hold its spring game on April 18 at Ohio Stadium, kicking off at 12:00 p.m. This will be the Buckeyes' first time on the field since their loss to Miami in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Although Ohio State will be scrimmaging against itself, it will be exciting to see the Buckeyes back in action for the first time in nearly four months.

What channel is the game on

The Big Ten Network will broadcast Ohio State's spring game, as it has in previous years. Last season, Fox aired the game after the Buckeyes clinched the national championship, but this year, the team will return to the Big Ten Network for coverage.

Why is the spring game important?

It may seem a bit unusual for college football teams to scrimmage against each other in April, especially when their regular season doesn’t kick off for another five months. However, for many players, this is their first opportunity to step onto the field and showcase their skills.

Ohio State brought in a slew of new transfers and recruits this season, and they’ll be playing in the "Horseshoe" for the first time. It is good to get the butterflies of playing in places like Ohio Stadium out of the way in an exhibition game, then do it in a real game in September.

The Buckeyes have been participating in spring practices for about a month, and the spring game wraps up these sessions before the players head out for summer break.

Head coach Ryan Day and the coaching staff will have three months to evaluate what they observed during spring practices and the spring game before fall camp kicks off at the end of July.

Almost every major college football program hosts a spring game, but some, like Texas, USC and Nebraska, have canceled its games in recent seasons for various reasons. Concerns about teams poaching players and trying to get them into the spring portal have played a part in these decisions.