Why Ohio State Football’s Difficult Schedule Should Scare Buckeyes Fans

Ohio State’s 2025 schedule included hosting the then No. 1 team in the AP rankings, the Texas Longhorns, along with going on the road to face 17th-ranked Illinois, and, of course, going to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines for the final game of the year.

This schedule ranked as the 20th toughest in the country, but the upcoming schedule for the Buckeyes next season will undoubtedly rank higher.

The season starts with hosting the Ball State Cardinals, an easy week 1 for the Bucks, but there won’t be much importance put on that game; it is who OSU travels to play week 2 that will be highlighted.

Inside OSU's tough schedule

The Buckeyes will be traveling to Austin, Texas, to take on the Longhorns in a high-stakes matchup. Texas finished the 2025 season beating Michigan in the Citrus Bowl and ranked 12th. The Longhorns will be led by Junior quarterback and top draft prospect Arch Manning, along with bringing in the third-ranked transfer portal class, according to 247 Sports.

Week 3 should be another win for the Buckeyes when they host another MAC opponent, the Kent State Golden Flashes. Staying home for week 4, Illinois will travel to Columbus for the start of Big Ten play.

Week five posts another road test, though, when Iowa hosts Ohio State. Iowa City has posed a threat to the Buckeyes, as the last time they played in Kinnick in 2017, the Hawkeyes rolled 55-24. The last time Ohio State has won at Iowa was in 2010, winning 20-17.

Maryland comes to Columbus for week six, but the next three games for the Buckeyes will test their might.

Week seven may be the toughest game on their schedule, when they go to Bloomington to take on the defending national champion Indiana Hooisers. While the Hooisers will be without Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, coach Curt Cignetti has been loading up in the transfer portal with quarterback Josh Hoover and receiver Nick Marsh.

Next, the Buckeyes will continue their road trip to the West Coast to play USC. A USC team that finished in the top 20 of the AP poll and brought in the top recruiting class in the nation with multiple five stars.

The end of this mid-season rut for Ohio State finishes with the Oregon Ducks coming to Columbus for another top Big Ten showdown. Dante Moore will be back to quarterback the Ducks as they search for some revenge after the Rose Bowl beatdown last year.

Northwestern should be a good reset game, but the week before “The Game”, Ohio State has to travel to Nebraska in a tough environment.

Of course, the season will end with hosting the team from up north, which is undoubtedly going to be a hard-fought game.

Going on the road to face Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC, and Nebraska will give OSU all they can handle, with none of those games a sure win. Along with playing Oregon, the Buckeyes won’t avoid any of the top Big Ten teams.