Ranking Ohio State’s 2021 opponents by difficulty: No. 5 – Minnesota

An early look at each upcoming adversary on the Buckeyes’ 2021 schedule, and an attempt at putting them in order from least to most challenging for Ohio State.

2021 Ohio State Football Schedule

Sept. 2 – at Minnesota

Sept. 11 – Oregon

Sept. 18 – Tulsa

Sept. 25 – Akron

Oct. 2 – at Rutgers

Oct. 9 – Maryland

Oct. 23 – at Indiana

Oct. 30 – Penn State

Nov. 6 – at Nebraska

Nov. 13 – Purdue

Nov. 20 – Michigan State

Nov. 27 – at Michigan

The first opponent on the docket for Ohio State in 2021 is no cupcake, and in fact, we have the Golden Gophers pegged as one of the top five toughest opponents on the Buckeyes’ 12-game schedule.

Minnesota is just one season removed from an 11-2 2019 campaign in which P.J. Fleck was the talk of the town in the Big Ten, and even though 2020’s 3-4 finish threatened to snuff that momentum out entirely, the 2021 roster still has several of the same pieces that made the ‘19 team tick.

The run game should be among the Big Ten’s best once again this season, but can Tanner Morgan and the Gopher pass attack get back on track to resemble its 2019 form? The answer to that question may determine just how tight Minnesota will be able to play Ohio State, and it certainly does not hurt Fleck’s cause that he’s getting a brand new Buckeye quarterback on the road in Week One.