The Big Ten and Ohio State announced revised conference-only football schedules for the 2020 season on Wednesday Aug. 5, and it revealed all sorts of sliding blocks.
The biggest takeaway is that ‘The Game’ against Michigan will no longer take place during the final week of the regular season as it traditionally has since 1942, rather, it will be played on Oct. 24. The season will open on a Thursday in Champaign-Urbana against Illinois, marking the first road trip to face the Fighting Illini since 2015.
Ohio State drew Purdue as its added 10th game, which will come on Sept. 19, building an early theme of vengeance throughout the schedule. Each season is never smooth week-by-week, so here are the games that will be most challenging for the Buckeyes, from least to most difficult.
10. Rutgers (Sept. 12)
For as early as the Scarlet Knights play this season, this may have the look and feel of a nonconference game.
Rutgers is a team that just has not challenged Ohio State since the former joined the Big Ten in 2014. The Buckeyes have won by no less than 35 points in any of the six contests. In fact, Ohio State has yet to allow more than two touchdowns against Rutgers.
Johnny Langan led the team in passing and returns as an option-passer as the Scarlet Knights have been noted as a team that likes to run the ball. Isaih Pacheco led the team in rush yards as a freshman last season. Tyshon Fogg was the team leader in tackles and figures to be a key member of the defense as he enters his senior season at linebacker.
Rutgers has not scored a touchdown in Ohio Stadium since the first game it played in Columbus nearly six years ago. This will be a stat worth watching come the second game of the season.
9. at Maryland (Oct. 31)
The scheduling for this game against the Terrapins allows the Buckeyes to already be in the swing of things as this is the eighth game of the season.
Maryland traveled to Columbus late last year and did not come out any hotter than the temperature outside (around 40 degrees Fahrenheit was the kickoff temperature). A 73-14 throttling sent the Terrapins back to College Park, where the Buckeyes did not exactly play their best last time they were there.
A close 52-51 contest in Nov. 2018 almost bounced Ohio State from contending for the Big Ten conference title later that fall. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley was not around for that game as he was co-offensive coordinator at Alabama, but his presence didn’t feel much different last season when he was leading Maryland on the sideline.
Anthony McFarland was the Terrapins’ most versatile offensive back who ran for 614 yards and showed teams he could also catch a pass. His declaration for the NFL was coupled with Javon Leake’s similar decision to head to the pro ranks, and the latter accumulated 736 rush yards himself.
Safety Antoine Brooke also declared for the NFL, leaving younger players in the Maryland secondary having to fill his void. Former Buckeyes and Terrapins linebacker Keandre Jones graduated from the program after leading the team with seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.
The Maryland defense will have some holes, and the Ohio State offense that ranked fifth in the country in yards-per game last season will be sure to capitalize.
8. Nebraska (Oct. 10)
This is the first of two games where the Buckeyes will be coming out of a bye week, which could spell ‘trap game’ all over it.
Ohio State has come into its last five matchups with Nebraska as a ranked team, winning all five games rather handedly aside from a five-point margin the last time the Huskers visited Columbus.
In his first trip to Ohio Stadium, Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez passed for 266 of his 2,617 passing yards during his freshman year in 2018, but took a step back last season as he narrowly missed 2,000 pass yards and threw nine interceptions while taking 96 less attempts. He completed only eight passes and threw three interceptions against the Buckeyes last year.
The Ohio State defense limited the Huskers’ rushing leader Dedrick Mills to 77 scrimmage yards in their game last fall, and only allowed 231 yards of offense.
Linebacker JoJo Domann was the jack-of-all-trades for the Nebraska defense last season, picking up ten tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, stealing an interception and forcing two fumbles. He was able to pick up four tackles and half of a sack during last year’s contest against the Buckeyes.
With some veteran players returning and the Buckeyes coming out of a bye week, which will not be the case for Nebraska as it will host Minnesota the week prior, perhaps the Huskers will roll into the next week and give Ohio State a run for its money.
7. Indiana (Sept. 26)
It has been 32 years since the last time the Hoosiers emerged victorious against the Buckeyes. In fact, the two teams have tied more recently as a 27-27 draw resulted in 1990.
Ohio State has grown accustomed to playing Indiana early in the season, and another September matchup just might draw a similar outcome as seasons past. Tom Allen nearly won the Gator Bowl in his fourth season at the helm of Indiana, and it took two quarterbacks who passed for over 1,394 yards to get him there.
Ohio State saw Peyton Ramsey last fall at Indiana and held the then-junior to a 57.6% completion rate. Ramsey has since transferred to Northwestern, likely allowing Michael Penix Jr. to settle into the starting job as a dual-threat player.
Stevie Scott was held to just nine yards rushing against the Buckeyes a season ago, but led the Hoosiers with 845 rush yards come season’s end. He managed 70 yards of offense two years ago as a freshman, and it's safe to say the Buckeyes defense has had his number. When the Hoosiers don’t run the ball or perhaps play the option as Penix Jr. allows, they have a 1,000-yard receiver in Whop Philyor.
The Buckeyes have scored no less than 27 points against the Hoosiers since 1994, so Indiana must have to figure out a way to slow or lessen the thuds the Ohio State offense makes.
6. at Purdue (Sept. 19)
Oh, the spoilers.
Last time Ohio State played Purdue it was 7-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country, while the Boilermakers were 3-3 but on a three-game winning streak. Ohio State’s playoff hopes went out the window in a 49-20 defeat, to say the least.
Don’t you think the Buckeyes would like to get some revenge on the same field at which such a dramatic loss occurred?
If Purdue wants to pull off the upset once again it will have to do it without 2018 All-American wide receiver Rondale Moore, who opted-out of the 2020 season. Purdue will have to figure out its quarterback and running back positions, but the Boilermakers have another star receiver in Third Team All-Big Ten selection David Bell.
Bell finished third in the conference for most receiving yards-per game with 86.3, hauling in seven touchdown passes to boot. But without the threat of Moore and the loss of tight end Brycen Hopkins, Bell will likely draw heavy defense from opposing defensive backs like Shaun Wade.
The Buckeyes are 8-5 against Purdue since 2000, with two blowout victories of their own of 49 and 56 points. Frustration and a taste for revenge will be on the forefront of the Buckeyes’ minds heading into West Lafayette.
5. at Illinois (Sept. 3)
The inconsistency and unfamiliarity with playing a team like the Fighting Illini makes this game more of a concern than one with peace of mind.
Ohio State has not lost in Champaign-Urbana since 1991, before all of the players on its current roster were even alive. The Buckeyes picked up a blowout victory the first time they played against Lovie Smith as head coach in 2017. This will be his first time playing the Buckeyes on his home turf, but the pressure of the first game will be heightened no matter the venue.
Despite a victory over No. 6 Wisconsin and appearing in its first bowl game since Dec. 2014, Illinois lost its final three games last season but had some shining spots on the team. Brandon Peters threw for 1,884 yards in his first year since transferring from Michigan. Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown both rushed for over 584 yards and picked up at least five touchdowns on the ground.
Defensive back Sydney Brown and linebacker Dele Harding were named Third Team All-Big Ten defenders, and the latter racked up a whopping 149 tackles to finish second in the nation. Credit where credit is due, the grit of the Illinois football team cannot be ignored.
Three years have passed since the most recent game against the Fighting Illini, but look for the Buckeyes to come out strong to start the season.
4. at Michigan State (Oct. 17)
When Ohio State is ranked No. 2, it has some tough luck when competing against Michigan State.
First Michigan State defeated Ohio State in the 2013 Big Ten championship game, then it shocked the Buckeyes with a game-winning field goal as time expired in 2015, and then gave the Scarlet and Gray a scare as the Buckeyes narrowly defeated the Spartans 17-16 the following year.
However, this season could be different as the Spartans are dealing with some changing-of-the-guard uncertainties as Mel Tucker was named the program’s first new head coach since Mark Deantonio took over in 2007.
Brian Lewerke left for the NFL after handling starting duties at quarterback the last three seasons, but never could find a way to beat Ohio State. Interceptions-leader Josiah Scott, sacks-leader Kenny Willekes and leading-receiver Cody White all followed their quarterback to the pro ranks.
Those are some serious departures that will be sure to be felt.
3. Michigan (Oct. 24)
It still feels weird to write down a non-November date for “The Game.”
But it doesn’t matter to the Buckeyes, as Justin Fields said “I really don’t care when we play the team up north. I really just want to play them and beat the brakes off of them.”
Jim Harbaugh has certainly had a rough go at getting the best of the Buckeyes in his tenure as head coach of the Wolverines. His 0-5 record surely will be a motivating factor to turn the tide, but it will be incredibly difficult even with Ohio State having lost two AP All-Americans on defense.
The major question is who will handle Michigan’s quarterback position. Shea Patterson held down the spot the last two seasons, but prior to that a new player led the team in passing each of Harbaugh’s first three seasons.
Five Wolverines defenders were selected in the NFL Draft this past April. First Team All-Big Ten defensive back Lavert Hill returns after a three interception and nine passes defended. Second Team All-Big Ten defensive lineman Kwity Paye returns as the team’s tackles leader, also finishing second on the team in sacks.
Even though “The Game” will have a non-traditional look and feel to it, it likely will have a traditional ending.
2. Iowa (Nov. 21)
Kirk Ferentz has been head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes since 1999, the longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten.
He has led the Hawkeyes to victory over Ohio State just twice in 21 years with their latest - and largest margin of victory - coming in their most recent game. The Hawkeyes bested the Buckeyes by a score of 55-24 in Nov. 2017, and will forever be the team that gave J.T. Barrett his final career loss in scarlet and gray.
Nate Stanley was Iowa’s quarterback in that blowout game which made the Buckeyes fringe candidates to make the College Football Playoff, and was selected in the NFL Draft this past April. Ferentz will have plenty of time to figure out who will sling the rock by the final game of the season, but other questions loom on the defense.
Team sacks leader and First Team All-Big Ten defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa departed the program for the NFL in addition to team interceptions leader defensive back Michael Ojemudia and Second Team All-Big Ten safety Geno Stone.
Despite the key losses on defense and the question marks on offense, Iowa has managed to give Ohio State fits over the years. Prior to the last game, the Hawkeyes led the Buckeyes 17-10 at halftime in 2013, held a fourth-quarter lead in 2010, and took the game in 2009 to overtime where a 39-yard field goal was able to keep Ohio State in the win column.
Following a bye week, the Buckeyes will welcome the Hawkeyes to The Shoe for the first time since 2013. Iowa has been a thorn in Ohio State’s side, and depending on how much is on the line come the final week of the regular season, there could be a lot at stake and enough pressure going into Ohio Stadium to where this could be yet another nailbiter.
1. at Penn State (Nov. 7)
The Nittany Lions have made the recent case that they are the ones who are the Buckeyes’ modern rivalry.
The Penn State “White Out” is notorious for being a unique atmosphere in college football, and that is where Ohio State will do battle. The Buckeyes have not had the easiest time playing in a “White Out” in recent years; however, Penn State has determined that no fans will be in attendance at fall sports this year, taking a big factor out of the stadium atmosphere.
Nonetheless, Penn State head coach James Franklin will likely do anything to spoil yet another Buckeyes juggernaut heading into Beaver Stadium.
Sean Clifford returns at quarterback but will need to find a new favorite target quickly. KJ Hamler was drafted out of the program and leaves a major hole on the sidelines as Penn State has not had a receiver not named Hamler catch more than 507 yards since 2017.
Journey Brown returns handling the ball in the backfield as the offense did not lose much else. The junior could well be the next great Big Ten running back with the fourth-most rush yards for a returning player in the conference.
However, the reported loss of linebacker Micah Parsons will dampen the hopes of the Penn State faithful. The absence of some of the key veterans - and fans - is something of which Ohio State will take advantage.
