Get ready, Buckeye Nation—2026 is shaping up to be a season you won't want to miss. Ohio State's schedule is packed with high-stakes matchups that promise to test this team like never before. Forget any talk of an easy ride through the Big Ten; the non-conference slate is equally fierce, with no FCS cupcakes in sight. This year's regular season is going to be a thrilling, rewarding journey for the Buckeyes and their fans, filled with games that will prove just how battle-tested this squad really is.
Think back to the 2006 Buckeyes, who had to fight through a tough schedule to reach 12-0 before the National Championship. That kind of grit is exactly what we can expect this time around. With major question marks surrounding the team, many of these games could be hyper-competitive nail-biters. Road trips to Iowa, USC, and Nebraska, plus home showdowns against Oregon and Michigan—that's just the beginning of the action.
But there are two games on the schedule that stand out above the rest, and they might not be the obvious picks. Let's start with Week 2: a trip to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns. This is going to be a showcase of elite talent across the field. I'm hoping it's not just the ABC Saturday night game of the week, but also the destination for College Gameday. It's been four years since Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit called a regular-season Ohio State game, and that wait should end in this electric atmosphere.
The quarterback duel alone is worth the hype. Julian Sayin and Arch Manning are projected as top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft, and the spotlight will be blazing on both of them. Remember their Week 1 clash last season? Both were so green, and their inexperience showed. But they've grown immensely since then, making this rematch a must-watch. And don't forget Jeremiah Smith—another highly touted prospect whose performance in this game could skyrocket his draft stock, potentially to No. 1 overall next April.
Ohio State has won two straight against Texas, but this time the game is in the Longhorns' home stadium. They'll be hungry for revenge. With the stakes this high, this is the kind of game that defines a season—and a team's legacy.