Ohio State Buckeyes 2024 Schedule: Full list of Big Ten opponents and rivalry outlook explored
The Ohio State Buckeyes emerged as the top-ranked team in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, thanks to two wins over top-10 opponents. If they are able to finish their conference schedule undefeated, they will likely reach for the sixth time since its inception in 2014.
The Big Ten will look much different next year, however, there will be 18 teams as the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans and Washington Huskies are set to join the conference. They recently released their 2024 conference football schedule for each of the 18 teams. Here's a look at who the Buckeyes will face in their first season in the conference:
Ohio State Buckeyes' 2024 Big Ten schedule
The Buckeyes will begin the 2024 season with four consecutive non-conference games. Their conference schedule will kick off on September 28th, with a road game against the Michigan State Spartans. Ohio State will follow that up with a home game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. They will get their first look at one of the new programs in Week 7 as they visit the Oregon Ducks.
The Buckeyes will have a bye the following week before returning home to host the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They will follow that up by visiting the Penn State Nittany Lions in a big-time matchup. Ohio State will then host the Purdue Boilermakers before visiting the Northwestern Wildcats.
They will return to Ohio Stadium as they host the Indiana Hoosiers in Week 13. The Buckeyes will finish their regular season schedule against their rivals, Michigan Wolverines, as they host "The Big Game".
What has Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said about conference realignment?
Ryan Day was asked about conference realignment during training camp just days before the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies announced that they would be joining the Big Ten. Day said:
"I don't know, you may know more than me. You hear different things going on out there. And certainly I know, the Big Ten wants to position themselves well in the future. By adding USC and UCLA, it's become a national coast-to-coast conference. And I know that we want to make sure that in the next decade or two decades down the road, we're in the best position to be the best conference in America. That's all I know." [h/t 247 Sports]