2026 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

2026 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 7
AP	No. 7
Record	2–1 (0–0 Big Ten)
Head coach	Ryan Day (8th season)
Offensive coordinator	Arthur Smith (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Keenan Bailey (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Matt Patricia (2nd season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Tim Walton (2nd season)
Captains	Brandon Inniss Kenyatta Jackson Jaylen McClain Payton Pierce Julian Sayin Austin Siereveld Jeremiah Smith
Home stadium	Ohio Stadium
Seasons ← 2025 2027 →

2026 Big Ten Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 12 USC		1	–	0					4	–	0
UCLA		1	–	0					3	–	0
No. 5 Indiana		0	–	0					3	–	0
No. 17 Iowa		0	–	0					3	–	0
No. 18 Michigan		0	–	0					3	–	0
Nebraska		0	–	0					3	–	0
No. 13 Penn State		0	–	0					3	–	0
Washington		0	–	0					3	–	0
Northwestern		0	–	0					2	–	0
Illinois		0	–	0					2	–	1
Maryland		0	–	0					2	–	1
Michigan State		0	–	0					2	–	1
Minnesota		0	–	0					2	–	1
No. 7 Ohio State		0	–	0					2	–	1
No. 20 Oregon		0	–	0					2	–	1
Wisconsin		0	–	0					2	–	1
Purdue		0	–	1					1	–	2
Rutgers		0	–	1					0	–	3
Championship: December 5, 2026
As of September 24, 2026 Rankings from AP poll

The 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes football team officially represent The Ohio State University as they are a member of the Big Ten Conference (B1G) during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They are led by their eighth-year head coach Ryan Day, and also play home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. It is the Buckeyes' 137th season overall and 114th as a member of the Big Ten. On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the Scarlet vs Gray Spring Game was played.

Ohio State's regular season winning streak since Week 1 of the previous year was snapped with a Week 2 road loss to Texas. As a result, the Buckeyes failed to match their 12–0 regular season record from 2025. It was also the largest fourth-quarter collapse by an AP No. 1 team in NCAA Football history.

During their Week 3 blowout win against Kent State, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith broke Michael Jenkins's record for most receiving yards in Ohio State Football history.

Offseason

Positions key

Offense	Defense	Special teams
QB — Quarterback RB — Running back FB — Fullback WR — Wide receiver TE — Tight end OL — Offensive lineman T — Tackle G — Guard C — Center	DL — Defensive lineman DT — Defensive tackle[a] DE — Defensive end EDGE — Edge rusher LB — Linebacker[b] DB — Defensive back CB — Cornerback S — Safety[c]	K — Kicker[d] P — Punter LS — Long snapper RS — Return specialist[e]
Includes nose tackle (NT) Includes middle linebacker (MLB/MIKE), weakside linebacker (WILL), strongside linebacker (SAM), off-ball linebacker, and outside linebacker (OLB) Includes free safety (FS) and strong safety (SS) Also known as a placekicker (PK) Includes kickoff and punt returners

Coaching staff changes

Departures

Name	Position	New team	New position
Brian Hartline	Offensive coordinator	South Florida	Head coach
Marcus Johnson	Assistant offensive line coach	Arkansas	Offensive line coach
Tony Washington Jr.	Assistant defensive line coach	Kentucky	Outside linebackers/Defensive ends coach
Michael Hunter Jr.	Assistant defensive backs coach	Los Angeles Rams	Cornerbacks coach

Additions

Name	Position	Previous team	Previous position
Cortez Hankton	Wide receivers coach	LSU	Wide receivers coach
Anthony Schlegel	Associate director of strength and conditioning	None
Arthur Smith	Offensive coordinator	Pittsburgh Steelers	Offensive coordinator
Robby Discher	Special teams coordinator	Illinois	Special teams coordinator

Players drafted into the NFL

See also: 2026 NFL draft

Round	Pick	NFL team	Player	Position
1	4	Tennessee Titans	Carnell Tate	WR
1	5	New York Giants	Arvell Reese	LB
1	7	Washington Commanders	Sonny Styles	LB
1	11	Dallas Cowboys	Caleb Downs	S
2	36	Houston Texans	Kayden McDonald	DT
2	61	Los Angeles Rams	Max Klare	TE
2	62	Buffalo Bills	Davison Igbinosun	CB
3	87	Miami Dolphins	Will Kacmarek	TE
5	172	New Orleans Saints	Lorenzo Styles Jr.	S
6	214	Indianapolis Colts	Caden Curry	DE
7	231	Atlanta Falcons	Ethan Onianwa	OT
Undrafted		New Orleans Saints	CJ Donaldson	RB
Undrafted		Carolina Panthers	Tywone Malone Jr.	DT
Undrafted		Cleveland Browns	John Ferlmann	LS

Transfers

Outgoing

The Buckeyes lost 38 players to the transfer portal.^[1][2]

Player	Number	Position	Height	Weight	Class	Hometown	New school
Devontae Armstrong	#73	IOL	6'5"	314	Sophomore	Elyria, OH	Miami (OH)
Jarquez Carter	#91	DL	6'1"	288	Freshman	Newberry, FL	Miami (FL)
Jackson Courville	#96	K	5'10"	185	Junior	Centerville, OH	Tulane
Faheem Delane	#10	S	6'1"	210	Freshman	Good Hope, MD	LSU
Sam Dixon	#24	RB	5'11"	206	Sophomore	Pickerington, OH	South Carolina
Logan George	#48	EDGE	6'4"	260	Junior	Pocatello, ID	Washington
Mylan Graham	#5	WR	6'1"	195	Sophomore	Fort Wayne, IN	Notre Dame
Diante Griffin	#43	CB	5'9"	187	Senior	Lima, OH	Ball State
Cody Haddad	#30	S	5'11"	186	Freshman	Cleveland, OH	Iowa
Malik Hartford	#9	S	6'2"	200	Junior	West Chester, OH	UCLA
C. J. Hicks	#11	LB	6'3"	243	Senior	Dayton, OH	South Florida
Isaiah Kema	#56	IOL	6'3"	312	Freshman	Lubbock, TX	Utah
Lincoln Kienholz	#3	QB	6'2"	214	Junior	Pierre, SD	Louisville
Dominic Kirks	#55	EDGE	6'4"	267	Sophomore	Cleveland, OH	Northwestern
Shawn Lodge	#80	WR	5'9"	182	Senior	Akron, OH	Walsh
Mason Maggs	#16	QB	6'2"	226	Senior	Dublin, OH	IUP
Jayvon McFadden	#71	IOL	6'3"	295	Freshman	Upper Marlboro, MD	Colorado
Nick McLarty	#19	P	6'7"	255	Sophomore	Melbourne, VIC	Arizona State
Eric Mensah	#90	DL	6'2"	302	Sophomore	Stafford, VA	Virginia Tech
Joshua Mickens	#52	EDGE	6'3"	250	Junior	Indianapolis, IN	UConn
Bukari Miles Jr.	#34	CB	6'1"	192	Sophomore	West Chester, OH	Incarnate Word
Bodpegn Miller	#18	WR	6'3"	196	Freshman	Mansfield, OH	Washington
Grant Mills	#41	LS	5'10"	223	Sophomore	Mooresville, NC	UMass
Keenan Nelson Jr.	#16	S	6'0"	205	Senior	Philadelphia, PA	Georgia State
Trajen Odom	#88	DL	6'3"	295	Freshman	Inglewood, CA	Arkansas
James Peoples	#20	RB	5'10"	206	Sophomore	San Antonio, TX	Penn State
Quincy Porter	#11	WR	6'4"	210	Freshman	New Milford, NJ	Notre Dame
Trey Robinette	#14	QB	6'3"	189	Freshman	Washington Court House, OH
Bryson Rodgers	#13	WR	6'2"	192	Junior	Tampa, FL	South Florida
Maxwell Roy	#93	DL	6'3"	301	Freshman	Philadelphia, PA	UCLA
Aaron Scott Jr.	#5	CB	6'0"	195	Sophomore	Springfield, OH	Oregon
Justin Terry	#65	OT	6'5"	324	Sophomore	Pickerington, OH	Virginia Tech
Jelani Thurman	#15	TE	6'6"	250	Junior	Fairburn, GA	North Carolina
Ahmed Tounkara	#59	DL	6'0"	280	Sophomore	Dublin, OH	Western Michigan
Tegra Tshabola	#77	OL	6'6"	322	Senior	West Chester, OH	Kentucky
Bryce West	#12	CB	5'11"	197	Sophomore	Cleveland, OH	Wisconsin
Dorian Williams	#84	WR	6'2"	213	Sophomore	Cincinnati, OH	Youngstown State
Damarion Witten	#81	WR	6'3"	206	Sophomore	Cleveland, OH	Miami (OH)

Incoming

The Buckeyes added 22 players from the transfer portal.^[1][2]

Player	Number	Position	Height	Weight	Class	Hometown	Previous school
Christian Alliegro	#14	LB	6'4"	241	Senior	Darien, CT	Wisconsin
Landon Beal	#61	LS	6'0"	208	RS Sophomore	Grove City, OH	Maine
Cam Calhoun	#18	CB	6'0"	176	RS Junior	Cincinnati, OH	Alabama
Brady Geibel	#19	QB	6'4"	207	RS Freshman	Sugarcreek, OH	Furman
Connor Hawkins	#96	K	6'1"	200	RS Sophomore	Liberty Hill, TX	Baylor
Ja'Kobi Jackson	#24	RB	5'11"	217	RS Senior	Pensacola, FL	Florida
Dominick Kelly	#24	CB	6'2"	190	Sophomore	St. Petersburg, FL	Georgia
Earl Little Jr.	#1	S	6'0"	198	RS Junior	Fort Lauderdale, FL	Florida State
Justyn Martin	#16	QB	6'4"	230	RS Senior	Inglewood, CA	Maryland
Devin McCuin	#3	WR	6'0"	189	Senior	Jacksonville, TX	UTSA
Terry Moore	#11	S	6'0"	200	RS Senior	Washington, NC	Duke
Kyle Parker	#5	WR	5'10"	195	RS Junior	Allen, TX	LSU
Nate Riegle	#56	DE	6'2"	215	RS Sophomore	Findlay, OH	Ohio
Dalton Riggs	#48	LS	6'2"	231	RS Senior	Eagle, ID	UCF
Qua Russaw	#4	EDGE	6'2"	240	RS Junior	Montgomery, AL	Alabama
James Smith	#3	DL	6'2"	314	Senior	Montgomery, AL	Alabama
John Walker	#55	DL	6'3"	303	RS Junior	Kissimmee, FL	UCF
Vasean Washington	#	OT	6'5"	285	RS Senior	Springfield, OH	Dartmouth
Hunter Welcing	#84	TE	6'3"	246	RS Senior	Deer Park, IL	Northwestern
Mason Williams	#86	TE	6'4"	247	Senior	Mogadore, OH	Ohio
Ashton Yeager	#59	DT	6'2"	280	RS Freshman	Findlay, OH	Bowling Green
Brady Young	#93	P	6'3"	207	RS Senior	Perrysburg, OH	Houston Christian

Recruiting class

Main article: 2026 college football recruiting class

College recruiting (2026)
Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Chris Henry Jr. WR	Santa Ana, California	Mater Dei High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	201 lb (91 kg)	Jul 28, 2023
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (92)
Cincere Johnson LB	Cleveland, Ohio	Glenville High School	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	222 lb (101 kg)	Jun 19, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (90)
Jay Timmons CB	Gibsonia, Pennsylvania	Pine-Richland High School	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Nov 6, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (86)
Blaine Bradford S	Baton Rouge, Louisiana	Catholic High School	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Mar 31, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (86)
Jerquaden Guilford WR	Fort Wayne, Indiana	Northrop High School	6 ft 1.5 in (1.87 m)	182 lb (83 kg)	Jul 18, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (84)
Khary Wilder EDGE	Gardena, California	Junípero Serra High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	260 lb (120 kg)	Jun 10, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (83)
Simeon Caldwell S	Jacksonville, Florida	The Bolles School	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	Apr 3, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (83)
Max Riley IOL	Avon Lake, Ohio	Avon Lake High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	280 lb (130 kg)	Mar 10, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (83)
Sam Greer OT	Akron, Ohio	Archbishop Hoban High School	6 ft 6.4 in (1.99 m)	331 lb (150 kg)	Mar 25, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (83)
Jordan Thomas CB	Oradell, New Jersey	Bergen Catholic High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	189 lb (86 kg)	May 12, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (83)
Legend Bey RB	Forney, Texas	North Forney High School	5 ft 10.5 in (1.79 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	Dec 22, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (82)
C.J. Sanna LB	Lewis Center, Ohio	Olentangy High School	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Apr 4, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (81)
Favour Akih RB	Delaware, Ohio	Rutherford B. Hayes High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	Jun 8, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (81)
Jaeden Ricketts WR	Pataskala, Ohio	Watkins Memorial High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Nov 16, 2024
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Damari Simeon DL	Richland, New Jersey	St. Augustine Preparatory School	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	275 lb (125 kg)	Jun 27, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Darryus McKinley DL	Lafayette, Louisiana	Acadiana High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	275 lb (125 kg)	Nov 26, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Emanuel Ruffin DL	Bessemer, Alabama	Bessemer City High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	295 lb (134 kg)	Nov 9, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Dre Quinn EDGE	Buford, Georgia	Buford High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	228 lb (103 kg)	Nov 16, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Khmari Bing S	Baltimore, Maryland	Saint Frances Academy	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Oct 14, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Braxton Rembert EDGE	Hoschton, Georgia	Mill Creek High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Nov 18, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (80)
Tucker Smith IOL	Glendale, Arizona	Sandra Day O'Connor High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	275 lb (125 kg)	Mar 26, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (79)
Kaden Gebhardt S	Lewis Center, Ohio	Olentangy High School	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Dec 3, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (78)
Luke Fahey QB	Mission Viejo, California	Mission Viejo High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Jul 3, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (78)
Brock Boyd WR	Southlake, Texas	Carroll Senior High School	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Apr 15, 2025
	Recruit ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:    (77)
Jamir Perez DL	Cleveland, Ohio	Glenville High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	360 lb (160 kg)	Jul 4, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (77)
Landry Brede OT	Mentor, Ohio	Mentor High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	285 lb (129 kg)	Oct 13, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (76)
Mason Wilhelm IOL	Lakewood, Ohio	St. Edward High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	280 lb (130 kg)	Nov 7, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (76)
Nick Lautar TE	Lebanon, Ohio	Lebanon High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	Nov 16, 2025
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (75)
Cooper Peterson K	Charlotte, North Carolina	Corvian Community School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Jan 23, 2026
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:    ESPN:    (72)
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: 5    247Sports: 2    ESPN: 0
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2026 Ohio State Football Commitment List". Rivals. Retrieved May 22, 2026. "2026 Ohio State Football Commitment List". ESPN. Retrieved May 22, 2026. "2026 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 22, 2026. "Ohio State 2026 Football Commits". 247Sports. Retrieved May 22, 2026.

Recruiting class rankings

Website	National rank	Conference rank	5 star recruits	4 star recruits	3 star recruits	Total
On3	3	2	5	10	13	28
247 Sports	5	3	1	17	10	28
ESPN	9	3	2	18	8	28

Walk-ons

Player	Number	Position	Height	Weight	Class	Hometown	Previous school

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 5	12:30 p.m.	Ball State*	No. 1	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	BTN	W 56–3	101,120
September 12	7:30 p.m.	at No. 4 Texas*	No. 1	Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (College GameDay)	ABC	L 23–24	105,044
September 19	12:00 p.m.	Kent State*	No. 6	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	FOX	W 59–3	100,009
September 26	12:00 p.m.	Illinois	No. 7	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH (Illibuck, Big Noon Kickoff)	FOX
October 3	3:30 p.m.	at Iowa		Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA	CBS
October 10		Maryland		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH
October 17		at Indiana		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN
October 31		at USC		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA
November 7	3:30 p.m.	Oregon		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	CBS
November 14		Northwestern		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH
November 21		at Nebraska		Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE
November 28	12:00 p.m.	Michigan		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH (The Game, Big Noon Kickoff)	FOX
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings) - Released prior to game All times are in Eastern time Source: [3][4]

Rankings

Further information: 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	1 (40)	1 (46)	6	7
Coaches	1 (38)	1 (50)	6	7
CFP	Not released																Not released

Game summaries

vs Ball State

See also: 2026 Ball State Cardinals football team

Ball State Cardinals (0–0) at No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	0	3	0	0	3
No. 1 Buckeyes	14	14	14	14	56

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: September 5
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 80 °F (27 °C) • Wind: N at 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h)
• Game attendance: 101,120
• Referee: Gregory Blum
• TV announcers (BTN): Jeff Levering (play-by-play), Jake Butt (analyst), and Brooke Fletcher (sideline reporter)

Game information

First quarter OSU – Jeremiah Smith 48-yard pass from Julian Sayin (Connor Hawkins kick), 8:47. Buckeyes 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 99 yards, 3:18. OSU – Devin McCuin 17-yard pass from Julian Sayin (Connor Hawkins kick), 1:23. Buckeyes 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:29. Second quarter OSU – Julian Sayin 3-yard run (Connor Hawkins kick), 12:08. Buckeyes 21–0. Drive: 6 plays, 28 yards, 2:41. BALL – Brody Boehm 54-yard field goal, 1:17. Buckeyes 21–3. Drive: 11 plays, 38 yards, 2:42. OSU – Jeremiah Smith 3-yard pass from Julian Sayin (Connor Hawkins kick), 0:10. Buckeyes 28–3. Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 1:05. Third quarter OSU – Bo Jackson 65-yard run (Connor Hawkins kick), 11:29. Buckeyes 35–3. Drive: 4 plays, 94 yards, 1:57. OSU – Ja'Kobi Jackson 49-yard run (Connor Hawkins kick), 8:20. Buckeyes 42–3. Drive: 3 plays, 62 yards, 1:35. Fourth quarter OSU – Legend Bey 25-yard pass from Luke Fahey (Connor Hawkins kick), 14:16. Buckeyes 49–3. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 5:23. OSU – Chris Henry Jr. 15-yard pass from Tavien St. Clair (Cooper Peterson kick), 1:55. Buckeyes 56–3. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:57.

Statistics	BALL	OSU
First downs	13	32
Plays–yards	82–165	72–671
Rushes–yards	23–45	35–237
Passing yards	120	434
Passing: comp–att–int	20–37–1	31–37–1
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	28:22	31:38

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ball State	Passing	Keldric Luster	18/33, 89 yards, INT
	Rushing	Elijah Jackson	2 carries, 20 yards
	Receiving	Elisha Durham	1 reception, 26 yards
Ohio State	Passing	Julian Sayin	21/25, 320 yards, 3 TD
	Rushing	Bo Jackson	9 carries, 83 yards, TD
	Receiving	Jeremiah Smith	8 receptions, 151 yards, 2 TD

at No. 4 Texas

See also: 2026 Texas Longhorns football team

No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (1–0) at No. 4 Texas Longhorns (1–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 1 Buckeyes	10	10	3	0	23
No. 4 Longhorns	0	3	0	21	24

at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium • Austin, Texas

• Date: September 12
• Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 105,044
• Referee: Kole Knueppel
• TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe, and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporters)

Game information

First quarter (12:04) OSU - Connor Hawkins 26-yard field goal, (Drive: 4 plays, 11 yards, 02:45; Ohio State 3-0) (05:39) OSU - Ja'Kobi Jackson 8-yard run (Connor Hawkins kick), (Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 04:36; Ohio State 10-0) Second quarter (05:42) TEX - Gianni Spetic 37-yard field goal, (Drive: 16 plays, 69 yards, 07:41; Ohio State 10-3) (01:41) OSU - Connor Hawkins 30-yard field goal, (Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 04:01; Ohio State 13-3) (00:10) OSU - Jeremiah Smith 19-yard pass from Julian Sayin (Connor Hawkins kick), (Drive: 4 plays, 49 yards, 00:39; Ohio State 20-3) Third quarter (08:09) OSU - Connor Hawkins 48-yard field goal, (Drive: 7 plays, 43 yards, 01:51; Ohio State 23-3) Fourth quarter (14:19) TEX - Ryan Wingo 3-yard pass from Arch Manning (Gianni Spetic kick), (Drive: 15 plays, 91 yards, 06:28; Ohio State 23-10) (07:14) TEX Hollywood Smothers 1-yard run (Gianni Spetic kick), (Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 05:32; Ohio State 23-17) (00:25) TEX - Hollywood Smothers 1-yard run (Gianni Spetic kick), (Drive: 12 plays, 73 yards, 3:51; Texas 24-23)

Statistics	OSU	TEX
First downs	19	25
Plays–yards	63-372	78-336
Rushes–yards	31-94	41-141
Passing yards	278	195
Passing: comp–att–int	17–32–1	23–37–1
Turnovers	1	2
Time of possession	28:32	31:28

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ohio State	Passing	Julian Sayin	17/32, 278 yards, TD, INT
	Rushing	Bo Jackson	19 carries, 74 yards
	Receiving	Jeremiah Smith	8 receptions, 164 yards, TD
Texas	Passing	Arch Manning	23/37, 195 yards, TD, INT
	Rushing	Hollywood Smothers	21 carries, 74 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Emmett Mosley V	5 receptions, 65 yards

vs Kent State

See also: 2026 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

Kent State Golden Flashes (1–1) at No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes (1–1) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Flashes	0	0	0	3	3
No. 6 Buckeyes	21	14	7	17	59

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: September 19
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 75 °F (24 °C) • Wind: SE at 10 miles per hour (16 km/h)
• Game attendance: 100,009
• Referee: Bryan Banks
• TV announcers (FOX): Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst), and Jenny Taft (sideline reporter)

Statistics	KENT	OSU
First downs	6	25
Plays–yards	55–134	66–527
Rushes–yards	34–71	38–145
Passing yards	63	382
Passing: comp–att–int	8–21–1	22–28–2
Turnovers	3	2
Time of possession	29:39	30:21

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Kent State	Passing	Dru DeShields	6/15, 35 yards, INT
	Rushing	Brandon White	5 carries, 21 yards
	Receiving	Wayne Harris	2 receptions, 29 yards
Ohio State	Passing	Julian Sayin	18/22, 241 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Bo Jackson	11 carries, 73 yards, TD
	Receiving	Jeremiah Smith	5 receptions, 85 yards

vs Illinois (Illibuck)

See also: 2026 Illinois Fighting Illini football team and Illibuck

Illinois Fighting Illini (2–1) at No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (2–1) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Illini	0	0	0	0	0
No. 7 Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: September 26
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
• TV announcers (FOX): Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst), and Jenny Taft (sideline reporter)

Statistics	ILL	OSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Illinois	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Iowa

See also: 2026 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) at Iowa Hawkeyes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0
Hawkeyes	0	0	0	0	0

at Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa

• Date: October 3
• Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
• TV announcers (CBS): Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst), and Jenny Dell (sideline reporter)

Statistics	OSU	IOWA
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Iowa	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Maryland

See also: 2026 Maryland Terrapins football team

Maryland Terrapins (0–0) at Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Terrapins	0	0	0	0	0
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: October 10

Statistics	MD	OSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Maryland	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Indiana

See also: 2026 Indiana Hoosiers football team

Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) at Indiana Hoosiers (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0
Hoosiers	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, Indiana

• Date: October 17

Statistics	OSU	IU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at USC

See also: 2026 USC Trojans football team

Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) at USC Trojans (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0
Trojans	0	0	0	0	0

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California

• Date: October 31

Statistics	OSU	USC
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
USC	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Oregon

See also: 2026 Oregon Ducks football team

Oregon Ducks (0–0) at Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Ducks	0	0	0	0	0
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: November 7
• Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
• TV: CBS

Statistics	ORE	OSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Oregon	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Northwestern

See also: 2026 Northwestern Wildcats football team

Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) at Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	0	0	0	0	0
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: November 14

Statistics	NU	OSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Northwestern	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Nebraska

See also: 2026 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0
Cornhuskers	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska

• Date: November 21

Statistics	OSU	NEB
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Nebraska	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Michigan (The Game)

See also: 2026 Michigan Wolverines football team and Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry

Michigan Wolverines (0–0) at Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Wolverines	0	0	0	0	0
Buckeyes	0	0	0	0	0

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

• Date: November 28
• Game time: 12:00 p.m.
• TV announcers (FOX): Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst), Jenny Taft, and Tom Rinaldi (sideline reporters)

Statistics	MICH	OSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Michigan	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Ohio State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

Personnel

Roster

2026 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class WR 0 Brandon Inniss (C) Sr RB 2 Legend Bey Fr WR 3 Devin McCuin Sr WR 4 Jeremiah Smith (C) Jr WR 5 Kyle Parker  Jr WR 6 Jerquaden Guilford Fr WR 7 Phillip Bell  Fr WR 8 De'Zie Jones  Fr QB 9 Tavien St. Clair  Fr QB 10 Julian Sayin (C)  So WR 11 Brock Boyd Fr QB 13 Luke Fahey Fr WR 15 Chris Henry Jr. Fr QB 16 Justyn Martin  Sr QB 18 Kolton Stover  Fr QB 19 Brady Geibel  Fr RB 21 Anthony "Turbo" Rogers  Fr WR 23 Nolan Baudo  Jr RB 24 Ja'Kobi Jackson  Sr RB 25 Bo Jackson So RB 28 Stanley Jackson Jr.  So RB 29 Favour Akih Fr WR 30 Amari Valerio-Hudson Fr RB 32 Isaiah West So WR 34 Brennen Schramm  Jr OL 51 Luke Montgomery Sr OL 57 Ian Gecse  Jr OL 58 Gabe VanSickle  So OL 60 Jaxon Powell Fr OL 62 Joshua Padilla  Jr OL 63 Julian Goines-Jackson  Sr OL 64 Simon Lorentz  So OL 65 Landry Brede Fr OL 67 Austin Siereveld (C)  Jr OL 68 Mason Wilhelm Fr OL 69 Ian Moore  So OL 70 Phillip Daniels  Jr OL 72 Deontae Armstrong  So OL 74 Carter Lowe  Fr OL 75 Carson Hinzman  Sr OL 76 Jake Cook  Fr OL 77 Sam Greer Fr OL 78 Max Riley Fr WR 80 Jaeden Ricketts Fr WR 82 David Adolph  Sr TE 83 Nate Roberts So TE 84 Hunter Welcing  Sr TE 85 Bennett Christian  Sr TE 86 Mason Williams Sr TE 87 Brody Lennon  Fr TE 88 Maxence LeBlanc  So TE 89 Nick Lautar Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class CB 1 Earl Little Jr.  Jr DE 2 Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (C)  Sr DT 3 James Smith Sr DE 4 Qua Russaw  Jr LB 5 Riley Pettijohn So CB 6 Devin Sanchez So CB 7 Jermaine Mathews Jr. Sr S 8 Jaylen McClain (C) Jr DL 9 Zion Grady So S 10 Leroy Roker III  So S 11 Terry Moore  Sr DL 12 Beau Atkinson  Sr CB 13 Miles Lockhart  So LB 14 Christian Alliegro Sr CB 15 Jordan Thomas Fr S 16 Blaine Bradford Fr LB 17 Tarvos "TJ" Alford So CB 18 Cam Calhoun  Jr CB 19 Jordyn Woods  Fr LB 20 Cincere Johnson Fr LB 21 Brenten "Inky" Jones  Sr LB 23 Garrett Stover Jr CB 24 Dominick Kelly So CB 25 Jay Timmons Fr LB 26 Payton Pierce (C) Jr S 28 Simeon Caldwell Fr S 29 Deshawn Stewart  Fr S 30 Khmari Bing Fr S 32 Kaden Gebhardt Fr LB 33 Eli Lee  Fr DE 34 Khary Wilder Fr S 35 Jaystin Gwinn  Fr LB 36 CJ Sanna Fr LB 37 Zach Hayes  So LB 38 Eli Riggs  So DB 39 Glorien Gough  So LB 41 Braxton Rembert Fr CB 43 Amar'e Miller Fr DE 44 Epi Sitanilei  Fr S 46 Ryan Rudzinski  Jr S 49 Gavin Thobe  Fr LB 50 Alec DelSignore  Jr LB 52 Ty Howard  Sr DL 53 Will Smith Jr.  Jr DT 55 John Walker  Jr DE 56 Nate Riegle  So DT 59 Ashton Yeager  Fr DL 90 Damari Simeon Fr DL 91 Darryus McKinley Fr DL 94 Jason Moore  Jr DL 95 Emanuel Ruffin Fr DE 96 Eddrick Houston Jr DL 97 Dre Quinn Fr DL 98 Jamir Perez Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P 42 Joe McGuire  Jr LS 48 Dalton Riggs  Sr K 49 Marcello Diomede  Jr LS 61 Landon Beal  So P 93 Brady Young  Sr K 96 Connor Hawkins  So	Head coach Ryan Day Coordinators/assistant coaches Matt Patricia – Defensive coordinator Larry Johnson – Associate head coach/defensive line Tim Walton – Co-defensive coordinator/assistant head coach/secondary Matt Guerrieri – Safeties/pass game coordinator James Laurinaitis – Linebackers Arthur Smith – Offensive coordinator Keenan Bailey – Co-offensive coordinator/tight ends Tyler Bowen – Offensive line/run game coordinator Billy Fessler – Pass game coordinator/quarterbacks Cortez Hankton – Wide receivers Carlos Locklyn – Running backs Robby Discher – Special teams coordinator Taver Johnson – Position assistant - defense Sam McGrath – Position assistant - defense Billy Yates – Position assistant - defense Austin Fields – Quality control - offense Josh Boyer – Senior analyst - defense Jason Brooks – Quality control - defense Tony Johnson – Senior analyst/offensive personnel coordinator Rob Keys – Senior analyst Joe Kim – Senior analyst - defense Miguel Patrick – Analyst/defensive personnel coordinator Gunner Daniel – Assistant special teams coordinator Devin Jordan – Quality control - offense Mateo Kambui – Position assistant - offense Colin Keanu – Program assistant - offense Thomas Morton – Position assistant - offense Tyler Walton – Program assistant - defense Mickey Marotti – Associate AD/football sports performance Charlie Dickey – Program assistant - offense Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: May 22, 2026

Depth chart

Defense S 25 Jay Timmons 13 Miles Lockhart ⋅ FS 1 Earl Little Jr. 10 Leroy Roker III 30 Khmari Bing WLB SLB 14 Christian Alliegro 26 Payton Pierce 5 Riley Pettijohn 17 Tarvos "TJ" Alford 20 Cincere Johnson 23 Garrett Stover SS 8 Jaylen McClain 11 Terry Moore 16 Blaine Bradford CB 7 Jermaine Mathews Jr. 18 Cam Calhoun ⋅ DE DT DT DE 12 Beau Atkinson 96 Eddrick Houston 55 John Walker 2 Kenyatta Jackson Jr. 4 Qua Russaw 3 James Smith 53 Will Smith Jr. 9 Zion Grady 44 Epi Sitanilei ⋅ 94 Jason Moore 34 Khary Wilder CB 6 Devin Sanchez 24 Dominick Kelly 15 Jordan Thomas Offense WR 4 Jeremiah Smith 11 Brock Boyd 7 Phillip Bell WR 0 Brandon Inniss 5 Kyle Parker 8 De'Zie Jones LT LG C RG RT 69 Ian Moore 51 Luke Montgomery 75 Carson Hinzman 67 Austin Siereveld 70 Phillip Daniels 77 Sam Greer 76 Jake Cook 62 Joshua Padilla 58 Gabe VanSickle 74 Carter Lowe ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ 72 Deontae Armstrong TE 83 Nate Roberts 86 Mason Williams 85 Bennett Christian WR 3 Devin McCuin 15 Chris Henry Jr. 6 Jerquaden Guilford QB 10 Julian Sayin 13 Luke Fahey 9 Tavien St. Clair 16 Justyn Martin Key reserves RB 25 Bo Jackson 32 Isaiah West 24 Ja'Kobi Jackson 2 Legend Bey Special teams PK 96 Connor Hawkins PK 49 Marcello Diomede P 42 Joe McGuire P 93 Brady Young KR 0 Brandon Inniss 2 Legend Bey PR 0 Brandon Inniss LS 55 Dalton Riggs H 42 Joe McGuire

Statistics

Team

Ohio State Opp   Points per game 56 3 Total First downs   Rushing   Passing   Penalty Rushing yards   Avg per rush   Avg per game   Rushing touchdowns Passing yards 1,958 919   Att-Comp-Int   Avg per pass   Avg per game   Passing touchdowns Total offense   Avg per play   Avg per game Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards   Avg per game Punts-Yards   Avg per punt Time of possession/Game 3rd down conversions 3rd Down Pct. 4th down conversions 4th Down Pct. Sacks-Yards Touchdowns scored Field goals-Attempts PAT-Attempts

Individual leaders

Offense

Passing statistics
#	NAME	POS	RAT	CMP	ATT	YDS	AVG/G	CMP%	TD	INT	LONG

Rushing statistics
#	NAME	POS	ATT	GAIN	AVG	TD	LONG	AVG/G

Receiving statistics
#	NAME	POS	CTH	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	AVG/G

Defense

Defense statistics

Key: POS: Position, SOLO: Solo Tackles, AST: Assisted Tackles, TOT: Total Tackles, TFL: Tackles-for-loss, SACK: Quarterback Sacks, INT: Interceptions, BU: Passes Broken Up, PD: Passes Defended, QBH: Quarterback Hits, FR: Fumbles Recovered, FF: Forced Fumbles, BLK: Kicks or Punts Blocked, SAF: Safeties, TD : Touchdown

Special teams

Kicking statistics

Kickoff statistics
#	NAME	POS	KICKS	YDS	AVG	TB	OB

Punting statistics
#	NAME	POS	PUNTS	YDS	AVG	LONG	TB	FC	I–20	50+	BLK

Kick return statistics
#	NAME	POS	RTNS	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG

Punt return statistics
#	NAME	POS	RTNS	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG

Scoring

Ohio State vs. non-conference opponents

1 2 3 4 Total Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0 Opponents 0 0 0 0 0

Ohio State vs. Big Ten opponents

1 2 3 4 Total Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0 Opponents 0 0 0 0 0

Ohio State vs. all opponents

1 2 3 4 Total Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0 Opponents 0 0 0 0 0

Notes

References

1. "2026 Ohio State Football Transfer Portal". On3. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
2. "Ohio State Buckeyes 2026 College Football Transfer Portal". 247Sports. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
3. "2026 Ohio State Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
4. "2026-27 Football Schedule". Ohio State Buckeyes. Retrieved December 15, 2025.