College football season is here, but when does Ohio State football kick off its 2026 campaign?
Ohio State's first opponent is Ball State, a MAC school from Muncie, Indiana. The Cardinals went 4-8 in their 2025 campaign. Ohio State and Ball State played one common opponent last year, the Purdue Boilermakers. While Ball State lost to Purdue 31-0, Ohio State beat the Boilermakers 34-10.
The Buckeyes enter the 2026 football season as the top team in the US LBM Coaches Poll and Associated Press poll rankings. In Week 2, Ohio State will play Texas, ranked No. 4 in the Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the AP poll.
Find out about Ohio State's first game below.
Does Ohio State football play today?
No, Ohio State football does not play on Aug. 29.
While college football began with "Week Zero" with games
from Aug. 27 through Aug. 29, Ohio State does not play until Sept. 5. The Buckeyes' first game last season was on Aug. 30 against Texas, but it was played in Week 1, not "Week Zero."
Only one Big Ten school, Southern California, plays on Aug. 29, facing San Jose State in a nonconference game.
When does Ohio State play its first game?
Ohio State hosts Ball State at 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 5.
College football games on today
If you wish to watch other college football games on Aug. 29, here is the slate of FBS games (via NCAA.com).
- Aer Lingus College Football Classic:North Carolina vs. TCU (in Dublin, Ireland) | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
- San Jose State at Southern California | 3 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock
- NC State at Virginia | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
- Jacksonville State at North Dakota State | 5:30 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network
- Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan | 6:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+
- Hawaii at Stanford | 7 p.m. ET | ACC Network
- New Mexico State at Florida State | 7 p.m. ET | The CW
- Memphis at UNLV | 10 p.m. ET | FOX
Ohio State football schedule 2026
A majority of times to be determined at a later date.
- Sept. 5 vs. Ball State, 12:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
- Sept. 12 at Texas, 7:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 19 vs. Kent State, 12 p.m., FOX
- Sept. 26 vs. Illinois
- Oct. 3 at Iowa
- Oct. 10 vs. Maryland
- Oct. 17 at Indiana
- Oct. 31 at USC
- Nov. 7 vs. Oregon
- Nov. 14 vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 28 vs. Michigan, Noon, FOX
- Nov. 21 at Nebraska
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Does Ohio State football play today? Here's when Buckeyes play 1st game
