The Ohio State Buckeyes’ 2025 season is finally here, and the expectations are as big as ever. This year, they enter their campaign as defending champions, and their diehard fans are hoping for a rare repeat early next year. But can the Buckeyes even make it back to the playoffs with the Big Ten improved this season? Let’s dive into our game-by-game predictions for the 2025 Ohio State football schedule.
Related: Ohio State game today – Get TV details on the 2025 Buckeyes TV schedule
August 30 vs Texas: Loss (0-1)
The Buckeyes begin the 2025 regular season with a massive matchup against the current No. 1 team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns. Both programs will have new starting QBs this year, but Texas’ Arch Manning is getting Heisman buzz for his first season as a starter. Both teams also lost several key players to the draft in April. However, it seems like the Longhorns just have more prepared talent and the better of the two QBs in Week 1.
- Prediction: Texas 20, Ohio State 17
September 6 vs Grambling: Loss (1-1)
Following a slugfest in Week 1, Ohio State gets a softball matchup in its second game when Grambling visits the Horseshoe on September 6. Expect this to be a big get-right game as the Buckeyes stop their way to a dominant victory and get their first W of the year.
- Prediction: Ohio State 38, Grambling 6
September 13 vs Ohio: Win (2-1)
The Ohio Bobcats had another double-digit win last season and posted their first 11-win campaign ever. So this one won’t be a cakewalk in Week 3. However, they won’t have the man who led them back to relevancy the last three years, Tim Albin, after he departed the program last year. Look for them to take a step back in 2025 and for that to benefit Ohio State.
- Prediction: Ohio State 24, Ohio 14
September 27 @ Washington: Win (3-1)
After making a deep playoff run two years ago, Washington had a disastrous season in their first year in the Big Ten last year. Head coach Jedd Fisch will be hoping for a far better showing than 6-7 in the new season, and they should be improved. But they will not be getting one of their victories in 2025 against the Buckeyes. In their first road game of the season, expect a strong performance from Ohio State.
- Prediction: Ohio State 21, Washington 16
October 4 vs Minnesota: Win (4-1)
Minnesota is not expected to leap forward in 2025 after an 8-5 record last season. Coach PJ Fleck will have a solid group this year, led by safety Koi Perich. However, they won’t come into Ohio Stadium and score an upset in October.
- Prediction: Ohio State 28, Minnesota 17
October 11 @ Illinois: Loss (4-2)
Ohio State’s Oct. 11 matchup against Illinois is a dangerous matchup. Coach Bret Bielema will bring back much of the roster from a 10-win team in 2024. Including quarterback Luke Altmyer. It is a road matchup against a program that is strong and on the rise. This just feels like a loss waiting to happen in October.
- Prediction: Illinois 24, Ohio State 20
October 18 @ Wisconsin: Win (5-2)
Wisconsin finished with a 5-7 record in 2024, and there is not much reason to expect the results to be different this year. After a tough loss the week before. Look for the Buckeyes to quickly bounce back with a smashing of the Badgers to end October.
- Prediction: Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 17
November 1 vs. Penn State: Loss (5-3)
Ohio State has dominated Penn State for much of the last decade. Including a 20-13 victory last season. However, the Nittany Lions are a popular pick to get to the National Championship early next year. Expect this one to be an absolute slugfest at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 1, but sooner or later, PSU will break this surprising win streak to OSU. That will happen this year.
- Prediction: Penn State 27, Ohio 24
November 8 @ Purdue: Win (6-3)
The Buckeyes knew what they were doing when they put this schedule together, and after a brutal matchup the week before, the team will get a cakewalk after the Penn State game against Purdue. The Boilermakers were awful last season, and most projections have them finishing dead last in the Big Ten again this season.
- Prediction: Ohio State 40, Purdue 7
November 15 vs. UCLA: Win (7-3)
UCLA head coach Deshaun Foster had a tough first season with the program. Finishing 5-7 last year. The Bruins will be improved in year two for Foster. But they are still a long way from being a force in the Big Ten.
- Prediction: Ohio State 24, UCLA 14
November 22 vs. Rutgers: Win (8-3)
Greg Schiano has struggled to get Rutgers back to being a team to worry about, like he had the program over a decade ago. The main reason is that the New Jersey program is in the Big Ten. It will be another middle-of-the-road year for the Scarlet Knights and a bad day in Columbus on Nov. 22.
- Prediction: Ohio State 34, Rutgers 17
November 29 @ Michigan: Win (9-3)
Many Buckeyes fans will have their regular-season finale against the Michigan Wolverines circled. It is the biggest game of every season and has intensified for OSU fans due to a four-game losing skid to their hated rivals. While Ohio State will lose three games this season, it will get sweet revenge in Ann Arbor on Nov. 29.
- Predictions: Ohio State 24, Michigan 17
