Ohio State missed out on the College Football Playoff in 2018, but finished the year 13-1 while beating Washington 28-23 in the Rose Bowl.
But the Buckeyes ended up making it back to the CFP in 2019, losing to Clemson in the semifinals.
Ohio State football schedule 2019: Dates, times, opponents, results
Here is the full, detailed schedule for Ohio State’s 2019 football season, with past games and results first, then the TV schedule for future games below.
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | Location | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Atlantic | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 12 p.m | Columbus, OH | W, 45-21 |
| Cincinnati | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 12 p.m | Columbus, OH | W, 42-0 |
| Indiana | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 12 p.m. | Bloomington, IN | W, 51-10 |
| Miami (Ohio) | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Columbus, OH | W, 76-5 |
| Nebraska | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | Lincoln, NE | W, 48-7 |
| Michigan State | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Columbus, OH | W, 34-10 |
| Northwestern | Friday, Oct. 18 | 8:30 p.m. | Evanston, IL | W, 52-3 |
| Wisconsin | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 12 p.m. | Columbus, OH | W, 38-7 |
| Maryland | Saturday, Nov. 9 | 12 p.m. | Columbus, OH | W, 73-14 |
| Rutgers | Saturday, Nov. 16 | 3:30 p.m. | Piscataway, NJ | W, 56-21 |
| Penn State | Saturday, Nov. 23 | 12 p.m. | Columbus, OH | W, 28-17 |
| Michigan | Saturday, Nov. 30 | 12 p.m. | Ann Arbor, MI | W, 56-27 |
| Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship) |
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 8 p.m. | Indianapolis, IN | W, 34-21 |
| Clemson (Fiesta Bowl-CFP Semifinals) |
Saturday, Dec. 28 | 8:20 p.m. | Glendale, AZ | L, 29-23 |
2019 SEASON PREVIEW: 15 games that will impact this CFP race next season
Tickets
You can find tickets to each of Ohio State’s home games here. Prices range from $48 to $223.
2018’s results
The Buckeyes went 13-1 last year, beating their opponents by an average score of 42-26. Their lone loss came in the regular season to Purdue, which won at home, 49-20.
Here’s what happened in every game of Ohio State’s 2018 schedule:
| Opponent | Date | Location | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State | Saturday, September 1 | Columbus, OH | W | 77-31 |
| Rutgers | Saturday, September 8 | Columbus, OH | W | 52-3 |
| TCU | Saturday, September 15 | Arlington, TEX | W | 40-28 |
| Tulane | Saturday, September 22 | Columbus, OH | W | 49-6 |
| Penn State | Saturday, September 29 | State College, PA | W | 27-26 |
| Indiana | Saturday, October 6 | Columbus, OH | W | 49-26 |
| Minnesota | Saturday, October 13 | Columbus, OH | W | 30-14 |
| Purdue | Saturday, October 20 | West Lafayette, IND | L | 49-20 |
| Nebraska | Saturday, November 3 | Columbus, OH | W | 36-31 |
| Michigan State | Saturday, November 10 | East Lansing, MICH | W | 26-6 |
| Maryland | Saturday, November 17 | College Park, MD | W | 52-51 (OT) |
| Michigan | Saturday, November 24 | Columbus, OH | W | 62-39 |
| Northwestern | Saturday, December 1 | Indianapolis, IND | W | 45-24 |
| Washington | Tuesday, January 1 | Pasadena, CALIF | W | 28-23 |
MORE: Programs with the most national championships
Top returning players
The Buckeyes lost two huge names to the 2019 NFL Draft. Defensive end Nick Bosa was taken second overall by the San Francisco 49ers, while quarterback Dwayne Haskins was the 15th pick, taken by the Washington Redskins.
Quarterback Justin Fields transferred to Ohio State from Georgia, and is the likely starter in Haskins’ absence. In limited action for the Bulldogs, Fields threw for 328 yards (8.4 yards per attempt), 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, while running for 266 yards (6.3 yards per rush) and 4 touchdowns.
Running back J.K. Dobbins rushed for 1,403 yards and 7 touchdowns as a freshman, and followed that up with a 1,053-yard, 10-touchdown performance as a sophomore. He also made strides in his receiving game, where he caught 26 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. With a fresh face under center, expect Dobbins to have a significant workload as a junior.
Behind senior Parris Campbell, wide receiver KJ Hill was Haskins’ favorite target last year, racking up 67 catches for 831 yards and 6 touchdowns. He’s shown steady improvement in each of the past three seasons, so look for big things from the senior.
MORE BIG TEN: 14 Big Ten players poised for breakout seasons in 2019
Preseason ranking
We have Ohio State at No. 3 in our preseason Top 25. Here’s that breakdown:
3. Ohio State
Urban Meyer, QB Dwayne Haskins, RB Mike Weber and WR Parris Campbell are all gone. But new head coach Ryan Day and QB Justin Fields (UGA transfer) might be even better on offense. J.K. Dobbins will regroup to become a menace for defenses, plus DE Chase Young will lead what will be an even better defense.
PRESEASON RANKING: The full college football preseason Top 25
The 2020 College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff era is entering its sixth season in the 2019-20 season. Will it be the first season since the inaugural playoff that Clemson and Alabama don’t play in either a CFP semifinal or national championship?
Whether the Tigers and Tide play each other or not, here are the dates and sites for the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinals and CFP national championship.
MORE: Clemson dominates Alabama to win 2018 College Football Playoff title
When is the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinals?
The CFP semifinals are set for Dec. 28, 2019. One semifinal is the Peach Bowl from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The other semifinal is the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
When is the 2020 College Football Playoff national championship?
The CFP national championship is a bit later in 2020. The two winners of the semifinals will meet on the second Monday of January in New Orleans on Jan. 13, 2020 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Below is a complete history of the College Football Playoff national championship game.
| YEAR | GAME |
|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 |
| 2019 | No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 Clemson |
2021-2024 CFP national championship locations and dates
2021: Miami-South Florida (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida) - Jan. 11
2022: Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana) - Jan. 10
2023: Los Angeles (Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, California) - Jan. 9
2024: Houston (NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas) - Jan. 8
