Rejoice Ohio State football fans. The college football season is upon us, and your Buckeyes take the field against the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday.
It’s been a long offseason, one in which there was a lot of regret and reflection after losing to Michigan for the second straight year. The Buckeyes nearly made good on a second life, but fell in a heartbreaker to Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
But now it’s time to turn the page, and there will be plenty of opportunity for Ohio State to take a perch back atop the Big Ten and take another swing at the College Football Playoff.
It will not be easy though, because it’s a tough schedule with six home games and six away games. Can the Buckeyes win at Notre Dame, Michigan and Wisconsin? What about when Penn State for a visit to the Horseshoe?
Here is our final prediction of each game on the Ohio State schedule in 2023.
Saturday, Sept. 2, at Indiana Hoosiers
The Prediction
It looks like Ohio State will play both quarterbacks while trying to find a starter to replace C.J. Stroud, but the talent gap is significant here. You never know about trying to get things cranking in Week 1, but the Buckeyes should be able to handle Indiana, even it if is on the road.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 35, Indiana 17
Saturday, Sept. 9, vs. Youngstown State Penguins
The Prediction
Youngstown State comes to Columbus for a payday, and that’s about all you can say for this matchup. There’s little chance Ohio State pulls a Michigan and loses to an Football Championship Subdivision opponent. It should be a great time to work on some things and continue to ramp up for bigger games to come.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 58, Youngstown State 10
Saturday, Sept. 16, vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
The Prediction
It’s one final week before a huge tilt against Notre Dame, and Ohio State will have to be careful not to look ahead. It’s a home game against an opponent that shouldn’t be able to land too many haymakers. The Buckeyes roll.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 51, Western Kentucky 20
Saturday, Sept. 23, at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Prediction
Ohio State goes from zero to sixty quickly with a trip to South Bend to face the Fighting Irish. It’ll most likely be a top-10/top-five matchup and it will not be an easy one. OSU has its quarterback situation hammered out by now and improves week-to-week toward one of the biggest exposure games of the season. The Buckeyes win a hard fought battle on the road as the more complete move on to the next one.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 29
Saturday, Sept. 30, vs. Maryland Terrapins
The Prediction
Maryland has given the Buckeyes a scare on the road a couple of times, but the games in the ‘Shoe haven’t been close. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and company will hang with Ohio State for awhile, but the depth isn’t there to stay in it for a full 60 minutes.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 45, Maryland 27
Saturday, Oct. 14, at Purdue Boilermakers
The Prediction
This is a sneaky game coming off of a bye for the Buckeyes. Purdue has given Ohio State problems in the past and it will not be a cakewalk in West Lafayette. It will not be a pretty game, but the Buckeyes find a way to win on the road.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 37, Purdue 21
Saturday, Oct. 21, vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Prediction
Penn State has become the trendy pick to unseat Michigan and Ohio State this season and folks in Happy Valley believe this could be their year. The Nittany Lions are talented on both sides of the ball and could have one of the best defenses in the country. Playing this one at home makes all the difference in a very close and competitive game.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 31, Penn State 27
Saturday, Oct. 28, at Wisconsin Badgers
The Prediction
This is a tough, physical stretch for Ohio State and it will take its toll. Playing in Madison is no joke, and it’s awfully hard to win every game on the schedule, not the least of which is in a hornets’ nest. OSU falls in a close one to a resurgent Wisconsin team.
Predicted Score | Wisconsin 31, Ohio State 28
Saturday, Nov. 4, at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Prediction
An Ohio State team heads to Piscataway looking to bounce back and does so against a Rutgers team that still doesn’t have enough talent on the roster to hang in there against so many skilled players in scarlet and gray. The Buckeyes stay in the mix for a Big Ten title and more.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 45, Rutgers 20
Saturday, Nov. 11, vs. Michigan State Spartans
The Prediction
Michigan State will try to do to Ohio State what Michigan does, but the Spartans don’t have the same personnel to pull it off. The contrasting styles have been on display the last couple of years, and it’ll be a mismatch again in Ohio Stadium.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 48, Michigan State 27
Saturday, Nov. 18, vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Prediction
It’s been awhile since the Gophers have made a visit to Ohio Stadium. Minnesota is replacing some key pieces but are well coached and will make a game out of it. OSU is never really threatened, but never quite pulls away in a ho-hum type of win heading into the big one.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 35, Minnesota 21
Saturday, Nov. 25, at Michigan Wolverines
The Prediction
And here we go. There could be a ton on the line in Ann Arbor, and Michigan fans are feeling awfully confident these days after two straight wins and a great deal of returning talent. The Buckeyes remain healthy, make the adjustments necessary on defense, and plant the flag in Michigan Stadium to reascend to the top of the Big Ten.
Predicted Score | Ohio State 38, Michigan 35
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