Ohio State inks deals with two MAC schools, moves Texas series back

5/16/2018
BY NICHOLAS PIOTROWICZ
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s football program agreed to terms with two Mid-American Conference schools for future games and “mutually agreed” with Texas to move the two teams’ home-and-home series back three years, it was announced Wednesday.

Ohio State, which last played a MAC school in 2016 against Bowling Green, now has a MAC opponent scheduled every year from 2019 through 2021.
Ohio State, which last played a MAC school in 2016 against Bowling Green, now has a MAC opponent scheduled every year from 2019 through 2021.

The Buckeyes’ department of athletics came to agreements with Buffalo for a 2020 game and with Akron for a 2021 date. Both games will be played in Columbus.

The series with Texas — which recently agreed to a series with Alabama — originally was scheduled for 2022 and 2023. Under the terms of the new agreement, Ohio State will begin the 2025 season by traveling to Austin, and the Longhorns will play the return game in Columbus in September, 2026.

ABC also announced Ohio State’s game against Texas Christian this season will have an 8 p.m. start Sept. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Ohio State, which regularly has played MAC schools as part of its nonconference schedule, already had a 2019 game against Miami on the docket. The Buckeyes most recently played Toledo in 2011 and opened the 2016 season against Bowling Green.

Ohio State’s schedule is now filled through 2021.

2019

Aug. 31 – Florida Atlantic

Sept. 7 – Cincinnati

Sept. 14 – at Indiana

Sept. 21 – Miami (Ohio)

Sept. 28 – at Nebraska

Oct. 5 – Michigan State

Oct. 12 - Off

Oct. 19 – at Northwestern

Oct. 26 – Wisconsin

Nov. 2 – Off

Nov. 9 – Maryland

Nov. 16 – at Rutgers

Nov. 23 – Penn State

Nov. 30 – at Michigan

2020

Sept. 5 – Bowling Green

Sept. 12 – at Oregon

Sept. 19 – Buffalo

Sept. 26 – Rutgers

Oct. 3 – Off

Oct. 10 – Iowa

Oct. 17 – at Michigan State

Oct. 24 – at Penn State

Oct. 31 – Nebraska

Nov. 7 – Indiana

Nov. 14 – at Maryland

Nov. 21 – at Illinois

Nov. 28 – Michigan

2021

Sept. 4 – at Minnesota

Sept. 11 – Oregon

Sept. 18 – Tulsa

Sept. 25 – Akron

Oct. 2 – at Nebraska

Oct. 9 – Purdue

Oct. 16 – Off

Oct. 23 – at Rutgers

Oct. 30 – Michigan State

Nov. 6 – at Indiana

Nov. 13 – Maryland

Nov. 20 – Penn State

Nov. 27 – at Michigan

Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 419-724-6110 or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz