COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State Buckeyes open their 2026 college football season on Saturday afternoon, hosting the Ball State Cardinals for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff at Ohio Stadium. The contest marks the first-ever gridiron meeting between the two programs and kicks off the 104th season of football inside “The Shoe.”
Ohio State enters the 137th season in program history riding the nation’s longest active streak of season-opening victories at 26 consecutive wins. Head coach Ryan Day boasts an 8-0 mark in openers with an average margin of victory of 25.4 points. Under Day, the Buckeyes hold a 24-1 record in September games and own a 39-1 overall record all-time against Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponents, including a 36-game winning streak.
The Buckeyes return to action following a dominant 2025 defensive campaign in which they led the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 9.3 points per game—the third-fewest in the College Football Playoff era. Ohio State also paced the country in total defense (219.1 yards per game) and passing defense (129.7 yards per game).
Offensively, Ohio State is led by a pair of star record-breakers:
- Julian Sayin: The Heisman Trophy finalist returns after setting a Big Ten single-season record with a 77.0% completion rate in 2025, throwing for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
- Jeremiah Smith: The standout receiver continues his record-shattering career after becoming the fastest player in program history to hit 100 receptions, 2,000 receiving yards, and 25 touchdown catches.
- Bo Jackson: Coming off a breakout freshman year, Jackson became just the fifth true freshman in Ohio State history to surpass 1,000 rushing yards on the season.
Ball State visits Columbus under second-year head coach Mike Uremovich following a 4-8 campaign in 2025. The Cardinals feature 11 Ohio natives on their roster, including former Buckeye defensive back Diante Griffin, alongside 19 Power-Four transfers. Redshirt junior quarterback Keldric Luster is expected to make his first start under center for Ball State as the program replaces last year’s dual-threat starter, Kiael Kelly.
Game Information & Betting Odds
- Venue: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)
- Kickoff Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Streaming: Fubo
- Betting Line: Ohio State is a heavy 50.5-point favorite (-108), with Ball State at +50.5 (-115).
Key Matchup Breakdown
- Scoring Power: Ohio State averaged 33.4 points per game last season, slightly outpacing the 29.8 points per game allowed by Ball State’s defense.
- Total Offense vs. Defense: The Buckeyes averaged 422.6 total yards per game last year, compared to Ball State’s defense yielding 405.5 yards per contest.
- Cardinals Attack: Ball State averaged 15.8 points and 271.7 yards per game in 2025, testing an Ohio State defense that surrendered just 9.3 points and 219.1 yards per matchup.
