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Fans who watched Ohio State football last season can’t be mad that they lost the Big Ten title game to Indiana, the eventual national champions. They might be a bit miffed that they didn’t advance deeper in the College Football Playoff, though.
The 2026 offseason saw a lot of turnover for Ryan Day’s squad. He lost a ton of players and his offensive coordinator. But the eighth-year coach sounded optimistic about the 2026 season.
“I’m excited about where this season is going,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said during Big Ten Media Days. “Now we’re back to what matters most and that’s football. As much change as has gone across the offseason, we’re back to what matters the most and that’s playing the game.”
Can Ohio State contend for a national title this year? Here’s what you need to know if you want to watch Ohio State football on TV in 2026.
Ohio State football TV schedule 2026
The most interesting game on Ohio State’s schedule in 2026 is against the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers in mid-October. That game has classic written all over it, especially considering how the last meeting between the two teams unfolded.
“We look back on the game that we played in the Big Ten championship, look at some of those key situational things that we should have done a much better job with,” Day said. “We take ownership of that. We had to get that better.”
If Ohio State wants to reach the promised land again, a win over Indiana would be huge.
Check back every week during the regular season for the latest Ohio State football schedule updates, broadcast times, and TV channels.
| Opponent | Day | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State | Saturday, Sept. 5 | 12:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network |
| At Texas Longhorns | Saturday, Sept. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Kent State | Saturday, Sept. 19 | Noon | FOX |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | Saturday, Sept. 26 | TBA | TBA |
| At Iowa Hawkeyes | Saturday, Oct. 3 | TBA | TBA |
| Maryland | Saturday, Oct. 10 | TBA | TBA |
| At Indiana Hoosiers | Saturday, Oct. 17 | TBA | TBA |
| At USC Trojans | Saturday, Oct. 31 | TBA | TBA |
| Oregon Ducks | Saturday, Nov. 7 | TBA | TBA |
| Northwestern | Saturday, Nov. 14 | TBA | TBA |
| At Nebraska Cornhuskers | Saturday, Nov. 21 | TBA | TBA |
| Michigan Wolverines | Saturday, Nov. 28 | Noon | FOX |
Data effective as of post date. All listed rankings are from the AP Top 25 poll at the time of the matchup.
Best TV plans for watching Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Big Ten’s media deal is such that you’ll likely only need two services to watch Michigan football without interruption: Hulu + Live TV and Peacock Premium. We explain what we love about each service below.
If you’re looking to watch games on lower-cost streaming services only, Peacock Premium and FOX One should cover you for games not on Big Ten Network. Some preseason games may also stream on B1G+.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV ($88.99–$99.99/mo.) carries every local and national channel you’ll need to watch Ohio State Buckeyes football home and road games, including Big Ten Network. It also has ESPN+ content on its main interface for fans who want to tune into other college football games on that streaming channel.
Peacock Premium
Peacock streams several Big Ten Conference football games exclusively per season. In the event the Buckeyes have one of those on their schedule, fans will want to have access to the service’s Premium plan ($10.99–$16.99/mo.).
Interested in college football games this weekend?
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Watch Ohio State football FAQ
Can I watch Ohio State Buckeyes football for free?
You can watch nearly every Ohio State game for free with a digital antenna because most games air on major networks like NBC and ABC. Otherwise, you'll need a limited free trial to a live TV streaming service.
When is Ohio State football's bye week?
Ohio State won't play the weekend of Saturday, October 24.
When does Ohio State football play Indiana?
The Buckeyes and Hoosiers meet Saturday, October 17.
How can I watch Ohio State football on TV if I don't have cable?
Ohio State football can be streamed with a streaming TV service like Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV. Peacock Premium and FOX One are services that will also stream Buckeyes games.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com Internet Editor, Eric Chiu, carefully tracks Ohio State football’s broadcast partners every week during the regular season. When they announce game times and channel assignments, you’ll get that information here first.
Additionally, he drew from our existing streaming TV research and hands-on testing to determine the best ways to watch college football. For the 2026-2027 season, he reexamined the most popular TV providers head-to-head and formed his recommendations based on channel lineups, pricing, and ease of use.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
