The SEC’s move to a nine-game conference schedule prompted its programs to rethink the kinds of non-conference matchups they want. Georgia cancelled its series with Louisville, and Alabama did the same with West Virginia. While the scheduling requirement was officially the reason, the subtext is, of course, the playoff picture. That’s not how Ohio State is approaching its future games against non-Big 10 teams.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
In a February 10 interview with Eleven Warriors, the Buckeyes’ AD Ross Bjork was asked about the rationale for keeping games like Georgia and Alabama on the future schedule, especially in scenarios where the program has a tough Big Ten slate.
“Playing high-level matchups, we should not be afraid of that here at Ohio State,” Bjork said. “We need to embrace all opponents. We need to embrace high-level matchups. Back to compelling content as we’re driving value in this whole new sort of era of college sports.
Until somebody shows us a different model where those games are going to cost you either way. Then we’ll look at it. But until then, these games are on the schedule. There are contracts in place that have been in place for a long, long time. We’re going to honor those contracts.”
.png)
.png)
.png)
Ohio State and Alabama signed a home-and-home series contract in June 2020. As per their agreed matchup, the Buckeyes will host Alabama in Columbus on September 18, 2027, and will travel to Tuscaloosa the following year on September 9, 2028. The Georgia series is scheduled for 2030 and 2031, with the Bulldogs hosting the Buckeyes in Athens on September 14, 2030. The return leg will be played in Columbus on August 30, 2031.
Unlike Georgia AD Josh Brooks, who argued that the Bulldogs already have 10 “Power 4” games on their schedule, Bjorg sees the value in playing powerhouse teams in terms of setting up the Buckeyes for a season.
“I think it prepares you for what the rest of the Big 10 looks like,” he said. “And then it prepares you for postseason and what that looks like. You need to see teams that you match up with throughout the year. And so Ohio State is always going to embrace these kinds of matchups. There’s going to some years, like in 2029, where we don’t have matchups like this because of the way the schedule fell.”
However, the 2026 schedule will be a gauntlet for Ohio State. They have Illinois, Indiana, USC, Oregon, and Michigan on their schedule. Even traveling to Kinnick to face Iowa won’t be an easy feat. But winning against a tough non-conference team early on can set you up for the season. That’s what happened when Ryan Day’s team defeated Texas in Week 1 to open the last season. On the other hand, Penn State faced three easy non-conference teams to start the season and fell to Oregon when it faced a tough opponent for the first time.
Paul Finebaum on the Ohio State vs Alabama game
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum doubted that the pre-agreed Ohio State vs. Alabama matchup would take place. Both conferences have realigned their schedules to include three non-conference games and nine conference games, effective from 2026.
“I sincerely doubt the Alabama game is going to happen based on what I’ve heard from Alabama’s AD,” Finebaum said in the February 6 interview with 97.1 The Fan. “He’s got a shaky situation there anyway, with a coach who is in trouble. Georgia might do it because they are a little more in tune in a line.
But I really don’t think we’re going to go too far and see those games. And I know what Ross Bjork has said. But the reality is that the 9th SEC game is going to be very costly for a lot of programs.”
With the SEC already having a tougher schedule, playing a non-conference opponent like Ohio State could risk their playoff chances. Especially with Georgia and Ohio State in their schedule, it could put Bama and Kalen DeBoer in a situation that they can’t afford. However, one thing is for sure. The request for a cancellation will not come from Ohio State. The Buckeyes are ready to take on any team they have on their schedule.