The highly anticipated Halloween matchup between Ohio State and USC is going to be one of the most expensive games in the 2026 CFB calendar. This will be the first meeting between the two teams as conference opponents following the Trojans’ move to the Big Ten in 2024. However, this is also the first time that Ohio State is coming to the LA Memorial Coliseum since 2008. The last encounter between these two teams was in 2017, which is why all eyes will be on this fixture.

According to USC Athletics’ June 9 update, the USC Trojans opened a limited 48-hour single-game ticket sale window for the OSU vs. USC matchup. While that exclusive sale allowed fans to buy up to four tickets through the USC Ticket Office, ticket prices ranged from $225 to $900 each. The prices differed according to field location and the seat tier.

If anyone misses the limited window, there are Trojan Family Weekend tickets and then resale platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats. On those secondary ticketing marketplaces, while upper-level seats start around $220 to $270, premium club seating is around $569. However, the 48-hour window was a rare chance to purchase tickets outside of buying the full season ticket package.

This 2026 matchup between these two will be intense, following their last meeting in 2017 at the Cotton Bowl Classic, when Ohio State won that postseason battle 24–7. Before that, in 2009, USC won a close game 18–15 in Columbus at Ohio Stadium. But the last time, in 2008, when USC hosted Ohio State at the Coliseum in a top-five matchup, the Trojans dominated the Buckeyes, winning 35–3.

This season, while experts favor Ohio State, there’s a home-field advantage for USC.

Ohio State has done a brilliant job in their recruitment process. According to ESPN’s power rankings through 2027, they ranked second in CFB.

USC ranked 14th in the list, but they will be expected to perform brilliantly this season, especially in the October 31 game against the Buckeyes.

While this fixture will certainly burn a hole in the pockets of fans, the Buckeyes have four games in the top 25 most expensive games in football in the upcoming season.

Ryan Day’s Ohio State games in high demand

Ryan Day and Ohio State have done a lot of great things in CFB in recent years. Their program has been increasingly popular due to the number of NFL prospects they produce. In the 2026 NFL Draft, four of the first 11 picks were from Day’s program.

While the starpower has gone to the big leagues, the popularity of the team hasn’t. The same was reflected in the prices of tickets for the Buckeyes’ games in the upcoming season.

When the Buckeyes face the Longhorns on September 12, 2026, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, a ticket is likely going to cost $600. However, the average ticket price on marketplaces like Vivid Seats sits roughly at $944.

Then, for the highly anticipated game in college football, Ohio State vs. Michigan, for the 122nd edition of “The Game,” you need to spend approximately between $375 and $410 for the cheapest upper-deck tickets. But premium sideline seating will be expected to be more on secondary marketplaces like SeatGeek.

To watch the matchup between OSU and Oregon, you need to spend nearly over $300, while for the Buckeyes’ rematch with Indiana, the ticket price cloe to $400.

All of this shows how massive the following is behind the Buckeyes’ football program. There is certainly going to be a lot of pressure, but Day and his team have proven that they are capable of coming out on top in difficult moments. Having been brilliant for the team since taking over in 2019, he will be looking to lead them to another championship this coming season.