Look, if you ask any person in Columbus about the 2023 Ohio State football schedule, they won’t start by talking about the dominant wins or the elite defense. They’ll probably just sigh. It’s that heavy, frustrated kind of exhale. On paper, an 11-2 record is a dream for 95% of college programs. But at Ohio State? It felt like a missed opportunity that’s still hard to swallow.
The year was defined by a massive question mark at quarterback and a defense that finally played at a championship level, only for the offense to hit a wall when it mattered most.
Honestly, the schedule was a grind. From a nervous season opener in Bloomington to a heart-stopping night in South Bend, the 2023 campaign was a roller coaster that eventually went off the rails in Ann Arbor and Arlington.
The 2023 Ohio State Football Schedule: A Game-by-Game Reality Check
The season started with more anxiety than usual. Typically, the Buckeyes use the first few weeks to tune up the engine, but 2023 felt different because we were all watching Kyle McCord and Devin Brown battle for the starting spot. It wasn't exactly the "smooth sailing" fans were used to during the C.J. Stroud era.
- September 2: at Indiana (W 23-3)
It was ugly. No other way to put it. The offense looked clunky, and people were already panicking about the post-Stroud life. - September 9: Youngstown State (W 35-7)
A bit better, but still didn't feel like the "death star" offense we expected. - September 16: Western Kentucky (W 63-10)
The breakout. This was the game where it felt like maybe, just maybe, the passing game had clicked.
Then came the first real test.
That Night in South Bend
September 23rd is a date burned into the brains of Buckeyes fans. Traveling to face #9 Notre Dame, the Buckeyes found themselves in a rock fight. It wasn't pretty. It was gritty. Ryan Day’s "Where’s Lou Holtz?" post-game rant became the meme of the month, but the real story was Chip Trayanum’s one-yard plunge with one second left on the clock.
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That 17-14 win convinced everyone this team had the "toughness" they had been lacking.
Navigating the Big Ten Gauntlet
After the emotional high of Notre Dame, the middle of the 2023 Ohio State football schedule looked like a standard Big Ten trek, but there were some serious landmines.
Maryland (W 37-17) and Purdue (W 41-7) were handled, but then came the Penn State game on October 21. That was a defensive masterclass. Jim Knowles’ defense completely suffocated the Nittany Lions, holding them to 12 points. It was the moment we realized the Ohio State defense was legitimately the best in the country.
The secondary, led by Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun, was playing lights out. They were erasing wide receivers. It felt like the Buckeyes could win a national title just by holding teams to 10 points.
Then came the home stretch:
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- at Wisconsin (W 24-10): A tough, physical night in Madison.
- at Rutgers (W 35-16): Closer than the score suggests for three quarters.
- Michigan State (W 38-3): A total blowout under the lights.
- Minnesota (W 37-3): The final tune-up before "The Game."
The Ann Arbor Heartbreak
Everything in the 2023 Ohio State football schedule was just a prelude to November 25. 11-0. Michigan was 11-0. The stakes couldn't have been higher.
It was a weird game. Michigan didn't have Jim Harbaugh on the sideline due to the whole sign-signing scandal suspension, yet they looked remarkably composed. Ohio State, meanwhile, felt like they were playing on a razor's edge.
Marvin Harrison Jr. did Marvin Harrison Jr. things, catching a touchdown to keep it close. But a late interception by Rod Moore sealed a 30-24 loss. It was the third straight loss to "That Team Up North," and the fallout was immediate. The fan base went from "we're winning it all" to "is Ryan Day the right guy?" in about sixty minutes of game time.
The Cotton Bowl Thud
By the time the Buckeyes reached the Cotton Bowl on December 29 to face Missouri, the air had been sucked out of the room. Kyle McCord had entered the transfer portal. Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out.
The result was a 14-3 loss that was, frankly, painful to watch. Lincoln Kienholz was thrown into the fire after Devin Brown got hurt early, and the offense just couldn't move the ball. It was a sour end to a season that had so much defensive brilliance.
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2023 Season Stats at a Glance
- Final Record: 11-2
- Points Per Game: 30.5 (Lowest since 2011)
- Points Allowed Per Game: 11.2 (Elite by any standard)
- Passing Leader: Kyle McCord (3,170 yards, 24 TDs, 6 INTs)
- Receiving Leader: Marvin Harrison Jr. (1,210 yards, 14 TDs)
What We Learned from the 2023 Campaign
If you're looking back at this season to understand the current state of Ohio State football, there are a few things you've got to realize.
First, the transfer portal has changed everything. The fact that a starting quarterback at an 11-1 school felt the need to leave before the bowl game says a lot about the pressure in Columbus.
Second, defense wins championships, but only if the offense can at least provide a spark. The 2023 defense was good enough to win a natty. The offense, hampered by inconsistent line play and a first-year starter, just wasn't.
If you’re a fan looking to prep for the next season, focus on these three things:
- Watch the Trenches: The 2023 season proved that elite receivers can't save you if the offensive line can't hold up against top-tier pass rushes.
- Value the Kicking Game: Jayden Fielding was a bright spot, and in close games like Notre Dame, those points are oxygen.
- Appreciate the Greats: We might not see another receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr. for a long time. Don't let the Michigan loss blind you to how special his 2023 performance really was.
The 2023 schedule is a reminder that in college football, the margin between a legendary season and a "disappointing" 11-win year is usually just a few plays in November.