If you asked a Buckeye fan in mid-November about the ohio state 2024 fb schedule, they probably would’ve told you it was a "championship or bust" kind of year. The vibe in Columbus was electric. People were calling it the most talented roster in a generation. Then, the Michigan game happened. Again.
Honestly, looking back at how that season unfolded, it's a bit of a fever dream. You've got this dominant run where they looked untouchable, a heart-stopping loss in Eugene, and a post-season that basically rewritten the history books.
The Regular Season Grind
The thing about the ohio state 2024 fb schedule is that it started off feeling like a preseason tour. Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall. No disrespect, but those aren't exactly the games that keep Ryan Day up at night. The Buckeyes outscored those first three opponents 157-20. It was basically a showcase for freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith, who was snagging one-handed touchdowns like he was playing against a high school JV squad.
But things got real, fast.
The trip to Autzen Stadium to face Oregon on October 12th was the first major pivot point. That game was a shootout. 32-31. A one-point loss that felt like a punch to the gut. Will Howard played well, but that final drive—where he slid a second too late as the clock hit zero—became an instant meme for all the wrong reasons. It was the kind of loss that makes a fan base question everything.
Yet, they bounced back. They went to Happy Valley and silenced Penn State, 20-13. They absolutely dismantled a top-5 Indiana team in late November. Heading into the final week of the regular season, Ohio State was ranked No. 2 in the country and looked like a lock for the Big Ten title.
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The Michigan Stunner (And the Fallout)
The game on November 30th is still a sore subject for anyone wearing scarlet and gray. Michigan was having a down year—they were 6-5 coming into the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes were favored by nearly three touchdowns. It was supposed to be the revenge game that ended the streak.
Instead, it was a 13-10 disaster.
The offense just... stalled. Two interceptions from Will Howard. A missed field goal. A rushing attack that couldn't get past 77 yards against a defense that everyone else seemed to have figured out. When Dominic Zvada kicked that 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left to give Michigan the win, the stadium went dead silent. Then, of course, the fight broke out over the flag plant at midfield. It was ugly. It was heartbreaking. It was the fourth loss in a row to "That Team Up North," and for a few days, it felt like the season was over.
The Playoff Redemption
Here’s the part people forget when they just look at the Michigan score: that loss didn't kill their season. Because of the new 12-team format, Ohio State snagged the No. 8 seed. They had to take the long road.
The ohio state 2024 fb schedule didn't end in November; it just entered its second act.
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First, they handled Tennessee in Columbus. Then came the Rose Bowl, a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. Most experts thought the Ducks would roll them again. Instead, the Buckeyes played with a "nothing to lose" aggression we hadn't seen all year. They smoked 'em, 41-21. Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson were a two-headed monster, combining for nearly 200 yards.
The momentum didn't stop. They beat Texas in the Cotton Bowl (28-14) behind a defensive masterclass from Jack Sawyer. By the time they reached the National Championship in Atlanta against Notre Dame, they looked like the team everyone expected them to be in August.
Winning that title 34-23 made them the first-ever 12-team playoff champions. It's a weird legacy. They are the only team in history to lose to an unranked rival at home and still end up hoisting the trophy as the consensus No. 1.
Key Stats and Results
If you're looking for the hard numbers from the 2024 campaign, here's how the meat of the schedule actually played out:
- Aug 31: vs Akron (W, 52-6)
- Sep 7: vs Western Michigan (W, 56-0)
- Sep 21: vs Marshall (W, 49-14)
- Oct 12: @ Oregon (L, 31-32)
- Nov 2: @ Penn State (W, 20-13)
- Nov 23: vs Indiana (W, 38-15)
- Nov 30: vs Michigan (L, 10-13)
- Dec 21: vs Tennessee (W, 42-17) - CFP First Round
- Jan 1: vs Oregon (W, 41-21) - Rose Bowl / Quarterfinal
- Jan 10: vs Texas (W, 28-14) - Cotton Bowl / Semifinal
- Jan 20: vs Notre Dame (W, 34-23) - National Championship
Jeremiah Smith finished the year with 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. That's a true freshman. Let that sink in. Will Howard, despite the Michigan hiccups, threw for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. The defense, led by Jim Knowles, was the best in the country statistically, allowing only 12.9 points per game.
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What This Means for Future Schedules
The 2024 season proved that the "one loss and you're out" era is officially dead. Ohio State had two losses—one to a rival, one to a top seed—and still won it all.
If you are planning your travel or looking at tickets for the upcoming seasons based on the ohio state 2024 fb schedule model, keep in mind that the Big Ten is only getting bigger. The "new" Big Ten means more trips to the West Coast and more high-stakes matchups in October.
The takeaway for fans? Don't panic after a mid-season loss. The expanded playoff is a marathon, not a sprint. The Buckeyes proved that you can lose the most important game on your calendar and still end the year as the best team in the country. It's a strange new world in college football, but for Ohio State, it ended with a trophy.
Actionable Next Steps:
If you want to dive deeper into the current roster or ticket availability for the next season, your best bet is to check the official Ohio State Athletics site or the Big Ten's updated conference portal. Keeping an eye on the transfer portal is also huge right now, as that's where this 2024 "Super Team" was originally built.