You’ve been there before. It’s Saturday morning, the coffee is brewing, and you’re frantically scrolling through Twitter—or X, whatever—trying to figure out if the Buckeyes kick off at noon or if you actually have time to finish mowing the lawn. For an Ohio State fan, missing the first drive is basically a cardinal sin.
Honestly, the way college football scheduling works now is a mess. Between the Big Ten’s massive TV deals with FOX, CBS, and NBC, and the "flex" scheduling that doesn't lock in times until six days before the game, keeping track of the ohio state buckeyes game time feels like a part-time job.
We are currently sitting in early 2026. The 2025 season just wrapped up with a bit of a heartbreaker in the Cotton Bowl against Miami, and everyone is already looking toward the 2026 slate. If you’re trying to plan your life around the Buckeyes this year, here is the reality of what the schedule looks like and why those "TBA" slots are so annoying.
The 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes Game Time Roadmap
Right now, the 2026 schedule is a mix of "set in stone" dates and "we'll tell you later" times. The biggest game on the early horizon is the massive road trip to Austin. Ohio State at Texas on September 12, 2026, is going to be the game of the year, period.
Because it’s a high-profile non-conference matchup, you can almost guarantee that’s going to be a "Big Noon Kickoff" on FOX or a primetime slot on ABC/ESPN. FOX loves putting their biggest game in that 12:00 PM ET window to own the morning ratings.
Here is what the early season looks like:
- Sept. 5: Ball State at Ohio Stadium. This is almost certainly a 12:00 PM or 3:30 PM start. Big Ten Network (BTN) usually eats these up.
- Sept. 12: At Texas. Expect a massive national broadcast.
- Sept. 13: Kent State at Ohio Stadium. Another likely noon start.
The rest of the Big Ten schedule is where things get murky. We know the opponents—Oregon is coming to Columbus this year, and the Buckeyes have to travel to USC. Think about that for a second. A conference game in Los Angeles. That’s going to wreak havoc on kickoff times for fans back in Ohio. If that game kicks off at 5:00 PM local time in California, we’re looking at an 8:00 PM ET start.
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Why Game Times Stay "TBA" for So Long
It’s all about the "six-day window." Basically, the TV networks (FOX, NBC, CBS) look at the standings and the hype. If Ohio State and Michigan are both undefeated going into "The Game," it’s a lock for noon on FOX. But for mid-season games against teams like Maryland or Illinois, the networks wait to see who is actually good before deciding if it belongs in primetime or the graveyard slot.
It’s frustrating for fans who want to book hotels in Iowa City or Lincoln. You’re basically gambling on whether you'll be tailgating in the dark or under the noon sun.
The Peacock Factor
Get used to the streaming life. In 2025, we saw several games relegated to Peacock. It’s a polarizing move, but it’s the way the Big Ten is moving. If you’re searching for the ohio state buckeyes game time on a Saturday morning and can’t find it on your local cable guide, there is a 90% chance it’s hidden behind a streaming subscription.
Surviving a West Coast Kickoff
With Oregon and USC now firmly in the Big Ten mix, the concept of a "standard" game time is dead. Last year taught us that.
When the Buckeyes head to USC later this 2026 season, the time difference is the real enemy. For those of us in the Eastern Time Zone, a late-afternoon kickoff in Cali means you’re ordering pizza at 9:00 PM and the game isn’t even at halftime. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Actionable Tips for Buckeye Fans in 2026
Stop relying on Google snippets that might be cached from three weeks ago. If you want the actual, confirmed ohio state buckeyes game time, do these three things:
- Check the "97.1 The Fan" Twitter feed. The local flagship station in Columbus usually breaks the "time and channel" news before the national outlets even wake up.
- Download the Ohio State Buckeyes app. It’s surprisingly stable and sends push notifications the second the Big Ten office confirms a kickoff window.
- Assume "The Game" is at Noon. Don't even bother looking it up. Ohio State vs. Michigan is the crown jewel of FOX’s Big Noon Saturday. Unless the world ends, that game is starting at 12:00 PM ET on November 28, 2026.
Plan your travel for the Texas game now, but leave your Saturday nights open for the rest of October. Between the new 12-team playoff structure and the expanded Big Ten, the schedule is more fluid than it’s ever been in the history of the program.
Watch the injury reports coming out of spring practice. If the Buckeyes stay healthy, those 7:30 PM NBC night games are going to be a lot more frequent this fall as the network looks to capitalize on a championship-caliber roster. Keep your remote close and your charger closer.
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To stay ahead of the curve, sync the official Buckeyes calendar to your phone. This automatically updates when "TBA" shifts to a real time, saving you from that frantic Saturday morning search. If you're heading to the Shoe for the Oregon game, plan for an all-day event—that one has "primetime thriller" written all over it.