You know that feeling when you're 12-0, feeling basically invincible, and then the wheels just... fall off? That's the 2025 Ohio State season in a nutshell. Honestly, looking at the Ohio State football scores from this past year feels like reading a thriller where the hero trips on a shoelace in the final chapter.
Ryan Day finally did it. He beat Michigan. In Ann Arbor, no less. But then came the postseason.
If you just glance at the record, 12-2 looks great. Most programs would kill for it. But in Columbus, those two losses—the 13-10 heartbreaker to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship and the 24-14 thumping by Miami in the Cotton Bowl—feel like a gut punch. It’s weird how a perfect regular season can end up feeling so "meh" when the trophy case stays empty.
The Regular Season Perfection (Before it Got Weird)
Early on, it was total dominance. People forget that this defense was historically stingy. They didn't allow more than 16 points in any regular-season game. That hasn't happened in college football since the mid-70s.
Look at some of these early Ohio State football scores to see how lopsided things were:
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- Texas: W 14-7 (A defensive slugfest that set the tone)
- Grambling State: W 70-0 (Basically a televised practice)
- Marshall: W 37-9
- Washington: W 24-6 (First real road test, handled easily)
The offense, led by freshman sensation Julian Sayin, was efficient. It wasn't always "explosive" like the C.J. Stroud years, but with Jeremiah Smith catching everything in his zip code, they didn't need to be. Smith finished the year as arguably the best receiver in the country, hauling in 15 touchdowns.
Then you had the "The Game." After three years of misery, Ohio State finally silenced the Big House with a 27-9 win. Julian Sayin threw for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns. Bo Jackson (not that one, but he played like it) racked up 166 total yards. For a week, it felt like the Buckeyes were the best team in history.
Where the Ohio State Football Scores Went South
The postseason was a different story. And yeah, it’s kinda painful to talk about.
The Big Ten Championship against Indiana was just... bizarre. Ohio State entered as the heavy favorite. They left with a 13-10 loss. Indiana’s defense, led by Curt Cignetti, turned the game into a rock fight. The Buckeyes' high-powered offense suddenly looked stuck in the mud. Ten points? At Lucas Oil Stadium? It was the lowest score the Buckeyes had put up in years.
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Then came the CFP Quarterfinal. The Cotton Bowl.
- Score: Miami 24, Ohio State 14
Miami’s defensive line lived in the Buckeyes' backfield. Julian Sayin looked like a freshman for the first time all year. He still threw for 287 yards, but the ground game was non-existent. Bo Jackson was held to just 55 yards. When you can't run, you can't win in January. Simple as that.
Breaking Down the 2025 Stats
The numbers tell a story of "almost."
- Points per game: 33.4
- Points allowed: 9.3 (Elite, until it wasn't)
- Pass Yards: 3,755 (Sayin was a machine)
- Total Record: 12-2
Why the 2026 Schedule is Actually Scarier
If you think the 2025 Ohio State football scores were a rollercoaster, buckle up for 2026. The "easy schedule" talk from last year is dead.
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The Buckeyes have to go to Austin for a rematch with Texas. Arch Manning will be the starter there. That’s a nightmare matchup for any secondary. Then they’ve got to host Oregon and travel to Bloomington to face an Indiana team that basically has their number now.
The Big Ten isn't just a two-team race anymore. With 18 teams in the mix, every week is a potential landmine. Ryan Day is under massive pressure to prove that 2025 wasn't a fluke or a "downward trend" despite the Michigan win.
Real Actionable Insights for Buckeye Fans
If you're tracking Ohio State football scores for betting or just because you're a die-hard, keep these nuances in mind for the upcoming season:
- Watch the Transfer Portal for O-Line help: The Miami loss proved the Buckeyes need more "thump" up front. If they don't land a veteran tackle, expect more low-scoring struggles against elite defensive fronts.
- The "Indiana Problem": Don't overlook the Hoosiers. Until Ohio State proves they can handle Curt Cignetti’s defensive schemes, that matchup is a genuine threat to their playoff seeding.
- Jeremiah Smith is the Alpha: In games where the score is tight, the ball is going to #4. If he's bracketed, someone like Carnell Tate has to step up, or the offense stalls.
Basically, 2025 was a year of "what ifs." 12-0 was beautiful. 12-2 was a reality check. Now, we see if Ryan Day can actually finish the job in 2026.
Keep an eye on the spring game rosters. The quarterback battle between Sayin and the incoming freshmen will likely dictate whether those Ohio State football scores stay in the 40s or dip back into the dangerous 10-14 range we saw in the playoffs.
Stay updated on the official 2026 schedule releases coming this spring to see exactly when the Texas and Oregon gauntlets begin.