You remember that feeling in late August 2019? It was a weird mix of nerves and "what if." Urban Meyer was gone. Ryan Day was the guy now, but he was an unproven commodity as a full-time head coach. Then there was this kid Justin Fields coming in from Georgia after a messy transfer saga. Honestly, nobody knew if the ohio state schedule 2019 was going to be a coronation or a reality check.
Turns out, it was a buzzsaw.
That team didn't just win games. They erased people. If you look back at the box scores, the sheer point differentials look like something out of a video game. But the schedule wasn't just about the wins; it was about how the Buckeyes transformed from a "new era" question mark into arguably the most complete team in the country.
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The Early Season Blowouts
The year kicked off on August 31 against Florida Atlantic. A 45-21 win. It was fine, but people were nitpicking. Was the defense actually better under Jeff Hafley? Then came the Cincinnati game on September 7.
That was the statement.
Luke Fickell brought a tough Bearcats team to Columbus, and the Buckeyes sent them home with a 42-0 shutout. You could feel the shift in the stadium. This wasn't the bend-don't-break defense of 2018. This was a "we’re going to suffocate you" type of unit. Chase Young started looking like a Heisman candidate basically from that first snap.
A September to Remember
- Sept 14: A trip to Bloomington where they handled Indiana 51-10.
- Sept 21: The Miami (Ohio) massacre. 76-5. Yes, seventy-six.
- Sept 28: A night game in Lincoln. Everyone thought Nebraska might keep it close. Ohio State won 48-7.
By the time the calendar turned to October, the ohio state schedule 2019 was looking like a path to the playoff. Justin Fields was making throws that didn't seem real. He’d just flick his wrist and the ball would travel 50 yards on a rope to Chris Olave or Binjimen Victor.
When the Schedule Got Heavy
Every great season has those "trap" games or the heavyweights that test your chin. For the 2019 Buckeyes, that stretch started with Michigan State on October 5. It was a 34-10 win, but it felt grittier. Then they went to Northwestern on a Friday night (Oct 18) and put up 52.
The real test, though? Wisconsin on October 26.
It was raining. It was cold. It was "Big Ten Weather." Jonathan Taylor was supposed to be the best back in the country, but J.K. Dobbins decided he wanted that title. Dobbins went off for 163 yards and two scores. The Buckeyes won 38-7, and suddenly, the "No. 1 team in the nation" talk wasn't just homerism. It was objective truth.
The November Grind
November is where seasons go to die in the Big Ten. Ohio State had to navigate Maryland and Rutgers—which were essentially scrimmage games (73-14 and 56-21, respectively)—before hitting the "The Gauntlet."
Penn State came to the Shoe on November 23. This was the first time all year the Buckeyes actually looked human. They fumbled. They let the Nittany Lions back into it. But the defense held firm, winning 28-17. It was the "ugly" win every championship team needs to have on the resume.
The Michigan Game and the Big Ten Title
"The Game" in 2019 was supposed to be Jim Harbaugh’s best chance to finally flip the script. It was in Ann Arbor. Michigan was playing well.
Didn't matter.
56-27. Justin Fields went down with a knee injury, came back in one play later, and threw a touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson that basically silenced the Big House. It was ruthless. Watching Dobbins run through that defense was like watching a pro play against a high school team. He ended up with four touchdowns that day.
A week later, they had a rematch with Wisconsin for the Big Ten Championship. For the first time all season, Ohio State was trailing at halftime. They looked sluggish. 21-7 at the break. But Ryan Day didn't panic. They outscored the Badgers 27-0 in the second half to win 34-21.
That Heartbreaking Fiesta Bowl
You can’t talk about the ohio state schedule 2019 without talking about the end. The Fiesta Bowl against Clemson on December 28.
I’ll be honest: it’s still a sore subject in Columbus. The reversed scoop-and-score. The J.K. Dobbins injury. The Chris Olave slip in the end zone. It was a 29-23 loss that felt like it shouldn't have happened. The Buckeyes outgained Clemson 496 to 417. They had more first downs. They just didn't have the luck.
Despite that loss, the 2019 team is remembered as one of the best in school history. They finished 13-1, won the Big Ten, and produced three Heisman finalists in the same year if you count the transfer stuff (Fields and Young were both in NYC).
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking back at this season to understand how modern Ohio State football was built, keep these takeaways in mind:
- The Ryan Day Transition: This season proved that the program wouldn't skip a beat post-Meyer. The offensive philosophy shifted to a more pro-style passing attack that still prioritized a power run game.
- The Chase Young Blueprint: If you want to see how a defensive end can change a game plan, watch the 2019 Wisconsin or Penn State tapes. He forced teams to triple-team him, which opened everything up for the rest of the line.
- Statistical Dominance: This was one of the few years where Ohio State ranked in the top 5 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
The ohio state schedule 2019 remains a high-water mark for the program. Even without the national title trophy, the sheer dominance of that 13-0 run through the Big Ten is something we won't see very often in the new era of expanded conferences and playoffs. If you ever have a spare few hours, go back and watch the 2019 Michigan game highlights. It’s a masterclass in execution.