So, you’re looking for the Ohio State University football score, but honestly, depending on which game you’re thinking of, the answer might actually sting a bit. If you’re a Buckeyes fan, the most recent numbers on the scoreboard weren't exactly what anyone in Columbus had on their New Year's wish list.
The Buckeyes finished their 2025-2026 campaign with a 24-14 loss to Miami in the Cotton Bowl on December 31, 2025. It was a weird, frustrating night in Arlington. Seeing the defending national champions get bounced in the CFP Quarterfinals felt a little surreal, especially after such a dominant regular season where they looked practically invincible.
The Most Recent Score: Cotton Bowl Heartbreak
Let’s be real for a second. Most people expected Ohio State to steamroll their way back to the title game. They entered the matchup against the Hurricanes as favorites, but the Ohio State University football score told a different story by the fourth quarter.
It wasn't just that they lost; it was how it happened. The final was Miami 24, Ohio State 14. Julian Sayin threw for 287 yards and a touchdown, but those two interceptions were absolute killers. You could feel the air leave the stadium when Miami’s defense started feasting on an offensive line that finally looked human.
The Breakdown of the 24-14 Loss
Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. basically lived in the Buckeyes' backfield. It’s tough to win when your star quarterback is constantly under duress.
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- First Quarter: Things started slow. Defense was the name of the game.
- The Turnovers: Two critical picks by Sayin gave Miami short fields. You can't do that against a Top 10 team and expect to survive.
- Jeremiah Smith’s Heroics: He was the lone bright spot. 7 catches, 157 yards, and a score. The kid is a cheat code, but even he couldn't carry the whole team on his back.
Why the Big Ten Championship Score Mattered
Before the bowl season drama, there was the Big Ten Championship. This is where the wheels first started to look a little wobbly. Ohio State faced Indiana—yeah, the Hoosiers—and the Ohio State University football score ended up being a shocking 13-10 loss in favor of IU.
It was a defensive rock fight.
People kept waiting for the Buckeyes' offense to explode like it did earlier in the year when they dropped 70 on Grambling or 48 on UCLA. It never happened. Indiana played a perfect ball-control game, and for the first time all year, Ryan Day’s squad looked out of sync.
That 13-10 result meant Ohio State missed out on the conference title, which is probably why they ended up with a tougher path in the playoffs.
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A Look Back: The Scores That Built the 12-0 Start
It's easy to get caught up in the late-season losses, but we shouldn't forget how good this team was for three months. They were a juggernaut. They didn't just win; they embarrassed people.
Here is a quick rundown of the scores that defined the regular season:
- The Texas Statement: They opened the year with a 14-7 win over the Longhorns. It was gritty. It was ugly. But it proved the defense was elite.
- The Michigan Masterclass: Nothing matters more in Ohio than "The Game." The Ohio State University football score against Michigan was a satisfying 27-9. Beating the Wolverines in Ann Arbor to finish 12-0? That’s the stuff of legends.
- Defensive Dominance: They held Wisconsin to 0 points (34-0) and Minnesota to just 3 (42-3). For a long stretch, this was the best scoring defense in the entire country.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2025 Season
There’s this narrative floating around that the Buckeyes "choked." Honestly, that’s a bit of a stretch.
Look at the stats. Julian Sayin finished with over 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns. Bo Jackson (not that one, but the freshman sensation) rushed for nearly 1,100 yards. They were statistically one of the best teams in the country.
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The real issue? Depth and experience.
The 2024 team that won it all was veteran-heavy. The 2025 squad was younger. When they hit the post-season buzzsaw of Indiana and Miami, that lack of "been-there-done-that" experience showed up in the red zone. They struggled to convert when the field got small.
The Offensive Line Factor
If you want to point a finger, look at the trenches. During the regular season, the line was "good enough." Against Miami’s pass rush, "good enough" became a liability. You can have the best receivers in the world—and with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, they arguably did—but if the QB is on his backside, the Ohio State University football score isn't going to look pretty.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're already looking toward next year (and let's be honest, Buckeye fans always are), here is what needs to change for that score to stay in the winning column:
- Address the Portal: They need immediate help at tackle. Watching Sayin run for his life in the Cotton Bowl was a wake-up call.
- Red Zone Creativity: The play-calling got a bit predictable in the final two games. Expect Chip Kelly or whoever is holding the clipboard to spice things up inside the 20.
- Secondary Retooling: Losing guys like Caleb Downs to the draft or graduation means the "No Fly Zone" needs new pilots.
The 2025 season was a rollercoaster. It started with a massive win over Texas and ended with a quiet night in Texas. While the final Ohio State University football score of the year wasn't a win, the foundation is clearly there for another run in 2026.
Keep an eye on the spring game in April. That's where the next version of this story starts.