The second half of the 2021 season is here for No. 5 Ohio State. The Buckeyes made it through the first six games of the year in a good position, sitting at 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in Big Ten play. But the schedule is only going to get more difficult for the Scarlet and Gray moving forward.
Over the second half of the year, Ohio State could face as many as four ranked opponents, and potentially a fifth if the Buckeyes meet Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Scarlet and Gray first have a primetime trip to Indiana, but that top-25 opposition begins on Saturday, Oct. 30 against No. 7 Penn State.
On Monday, the Big Ten announced kick off times and broadcast channels for the Week 9 late of games. The Nittany Lions will come to Ohio Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. ET game, which will air on ABC. Ohio State will wear all scarlet uniforms for the game against PSU and is asking fans to “Scarlet out” the Horseshoe.
This will be the 24th night game in the 100-year history of Ohio Stadium. The Buckeye record in home night games is 18-5 (including a vacated win against Marshall in 2010). The Scarlet and Gray played one night game at home already this year, defeating Akron 59-7 on Sept. 25.
Ohio State and Penn State have a fairly long past, meeting 33 times throughout the two programs’ histories. The Buckeyes hold a 21-14 all-time record against the Nittany Lions, including the first game between the two traditional powerhouses in 1912, a 37-0 win for Penn State. It wasn’t until 1963 that the two teams met again on the gridiron when Woody Hayes‘ Buckeyes lost to Charles Engles’ Nittany Lions 10-7 at the Horseshoe. The first win in the series for the Scarlet and Gray came in 1975, a 17-9 victory by Hayes’ Buckeyes’ versus Joe Paterno‘s Penn State.
After being an independent program for 100 years, the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1993 and these two teams finally met as conference opponents that season. That was another victory for Ohio State, a 24-6 win at Ohio Stadium. The Nittany Lions earned a win against the Scarlet and Gray the following year, a 63-14 demolition of the Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium.
With both teams now in the same Big Ten East division, these two meet annually, alternating the location of the game. Ohio State has won each of the last four contests with the Nittany Lions. The Buckeyes came from behind to get a 39-38 win in Columbus four years ago and and earned a 27-26 triumph in State College in 2018. Two seasons ago, the Scarlet and Gray managed a 28-17 win in Ryan Day‘s first game against James Franklin‘s Penn State at Ohio Stadium and last year Ohio State earned a 38-25 win at Beaver Stadium.
The Buckeyes still await start times for three of their final four games of the season following Monday’s announcement.
What’s next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you’re in the loop — take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now!
2021 OHIO STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (Kickoff times/TV TBA unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, Sept. 2: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31
Saturday, Sept. 11: Oregon 35 Ohio State 28
Saturday, Sept. 18: Ohio State 41 Tulsa 20
Saturday, Sept. 25: Ohio State 59 Akron 7
Saturday, Oct. 2: Ohio State 52 Rutgers 13
Saturday, Oct. 9: Ohio State 66 Maryland 17
OFF WEEK
Saturday, Oct. 23: @ Indiana (7:30 p.m. ET; ABC)
Saturday, Oct. 30: Penn State (7:30 p.m. ET; ABC)
Saturday, Nov. 6: @ Nebraska
Saturday, Nov. 13: Purdue
Saturday, Nov. 20: Michigan State
Saturday, Nov. 27: @ Michigan (12 p.m. ET; FOX)
Saturday, Dec. 4: Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis
