Ohio State Football's Must-Win Games in 2023
Every game is a must-win game, right?
But for a team with unproven success — I don't want to say question marks because head coach Ryan Day has been overwhelmingly successful with new starting quarterbacks in his career — under center, there are a few games where the Ohio State Buckeyes need to be on their Ps and Qs.
at Michigan, Nov. 25, 2023
This one is a given.
The rivalry is and has always been the most important game on Ohio State's schedule every year. However, fans, players, coaches and staff, alike, have a revitalized sense of appreciation for the intensity and importance of "The Game."
The Buckeyes have lost the past two against Michigan, missing out on the Big Ten Championship each of those years and on the College Football Playoff in 2021.
Ohio State could go 1-11 in the regular season, but if that one win is against the Wolverines, it was a successful season. That's how important "The Game" is.
Former quarterback C.J. Stroud was 0-2 against Michigan which is a blemish on his illustrious Buckeyes career, but next season a new signal-caller will have an opportunity to begin writing his own story versus the Wolverines.
vs. Penn State, Oct. 21, 2023
With the Big Ten's new scheduling format when USC and UCLA join the conference in 2024, next season will be the last year Ohio State plays against Penn State annually.
What better way to end what athletics director Gene Smith called a "competitive rivalry" against the Nittany Lions with a win?
Ohio State has had a pretty good advantage against Penn State, winning six games in a row and 18 of 23 since 2000.
Both teams will trot out budding talents under center between Kyle McCord or Devin Brown for the Buckeyes and Drew Allar for Penn State.
Next season could potentially be a three-horse race heading into rivalry week in the Big Ten East so getting the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Nittany Lions in week seven will be important for the Buckeyes' conference title hopes.
at Notre Dame, Sept. 23, 2023
Ohio State will have its first test of the season in week four in the return game of the Buckeyes' home-and-home series against Notre Dame.
The first three weeks of the season Ohio State travels to Indiana and has home games against Youngstown State and Western Kentucky — all of which have lackluster defenses.
After a poor start to the 2022 campaign, the Fighting Irish rallied to win nine of their last 11 games, and in head coach Marcus Freeman's second season, they'll have revenge on their minds in South Bend, IN. after a 21-10 defeat last season
This will be where Ohio State will see whether it has something under center in either McCord or Brown in a hostile road environment against a nationally competitive Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.
Though the Buckeyes are favored to win, a dominant victory will send a message across the country that Ohio State is once again a CFP contender.
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