Predicting each game on Ohio State's 2024 football schedule

Early predictions for Ohio State looking ahead to a historic 2024 football schedule marked by Big Ten expansion and the new College Football Playoff.

Predictions for every game on the Ohio State Buckeyes 2024 football schedule. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State embarks on a historic 2024 season marked by Big Ten conference expansion, coming off three straight losses to Michigan, and looking at qualifying for the 12-team College Football Playoff, armed with what most analysts call a national championship-caliber roster.

Sitting in second-place nationally on most sports books' national title odds, the Buckeyes return key experience especially on defense and scored major transfer acquisitions that put this team squarely on a short list of genuine championship contenders.

What can we expect from the Buckeyes this season? Let's make some early predictions for each game on the Ohio State football schedule with some help from ESPN's power index analytics model.

Predicting each Ohio State football game in 2024

1. Akron

Ohio State's odds: 98.7%

How favored are the Buckeyes in the season opener? The current line has Ohio State as 50.5 favorites against the Zips at home. Akron won two games last season.

2. Western Michigan

Ohio State's odds: 98.2%

The Broncos won four times a year ago and allowed more than 40 points in every game against Power Five competition, all losses, and comes into this matchup after opening at Wisconsin.

3. Marshall

Ohio State's odds: 96.4%

Marshall started 4-0 last season, including a win over Virginia Tech, but dropped five straight to derail its season and finish at 6-7 while posting the 106th-best scoring offense nationally.

4. at Michigan State

Ohio State's odds: 91.5%

An early litmus test for Jonathan Smith, the Spartans' new head coach, who hopes to revive a scoring attack that ranked 132nd last season, but brings on athletic quarterback Aidan Chiles to shake things up.

5. Iowa

Ohio State's odds: 87.0%

We'll see if the Hawkeyes are able to resurrect their offense but what we do know is that Iowa has the bodies to challenge Ohio State's skill threats, returning a defense that was 4th in scoring.

6. at Oregon

Ohio State's odds: 34.5%

The only game the Buckeyes aren't favored in comes in a major road test in a raucous Autzen Stadium against a Ducks squad that boasts arguably college football's best wide receiver corps, in addition to two of the nation's more physical lines.

7. Nebraska

Ohio State's odds: 91.4%

Nebraska played some good defense a year ago and returns enough of that unit to make some plays early around the line, and we could see some highlight plays from five-star quarterback pickup Dylan Raiola, but the Buckeyes have home-field in this one.

8. at Penn State

Ohio State's odds: 50.8%

A key date on the Big Ten schedule every year, the Buckeyes head to Happy Valley facing an elite Penn State defense that returns serious experience and will have to contend with the Nittany Lions' dynamic duo at running back, all while facing down the deafening PSU faithful.

9. Purdue

Ohio State's odds: 93.3%

We picked Purdue to finish in last place in our Big Ten football power rankings after losing edge rusher, and B1G sack leader Nic Scourton, from a defense that otherwise struggled badly a year ago, allowing more than 30 points per game.

10. at Northwestern

Ohio State's odds: 87.8%

An expected eight starters are back for a Wildcat defense that wasn't too bad a year ago, but Northwestern still has a big question at quarterback it's yet to really answer.

11. Indiana

Ohio State's odds: 94.6%

The Hoosier offense could turn some heads this season after new head coach Curt Cignetti brought over quarterback Kurtis Rourke from Ohio U, in tandem with some transfers all over the field.

12. Michigan

Ohio State's odds: 74.2%

A big number for the Buckeyes despite their three-game losing skid in The Game, but Michigan is a very different team right now after winning the national title, and the analytics are strong on OSU taking the series back at home with their returning players and elite transfers.

Ohio State final record: 11-1

Ohio State Football Schedule 2024

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