Scheduling is often done years in advance. The 2025 Ohio State schedule was seemingly set but on Monday, the program announced a minor change to its non-conference slate.
After a mutual agreement with UConn, the Buckeyes’ matchup with the Huskies has been dropped. In its place, Ohio State will play host to Grambling State.
Ohio State has made two changes to its 2025 football schedule: the Buckeyes will no longer face UConn on Oct. 18 and the department has replaced that contest by adding a game against Grambling State University on Sept. 6.
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) June 17, 2024
The 2025 Ohio State Schedule Has a Minor Shake Up
The first-ever meeting between Ohio State and UConn will have to wait. Instead, we get the first-ever matchup between Ohio State and the 26-time Southwest Athletic Conference champions, Grambling State.
The Tigers play at the FCS level and have won the Black College Football National Championship 15 times, good for third-most. The SWAC and MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) face off in the Celebration Bowl yearly instead of participating in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoff with the rest of the FCS. The Celebration Bowl has served as the de facto Black College Football National Championship since 2015.
Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) made their own national championship due to how the early years of college football treated Black players and schools. HBCUs generally lacked the opportunity to face off against Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) due to segregation and this country’s general racism toward non-white people. Hence, they created and have since upheld their own Black College Football National Championship.
Ohio State has faced off against current FCS foes four times before. They’ve scheduled Youngstown State three times (2007, 2009, 2023) and Florida A&M once (2013). FAMU is also an HBCU and is the reigning Black College Football National Champions.
Future Non-Conference Foes
The Buckeyes’ non-conference games are seemingly set from 2024 through 2028. Past that, they have a few matchups scheduled:
2024
- vs Akron
- vs Western Michigan
- vs Marshall
2025
- vs Texas
- vs Ohio
- vs Grambling State
2026
- vs Ball State
- at Texas
- vs Kent State
2027
- vs Bowling Green
- vs New Hampshire (FCS)
- vs Alabama
2028
- vs Buffalo
- at Alabama
- vs Northern Illinois
2029
- vs Nevada
- vs Charlotte
2030
- at Georgia
2031
- vs Georgia
2035
- vs Boston College
2036
- at Boston College
