What are Ohio State's most challenging games?

Here's my ranking of Ohio State's regular season games from the ones they shouldn't have to worry about to the most difficult: 12. Grambling This will be the first time Grambling has played against a Big Ten team in football. It has played SEC teams in the past but its last match-up with a team from that conference, a 72-10 loss to LSU in 2023, didn't end well for them. 11. at Purdue Drew Brees isn't walking through that door. But more than 50 of last year's Boilermakers walked out the door in West Lafayette after a 1-11 season that got coach Ryan Walters fired with three years left on his contract. 10. Ohio Will there be extra security around Brutus Buckeye? If you were there in 2010 the last time OSU played the Bobcats you will understand the question. Ohio was picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference behind Toledo and Miami. 9. UCLA The Bruins' quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who transferred to UCLA after playing at Tennessee last season, was underwhelming (14 of 31 for 104 yard, no touchdowns) in Ohio State's 42-17 win over the Vols in a first-round College Football Playoff game. Even with Iamaleava, UCLA might struggle to surpass the five wins it had last season. 8. Rutgers The Scarlet Knights have won seven games the last two seasons in a row and won four Big Ten games last season for the first time since entering the conference in 2014. It's hard to see how they get past seven wins this season, though, with Iowa, Oregon, Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State and Washington on the schedule. And even the non-conference schedule is less cupcakey than usual with two of the MAC's best teams (Ohio and Miami) back to back to start the season. 7. Minnesota An unproven quarterback, a lot of questions about the offensive line and All-Big Ten safety Koi Perich reportedly getting practice time at wide receiver might indicate the Gophers could regress from last season's 8-5 record. 6. at Wisconsin Before going 5-7 last season Wisconsin hadn't had a losing record or had to stay home during bowl season since 2001. With games against Alabama, Michigan and Iowa early in the season, they either could be desperate or full of confidence by the time Ohio State comes to Madison on Oct. 18. 5. at Washington You don't have to be a great team to have a homecourt advantage in your back pocket. Big Ten teams went 6-22 when crossing multiple time zones last season accoring to On3. 4. at Illinois Illinois has 16 starters back from a team that won 10 games but still doesn't seem to be considered elite. Losing to Penn State by 14 points and to Oregon by 29 points last season might have something to do with that. 3. at Michigan Michigan can play defense. Its quarterback situation has to be improved from last year regardless of whether 5-star freshman Bryce Underwood or Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene plays. Will a national championship help Ohio State play freer and looser than it has the last three times it has played the Wolverines? 2. Penn State Penn State has so many similarities to last year's Ohio State team it's almost like plagiarism or copyright infringement. Lots of stars came back for their senior year. The quarterback is experienced. They've even got the Buckeyes' defense coordinator from last season, Jim Knowles. 1. Texas This gets a little tricky. Penn State is the best team Ohio State will play but where Texas appears on the schedule makes it a tougher game for OSU. Texas gets the honor of being the toughest match-up because the 14 new starters Ohio State will have in its season opener against the Longhorns will have been starters for seven games by the time they face Penn State on Nov. 1.