Ohio State matchup vs. Maryland receives some clarity on kickoff time

COLUMBUS — Ohio State doesn’t have all the details for its Oct. 10 home matchup against Maryland. But one potential kickoff time for that showdown can be eliminated: the Buckeyes and Terrapins won’t kick off at Noon.

The networks revealed some kickoff times and TV channel assignments for college football games on Wednesday, and it was revealed that Ohio State’s game against Maryland in mid-October — the week before the Buckeyes go on the road to face defending national champion Indiana — will kick off between 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., eliminating the possibility of that game being played in the Noon window — and taking FOX out of the equation for that game.

Additionally, the Buckeyes will open the season at home against Ball State on Sept. 5. That game will be televised by Big Ten Network and will kick off at 12:30 p.m. Of course, Ohio State will then face Texas on Sept. 12 before returning to the Horseshoe for a date with Kent State on Sept. 19. The game against Kent State will kick off at Noon and will be on FOX, a Big Noon Saturday showdown between the Buckeyes and Golden Flashes.

Ohio State already knew it was heading to Texas for a 7:30 p.m. primetime showdown against the Longhorns in the second week of the season. And the regular-season finale against Michigan is already set for its regular Noon window in the final weekend of November.

Now there’s some — but not too much — clarity on when the Maryland matchup could kick off for the Buckeyes.

2026 Ohio State football schedule

Sept. 5 — vs. Ball State (12:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)
Sept. 12 — at Texas (7:30 p.m., ABC)
Sept. 19 — vs. Kent State (Noon, FOX)
Sept. 26 — vs. Illinois
Oct. 3 — at Iowa
Oct. 10 — vs. Maryland (NOT AT NOON)
Oct. 17 — at Indiana
Oct. 24 — IDLE
Oct. 31 — at USC
Nov. 7 — vs. Oregon
Nov. 14 — vs. Northwestern
Nov. 21 — at Nebraska
Nov. 28 — Ohio State vs. Michigan (Noon, FOX)