Ranking opponents on the Ohio State football schedule by hate factor

By all accounts and measures, the Ohio State football schedule this upcoming season is a very tough one. In fact, according to several sites, OSU's schedule ranks as one of the hardest to navigate in the country. That's a far cry from last year.

There are several ways to look at a schedule, from toughest opponents, to most important, to sneaky difficult, but what about how much the blood boils for each team on the schedule? Of course, at Ohio State, the hate factor is always going to be highest against Michigan , but how much do other opponents on the slate make temperatures rise for Buckeye Nation? Here's a look at the opponents on the Ohio State football schedule for 2026, ranking them all by hate factor, starting from least hated to most.

No. 12 - Ball State Cardinals , Sat. Sep 5 There's really no reason for Ohio State fans, players, and coaches to have any problem with Mid-American Conference opponent Ball State.

It's an out-of-state school, and the two have never played. This shouldn't be much of a game, and there shouldn't be too much animosity either. No.