Ohio State Prepares to Face Ball State in Week 1 College Football Matchup

The Ohio State Buckeyes, ranked No. 1, are set to host the Ball State Cardinals on Saturday for their Week 1 college football game, which will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.

Ohio State is coming off a successful 12-2 season in 2025, although they faced setbacks in their last two games against Indiana and Miami. The team has lost seven defensive starters, including three who were top-11 picks in the recent NFL Draft. Despite these losses, quarterback Julian Sayin, a Heisman finalist, returns after a standout freshman season, alongside star player Jeremiah Smith.

In contrast, Ball State aims to improve from a disappointing 4-8 season last year, having revamped their roster with over 50 new players, including starting quarterback Keldric Luster, who previously played at SMU and Texas State. The matchup presents challenges for Luster, as he will be making his first college start against a top-ranked team.