The weather outside is frightful, so let's play indoors where it's delightful.
Tonight, the Buckeyes take on Wisconsin for the Big Ten title. This will be the 31st time Ohio State has played a football game inside of a dome. So, how have the Buckeyes fared in the previous contests held inside?
Five Things Domes
- Ohio State has won four consecutive indoor games.
- The first time the Buckeyes played in a dome was January 2, 1978. The team took on Bear Bryant and No. 3 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and lost 35-6.
- Seven different domes have hosted Ohio State.
- Ohio State is 23–7 in the previous games played inside.
- Michigan State is the only Big Ten team to defeat the Buckeyes in a dome. Minnesota was 0–11 when hosting Ohio State in the Metrodome.
Alamodome
Overall: 1–0 /// Points Scored: 33-7 /// Average Score: 33-7
The 2004 Alamo Bowl was the only time Ohio State has ever played in the Alamobowl. Jime Tressel's 24th ranked Buckeyes worked over Les Miles' Oklahoma State Cowboys 33-7.
AT&T Stadium
Overall: 3–0 /// Points Scored: 106-55 /// Average Score: 35-18
Ohio State has played in Jerry World three times, and three times Ohio State has left with a victory. You probably remember the first time the Buckeyes played in AT&T Stadium. That's right, it was against Oregon on January 12, 2015. Urban Meyer, Cardale Jones and company defeated the Ducks 42-20.
Next up was No. 8 USC in the 2017 Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes won 24-7 and ended a seven game losing streak to the Trojans. The victory was the first for Ohio State over USC since winning the 1974 Rose Bowl.
Ryan Day led the Buckeyes to a 40-28 victory over NO. 15 TCU last year. In all, Ohio State has outscored its opponents 106-55 when playing in AT&T Stadium.
Carrier Dome
Overall: 1–0 /// Points Scored: 35-12 /// Average Score: 35-12
September 19, 1992 was the only time Ohio State has played in the Carrier Dome. John Cooper's team was ranked No. 21 and slugged out a 35-12 win over No. 8 Syracuse. The victory was also a a little revenge as the Buckeyes had lost to Syracuse to finish the 1991 season in the Hall of Fame Bowl nine months earlier. This was arguably Kirk Herbstreit's biggest win as Ohio State's starting quarterback. Unless you agree with Gordon Gee and count the tie against Michigan in 1992 as a win.
Lucas Oil Stadium
Overall: 3–1 /// Points Scored: 155-79 /// Average Score: 39-20
After dropping the 2013 Big Ten championship game to Michigan State, Ohio State was won three consecutive in Indianapolis. Sparty, Wisconsin and Northwestern are the three teams the Buckeyes have faced. The Badgers are the first squad that Ohio State has played twice in the conference title game.
The Buckeyes have won their three title games by an average score of 44-15.
Metrodome
Overall: 11–0 /// Points Scored: 353-197 /// Average Score: 32-18
Eleven times Ohio State entered the Metrodome and eleven times the Buckeyes left Minneapolis with a victory. On average, Ohio State won by an average score of 32-18.
One of the more memorable games played in the Metrodome was the 41-37 come from behind victory in 1989. If you are wondering, 1981 was the last time Ohio State lost at Minnesota. The game was played in Memorial Stadium and the Gophers won 35-31.
Superdome
Overall: 3–3 /// Points Scored: 141-179 /// Average Score: 24-30
As dominant as the Buckeyes were in the Metrodome, the Superdome has not been as friendly. The first two trips to New Orleans resulted in overwhelming losses. Bear Bryant and Alabama won 35-6 in the 1978 Sugar Bowl and twenty years later, Bobby Bowden and Florida State won 31-14 in the 1998 Sugar Bowl. Ohio State's third loss in the Superdome came at the hands of LSU in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.
On a brighter note, the Buckeyes first win in the Big Easy was against No. 8 Texas A&M in the 1999 Sugar Bowl. Another positive is that Ohio State has a two-game winning streak in the Superdome. Jim Tressel's 2010 team defeated No. 8 Arkansas and Urban Meyer's 2014 team through the heart of the south with the 42-35 win over No. 1 Alabama.
University of Phoenix Stadium
Overall: 1–3 /// Points Scored: 79-124 /// Average Score: 20-31
This is the only indoor stadium in which Ohio State has a losing record. The first time the Buckeyes played in this hell hole was against Florida in 2007. Urban Meyer and the Gators rolled to a 41-14 upset. Two years later, Colt McCoy led Texas on a last minute drive to take down Tressel and Ohio State 24-21. Three years ago, Clemson blanked the Buckeyes 31-0. As you can see, University of Phoenix Stadium has not been friendly to Ohio State.
The lone win was against Notre Dame in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. However, it can be legitimately argued that the 2015 Buckeyes should have been in the College Football Playoff instead of playing against the inferior Fighting Irish on that New Year's day.
| SEASON | DATE | STADIUM | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 12-1-18 | LUCAS OIL | Ohio State 45, Northwestern 24 |
| 2018 | 9-15-18 | AT&T | Ohio State 40, TCU 28 |
| 2017 | 12-29-17 | AT&T | Ohio State 24, USC 7 |
| 2017 | 12-2-17 | LUCAS OIL | Ohio State 27, Wisconsin 21 |
| 2016 | 12-31-16 | U OF PHOENIX | Clemson 31, Ohio State 0 |
| 2015 | 1-1-16 | U OF PHOENIX | Ohio State 44, Notre Dame 28 |
| 2014 | 1-12-15 | AT&T | Ohio State 42, Oregon 20 |
| 2014 | 1-1-15 | SUPERDOME | Ohio State 42, Alabama 35 |
| 2014 | 12-6-14 | LUCAS OIL | Ohio State 59, Wisconsin 0 |
| 2013 | 12-7-13 | LUCAS OIL | Michigan State 34, Ohio State 24 |
| 2010 | 1-4-11 | SUPERDOME | Ohio State 31, Arkansas 26 |
| 2008 | 1-5-09 | U OF PHOENIX | Texas 24, Ohio State 21 |
| 2007 | 1-7-08 | SUPERDOME | LSU 38, Ohio State 24 |
| 2007 | 9-29-07 | METRODOME | Ohio State 30, Minnesota 7 |
| 2006 | 1-8-07 | U OF PHOENIX | Florida 41, Ohio State 14 |
| 2005 | 10-29-05 | METRODOME | Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31 |
| 2004 | 12-29-04 | ALAMODOME | Ohio State 33, Oklahoma State 7 |
| 2001 | 11-3-01 | METRODOME | Ohio State 31, Minnesota 28 |
| 1999 | 10-23-99 | METRODOME | Ohio State 20, Minnesota 17 |
| 1998 | 1-1-99 | SUPERDOME | Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14 |
| 1997 | 1-1-98 | SUPERDOME | Florida State 31, Ohio State 14 |
| 1997 | 11-8-97 | METRODOME | Ohio State 31, Minnesota 3 |
| 1995 | 11-4-95 | METRODOME | Ohio State 49, Minnesota 21 |
| 1992 | 9-19-92 | CARRIER DOME | Ohio State 35, Syracuse 12 |
| 1991 | 11-9-91 | METRODOME | Ohio State 35, Minnesota 6 |
| 1989 | 10-28-89 | METRODOME | Ohio State 41, Minnesota 37 |
| 1988 | 10-22-88 | METRODOME | Ohio State 13, Minnesota 6 |
| 1985 | 10-26-85 | METRODOME | Ohio State 23, Minnesota 19 |
| 1984 | 9-29-84 | METRODOME | Ohio State 35, Minnesota 22 |
| 1977 | 1-2-78 | SUPERDOME | Alabama 35, Ohio State 6 |
| Record: 23–7 | Points: 902-653 |
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*Note* If you know of an indoor game not listed above, please leave a comment with the date and opponent.
