Ohio State's Loss to Oklahoma Leaves Buckeyes Still Wanting First Major Non-Conference Prime Time Home Win Since 2003

By Vico on September 9, 2017 at 11:20 pm
Ohio Stadium at night on ABC
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Ohio State's loss to Oklahoma drops the Buckeyes' all-time prime time record in Ohio Stadium to 15-5 for all home contests starting at or after 7:30 p.m.

The record selecting on non-conference opposition is even worse, as you see in the emboldened in the accompanying table. The Buckeyes are 6-4 with the last win over a non-conference opponent coming in 2010. That run starts 5-0 for Ohio State but has been 1-4 after 2003.

Ohio State in Home Night Games, All-Time
Year OSU Rank Opponent Date Result
1985 No. 9 Pittsburgh Sept. 14 W, 10-7
1993 No. 16 No. 12 Washington Sept. 11 W, 21-12
1997 No. 9 Wyoming Aug. 28 W, 24-10
1999 No. 13 No. 14 UCLA Sept. 11 W, 42-20
2001   No. 14 Northwestern Oct. 6 W, 38-20
2003 No. 2 No. 17 Washington Aug. 30 W, 28-9
2005 No. 4 No. 2 Texas Sept. 10 L, 22-25
2008 No. 10 No. 3 Penn State Oct. 25 L, 6-13
2009 No. 8 No. 3 USC Sept. 12 L, 15-18
2010 No. 2 Marshall Sept. 2 W, 45-7
2011   No. 12 Wisconsin Oct. 29 W, 33-29
2012 No. 12 No. 21 Nebraska Oct. 6 W, 63-38
2013 No. 4 No. 23 Wisconsin Oct. 5 W, 31-24
2013 No. 4 Penn State Oct. 26 W, 63-14
2014 No. 8 Virginia Tech Sept. 6 L, 21-35
2014 No. 13 Illinois Nov. 1 W, 55-14
2015 No. 1 Penn State Oct. 17 W, 38-10
2015 No. 1 Minnesota Nov. 7 W, 28-14
2016 No. 6 No. 9 Nebraska Nov. 5 W, 62-3
2017 No. 2 No. 5 Oklahoma Sept. 9 L, 16-31

It's even worse selecting on Power Five conferences since some of those wins come against teams like Wyoming and Marshall in cupcakes deliberately scheduled for prime time to attract viewers on television. Therein, Ohio State's last non-conference win under the Ohio Stadium lights came in 2003 against Washington. Losses since then include nail-biters in 2005 and 2009 to Texas and USC.

The two most recent losses to Power Five opponents under the light were even less competitive. Ohio State never looked ready against Virginia Tech and its defense tonight was never to the task of stopping what Oklahoma threw at it. A sputtering offense incapable of challenging the Sooners' secondary down the field did not help matters tonight.

Ohio State will have to wait for an opportunity to get that first win over a Power Five opponent under Ohio Stadium's lights. The Buckeyes open next year with Oregon State, a game that is unlikely to be at night. The more likely opportunities will come in 2021 when Ohio State hosts Oregon. The 2022 season may also provide such an opportunity if we extend the "Power Five" label to include Notre Dame.

 

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