Ohio State’s 2025 nonconference schedule, which consists of three home games against Texas, Grambling State and Ohio University, cost the school $3.4 million, according to game contracts obtained by cleveland.com through a public records request.
Ohio State will owe Texas $400,000 for travelling to Columbus for the first time since 2005, the same amount the Longhorns will pay the Buckeyes when they travel to Austin, Texas, on Sept. 12, 2026. This is part of a contract for a home-and-home series between the two flagship programs that was originally signed in August 2014. The two games were supposed to take place in 2022 and 2023, but an amendment was made in May 2018 to move the games to the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Ohio State will also provide Texas 300 complimentary tickets this year and another 3,500 tickets for purchase. In addition, officials are appointed by the visiting team.
The Buckeyes paid Grambling State $1 million for the two teams’ clash at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 6. They had to pay that amount before Feb. 28, 2025. The contract for the game was signed in June 2024.
Ohio State must also allocate 2,000 tickets for visiting Tigers fans to purchase, with any unsold tickets having to be returned to the university before Aug. 14. Payments for unsold tickets used by Grambling State will be deducted from the amount Ohio State originally agreed to pay the visiting university.
Ohio State paid the most to Ohio University. They gave the Bobcats $1.9 million — another payment due before Feb. 28, 2025 — for travelling to Ohio Stadium for the first time since 2010 on Sept. 13. Ohio will also receive 500 complimentary tickets as well as 3,000 tickets for purchase as part of a game contract that was signed in 2023.
