There’s a case to be made that expectations from fans in Columbus do not compare to any others’ in college football.
With nine claimed national championships, 39 Big Ten titles, seven College Football Playoff appearances and countless stars to come through Ohio State’s program, there is an annual expectation of high-level play from the Buckeyes every year. In most seasons, they live up to those high hopes. That hasn’t been the case in 2026.
After losing a collection of defensive talent to the 2026 NFL Draft, and then quarterback Julian Sayin going down with a long-term injury, Ryan Day’s latest Buckeyes squad has gone 6-3 through Week 10 — which is already enough to make this year’s Ohio State team one of the worst since the turn of the century.
Here’s how the 2026 Buckeyes compare to the worst Ohio State teams of the past.
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Last time Ohio State lost three games or more
Compared to most college football programs, it’s been quite some time since Buckeyes fans have endured even a three-loss season. The last time Ohio State finished a season with three or more losses was 2011, which is also the last time the Buckeyes finished a season with a losing record.
In 2011, following the “Tattoogate” scandal involving players receiving improper benefits from the owner of a tattoo parlor — which led to vacated wins, two years of NCAA probation, an Ohio State suspension for head coach Jim Tressell and more sanctions — the Buckeyes were dealing with the fallout of the scandal behind interim head coach Luke Fickell.
Fickell led Ohio State to a 6-7 record, including a Gator Bowl loss to Florida, before Urban Meyer was hired as head coach the following offseason.
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Has Ohio State ever missed College Football Playoff?
The first year of the College Football Playoff was in 2014 as a four-team format from that season until 2024. Since the CFP began, the Buckeyes have appeared in seven of the 11 tournaments, winning the title in both 2014 and 2024.
Only Alabama has made the CFP more times (9) than Ohio State since its inception.
Here’s a look at Ohio State’s CFP history:
| Season | Final Record | CFP Result |
| 2014 | 14-1 | Beat Oregon in national championship |
| 2015 | 12-1 | Missed CFP |
| 2016 | 11-2 | Lost to Clemson in semifinals |
| 2017 | 12-2 | Missed CFP |
| 2018 | 13-1 | Missed CFP |
| 2019 | 13-1 | Lost to Clemson in semifinals |
| 2020 | 7-1 | Lost to Alabama in national championship |
| 2021 | 11-2 | Missed CFP |
| 2022 | 11-2 | Lost to Georgia in semifinals |
| 2023 | 11-2 | Missed CFP |
| 2024 | 14-2 | Beat Notre Dame in national championship |
| 2025 | 12-2 | Lost to Miami in quarterfinals |
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Worst Ohio State seasons
Remarkably, Ohio State has never lost more than seven games in a season, the only college football team to do so, despite a history going back to the 1890s.
It’s been rare for the Buckeyes to even finish with anything more than four losses in recent decades, let alone a losing record. And even in a down year, the 2026 team is still set up to post a decent record.
Here are the worst Ohio State seasons by loss total:
| Season | Record | Head Coach |
| 1897 | 1-7-1 | David Farragut Edwards |
| 2011 | 6-7 | Luke Fickell |
| 1947 | 2-6-1 | Wes Fesler |
| 1943 | 3-6 | Paul Brown |
| 1988 | 4-6-1 | John Cooper |
| 1959 | 3-5-1 | Woody Hayes |
| 1966 | 4-5 | Woody Hayes |
| 1923 | 3-4-1 | John Wilce |
| 1924 | 2-3-3 | John Wilce |
1897: 1-7-1
The worst record in Ohio State football history came well-over 100 years ago in just the team’s seventh year of existence.
The 1897 Buckeyes went 1-7-1, including a 34-0 loss to Michigan in the first-ever game between the rivals.
2011: 6-7
The worst Ohio State team in the 21st century had good reason for its struggles; Fickell took over as interim head coach in the wake of sanctions for rules violations. The 2011 Buckeyes were led by quarterback Braxton Miller.
While Ohio State did have ranked wins over Illinois and Wisconsin, the team finished the season with a losing record for the first time since 1988. As of 2026, this is the last losing Buckeyes team.
1947: 2-6-1
Playing in the Big Nine Conference, Ohio State finished just 2-6-1 behind first-year coach Wes Fesler in 1947.
That put the Buckeyes last in their conference, beating only Missouri and Northwestern to finish the season ranked No. 35 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings.
1943: 3-6
In 1943, Ohio State finished with a losing record at 3-6, beating only Missouri, Pittsburgh and Illinois.
The Buckeyes, behind coach Paul Brown, were outscored 187-149 on the season.
1988: 4-6-1
One of the only other losing Ohio State teams over the past 100 years came in 1988 under first-year head coach John Cooper.
The Buckeyes finished seventh in the Big Ten for their first losing season since 1959, led by quarterback Greg Frey. Ohio State beat only Syracuse, LSU, Minnesota and Wisconsin in 1988.
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