If there’s something college football fans all across the country can agree on, it’s that Senior Day belongs on the regular-season home finale for each university. However, many can also agree that there is no rivalry like “The Game” between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines.
With that in mind, it’s reasonable to understand why the Buckeyes have decided to change their annual celebration of graduating seniors, even if students and fans themselves don’t agree with it.
As the Buckeyes announced their home-game themes for the upcoming 2026 NCAA football campaign, something caught the attention of fans. Football’s Senior Day will be celebrated in the home opener (Sept. 5) against the Ball State Cardinals, rather than the typical home finale against Michigan. In that sense, Ohio State is shying away from tradition.
Unusual change to schedule
Instead of honoring the senior classmen on the Buckeyes’ football roster in the last regular-season home game, this time they will be honored in the home opener against an inferior opponent, and with the rest of the season still ahead. Considering Ohio State’s recent struggles against Michigan at The Horseshoe, it’s hard not to believe that had something to do with it.
Jeremiah Smith #4 of the Buckeyes.
The Wolverines won the last two games in Columbus and boast a favorable 29-27-2 record when playing Ohio State on the road. Maybe the Buckeyes don’t want their despised rivals from Ann Arbor to ruin what’s supposed to be a celebratory day—once again. Losing “The Game” stings badly enough; doing so at home only hurts more, and tarnishing the seniors’ final home game may be too much to bear.
Throughout the years, Senior Day has been held during “The Game” regardless, but it seems the Buckeyes want to break the trend and will go to any length to do so. Fans, however, disapprove. “Quit messing with traditions. Senior Day belongs on Nov. 28th! Something special about it on The Game,” a Buckeyes fan said in response to the team’s post. “Senior Day Week 1 is a terrible idea,” another user chimed in.
Ohio State’s home-schedule and game themes
Ohio State will host seven regular season games at The Shoe, starting off with Senior Day against Ball State in the first weekend of September and wrapping it up against Michigan in “The Game” on Nov. 28th.
| Opponent | Date | Theme |
| Ball State | Sept. 5 | Senior Day* |
| Kent. State | Sept. 19 | Helmet Stripe Game |
| Illinois | Sept. 26 | Hall of Fame |
| Maryland | Oct. 10 | Homecoming |
| Oregon | Nov. 7 | — |
| Northwestern | Nov. 14 | Military Appreciation |
| Michigan | Nov. 28 | — |
While Ohio State steered away from tradition with their changes to Senior Day and “The Game”, they still didn’t name Michigan. Instead, that remained the same, with the Buckeyes referring to the Ann-Arbor school as That Team Up North (TTUN).
