May 2, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State Buckeyes will appear on the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ABC and ESPN2) prime time and night game schedule a Big Ten Conference-best four times in 2016. Three Ohio State games will be aired in prime time at 8 p.m. EDT with a fourth kicking off at 5:30 p.m.

Ohio State will play Big Ten night games on four consecutive weekends; two on the road and two in Ohio Stadium:

October 15 at Wisconsin (8 p.m. EDT on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)

October 22 at Penn State (8 p.m. EDT on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)

October 29 vs. Northwestern (5:30 p.m. EDT on either ESPN or ESPN2)

November 5 vs. Nebraska (8 p.m. EDT on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)

The game at Wisconsin will mark Ohio State’s first game in Camp Randall Stadium since the 2012 season and the first regular season matchup between the teams since the 2013 season. The teams last met in a rather memorable Big Ten championship game Dec. 6, 2014: a 59-0 Ohio State victory. Ohio State had lost three of the previous four games at Camp Randall Stadium prior to its 21-14 overtime victory in 2012.

Penn State has already announced that its Oct. 22 game against the Buckeyes would be its annual “white out” contest, and that’s been typical of late for this game in Happy Valley. The 2016 game will be a third consecutive night game between the teams at Beaver Stadium. The Buckeyes are 7-5 all-time at Beaver Stadium, including four consecutive victories there since a 17-10 loss in 2005.

Ohio State and Northwestern are meeting for the first time in three years, for only the second time in the last eight seasons and for the first time in Ohio Stadium in nine seasons, or since the 2007 season. The Buckeyes defeated the Wildcats, 40-30, in early October 2013, the teams’ last meeting.

The Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers resume a series that has had only four previous games. The Cornhuskers, now in their sixth season in the Big Ten, defeated Ohio State, 34-27, in the team’s first Big Ten meeting in 2011. Ohio State won, 63-38, in a night game at Ohio Stadium in 2012, the last time the two teams have played.

Buckeyes 46-23 under the lights

Ohio State is 46-23 all-time in night games (those starting after 5 p.m. local time). The team is 12-4 in home night games, 22-10 away and 12-9 on neutral playing fields. Ohio State has won seven consecutive night games since the Virginia Tech game of 2014.

The Big Ten Network will reveal its slate of night games in the near future.

2016 Ohio State Football Schedule

Sept. 3 — Bowling Green

Sept. 10 — Tulsa

Sept. 17 — at Oklahoma

Sept. 24 — Off

Oct. 1 — Rutgers

Oct. 8 — Indiana

Oct. 15 — at Wisconsin (8 p.m. EDT on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)

Oct. 22 — at Penn State (8 p.m. EDT on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)

Oct. 29 — Northwestern (5 p.m. EDT on ESPN/ESPN2)

Nov. 5 — Nebraska (8 p.m. EDT on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)

Nov. 12 — at Maryland

Nov. 19 — at Michigan State

Nov. 26 — Michigan

Dec. 3 — Big Ten Championship Game