Ohio State returns to the gridiron on Friday night after an open week last Saturday when the Buckeyes travel to Evanston to take on Northwestern. The Scarlet and Gray will put their 6-0 record and top-four ranking on the line against the Wildcats in a rare weekday encounter.

While Ohio State is expected to handle business against Northwestern, the Buckeyes do have a very tricky game in the offing. The Scarlet and Gray welcome No. 6 Wisconsin to Ohio Stadium on Oct. 26 for what many believe could be the game of the Big Ten season. On Monday, the conference released start times for the Week 9 slate and Ohio State and Wisconsin will kick off at 12 p.m. ET on FOX.

Whoo Hoo Noon! It is official! The @OhioStateFB game Oct. 26 at Ohio Stadium against Wisconsin will kick off at noon with FOX Sports televising to a national audience. — Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) October 14, 2019

The Badgers enter Week 8 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in Big Ten play with conference wins against Michigan, Northwestern and Michigan State. The Wisconsin defense has been the story of the year in Madison, with four shutouts already on the season, including last week's 38-0 win against Michigan State.

Ohio State and Wisconsin have played each other 82 times since the two teams first met in 1913. The Buckeye lead the all-time series 59-18-5 and have won each of the last six encounters dating back to 2010, a 31-18 win for the Badgers against the top-ranked team in the country. The last meeting between the two sides came in the 2017 Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis when Urban Meyer and the Scarlet and Gray earned a 27-21 victory to capture the conference crown.

Following the game with the Badgers, Ohio State has another off week before a home game against Maryland and a trip to Rutgers. The Buckeyes end the regular season with a tough two games, welcoming No. 7 Penn State to the Horseshoe followed by the annual rivalry game against No. 16 Michigan in Ann Arbor. If things go as planned, the Scarlet and Gray will be in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game on the first weekend of December.

Of those remaining games, only the battle with the Wolverines and the conference title game have kick off times (see below).

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OHIO STATE 2019 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times EST)

Saturday, Aug. 31 – Florida Atlantic (Ohio State 45, Florida Atlantic 21)

Saturday, Sept. 7 – Cincinnati (Ohio State 42, Cincinnati 0)

Saturday, Sept. 14 -- @ Indiana (Ohio State 51 Indiana 10)

Saturday, Sept. 21 – Miami of Ohio (Ohio State 76 Miami 5)

Saturday, Sept. 28 – @ Nebraska (Ohio State 48 Nebraska 7)

Saturday, Oct. 5 – Michigan State (Ohio State 34 Michigan State 10)

FIRST OFF WEEK

Friday, Oct. 18 -- @ Northwestern (8:30 p.m./FS1)

Saturday, Oct. 26 – Wisconsin (12 p.m./FOX)

SECOND OFF WEEK

Saturday, Nov. 9 – Maryland (Time/TV TBA)

Saturday, Nov. 16 -- @ Rutgers (Time/TV TBA)

Saturday, Nov. 23 – Penn State (Time/TV TBA)

Saturday, Nov. 30 -- @ Michigan (12 p.m. ET/FOX)

Saturday, Dec. 7 – Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis (8 p.m/FOX)