🏈 Fan Watch

#5Ohio State Buckeyes

3–1 · 1–0 BIG TEN
In the books
WEEK 5 · 2026
Week 5 pregame guide

Ohio State's passing game has been covering for its defense, and Kinnick is where that gets hard

Jeremiah Smith's four touchdowns carried Ohio State past Illinois 42-19 while the defense gave up 462 yards. Now comes a sold-out Kinnick and No. 14 Iowa.

Read the rooting guide →
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith stands on the sideline in uniform.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith during the 2024 season.
CreditPhoto creditRuralexpatWikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0Cropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP by Fan Watch.

Your game

Ohio State at Iowa
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CBS
Final
Ohio State
Final · Ohio State 31–14 IowaWish granted ✓
Iowa

Other impactful games

the highlighted team was the result Ohio State wanted
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BTN
Impact 1
Indiana
at
Rooted for
Rutgers
Final · Indiana 47–15 RutgersWent the other way ✗
Projected 4.0-point title-game boost

Indiana won instead, so Ohio State did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection54% if Rutgers won50% with the other result4-point differenceOhio State Big Ten title-game chance
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FOX
Impact 2
Penn State
at
Rooted for
Northwestern
Final · Penn State 13–34 NorthwesternWish granted ✓
Projected 3.8-point title-game boost

Penn State lost, improving Ohio State's place in the Big Ten standings.

Entering-week projection53% if Northwestern won49% with the other result3.8-point differenceOhio State Big Ten title-game chance
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ESPN
Impact 3
Notre Dame
at
Rooted for
North Carolina
Final · Notre Dame 37–26 North CarolinaWent the other way ✗
Projected 3.7-point first-round-bye boost

Notre Dame won instead, so Ohio State did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection44% if North Carolina won40% with the other result3.7-point differenceOhio State first-round bye chance
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ABC
Impact 4
Miami
at
Rooted for
Clemson
Final · Miami 41–13 ClemsonWent the other way ✗
Projected 3.4-point first-round-bye boost

Miami won instead, so Ohio State did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection43% if Clemson won39% with the other result3.4-point differenceOhio State first-round bye chance
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SEC Network
Impact 5
Rooted for
Vanderbilt
at
Georgia
Final · Vanderbilt 14–38 GeorgiaWent the other way ✗
Projected 2.5-point first-round-bye boost

Georgia won instead, so Ohio State did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection42% if Vanderbilt won40% with the other result2.5-point differenceOhio State first-round bye chance
50 other games had little impact
Michigan State at Wisconsin · BTN
Alabama at Mississippi State · ABC
Washington at USC · NBC
BYU at TCU · ESPN
Western Kentucky at New Mexico State · CBSSN
North Texas at Tulsa · ESPN
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech · ESPN
Liberty at Delaware · CBSSN
Memphis at Charlotte · ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at Kansas · ESPNU
UCF at Houston · ESPN2
West Virginia at Iowa State · TNT
Boston College at SMU · The CW Network
Stanford at Wake Forest · ACC Network
Syracuse at UConn · CBSSN
Michigan at Minnesota · FOX
Navy at Air Force · CBS
Western Michigan at Buffalo · ESPN+
Toledo at Ball State · ESPN+
Florida at Missouri · ABC
Auburn at Tennessee · ESPN
California at UNLV · CBSSN
Louisville at NC State · ACC Network
Virginia at Florida State · ESPN2
Wyoming at North Dakota State · The CW Network
Akron at Central Michigan · ESPN+
Eastern Michigan at Massachusetts · ESPN+
Ohio at Kent State · ESPN+
Bowling Green at Miami (OH) · ESPN+
Old Dominion at Georgia State · ESPN+
Marshall at James Madison · ESPNU
Maryland at Nebraska · FS1
UTEP at New Mexico · MW+
Kentucky at South Carolina · SEC Network
Purdue at Illinois · BTN
Oregon State at Colorado State · USA Network
Arkansas at Texas A&M · ESPN2
UTSA at Rice · ESPN+
Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina · ESPN+
UL Monroe at South Alabama · ESPN+
Texas Tech at Colorado · FOX
Utah State at Boise State · CBSSN
Temple at South Florida · ESPNU
Army at Louisiana Tech · ESPN+
Arkansas State at Louisiana · ESPN+
Fresno State at Washington State · USA Network
Baylor at Arizona State · ESPN
Texas State at San Diego State · The CW Network
Cincinnati at Arizona · FOX
San José State at Hawai'i · MW+
The rooting list was:Ohio State, then Rutgers, Northwestern, North Carolina, Clemson, Vanderbilt.

Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 5, anchored to the AP Top 25 (week 5). How the model works.