Ohio State Beats Northwestern 28-19 to Snap Two-Game Skid and Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

Ohio State beat Northwestern 28-19 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, snapping a two-game losing streak and keeping the Buckeyes' outside hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff and the Big Ten Championship Game alive. It was not pretty. Ohio State did not score in the first quarter for the first time all season, dropped a likely 69-yard touchdown and twice handed Northwestern the ball on strange punt plays. But Jeremiah Smith delivered again, the defence produced its best pass rush of the season, and the Buckeyes improved to 7-3 with two regular-season games left.

Key Points

• Final score: Ohio State 28, Northwestern 19, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes led 14-6 at half-time and 21-13 after three quarters.
• Smith stars again: Jeremiah Smith caught 11 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, breaking the Big Ten record for career receiving yards and moving to ninth all-time in FBS history with his 42nd career receiving touchdown.
• Skid snapped: The win ends Ohio State's first two-game losing streak of the season and keeps its outside playoff and Big Ten title hopes alive.
• Defence steps up: Ohio State recorded five sacks, its best pass-rush day of the season, and held Northwestern to 278 total yards and 53 rushing yards.
• Next up: Ohio State travels to Nebraska for its second-to-last regular-season game.

What Happened

Northwestern struck first with a field goal, and Ohio State's offence misfired early — an interception on the opening drive and no points in the first quarter for the first time this season. The Buckeyes found their rhythm in the second quarter: Luke Fahey found Isaiah West for a 4-yard touchdown early in the quarter, and Bo Jackson scored on a 2-yard direct snap with 2:51 left in the half to make it 14-6. Ohio State's lead should have grown on the opening drive of the second half, when Fahey threw a perfect deep ball to Chris Henry Jr. that likely would have gone for a 69-yard touchdown — but Henry dropped it, and Northwestern answered with a touchdown to cut the lead to one. Fahey steadied the Buckeyes on fourth-and-1 from the 8, rolling out and hitting Devin McCuin for a touchdown that restored a 21-13 lead with 2:52 left in the third quarter. Then came the strangest sequence: a 32-yard Northwestern punt bounced off the back of Ohio State's Devin Sanchez and was recovered by the Wildcats. In the fourth quarter, Northwestern's Drew Wagner muffed a punt that Dalton Riggs recovered at the 10. Three plays later, Smith scored on a 10-yard catch with 6:33 left, and Marchiol's 17-yard touchdown pass to Dehnicke on the final play cut the margin to 28-19.

Background: A Season at a Crossroads

Ohio State arrived at its second-to-last home game at a crossroads. The Buckeyes had lost two straight — 41-28 at home to Oregon, giving up 38 unanswered points, and 30-18 at USC — and slipped to No. 20. Head coach Ryan Day told the Skull Session crowd before kickoff that the Buckeyes' only goal was to win, and by that measure the mission was accomplished. The win continued Ohio State's dominance of this series: the Buckeyes are now 67-14-1 all-time against Northwestern, have won 12 straight meetings and 16 straight home games against the Wildcats, whose last win in Columbus came in 1971. Day improved to 58-7 in Big Ten regular-season games. See also our report on USC stunning No. 2 Ohio State 30-18, one of the defeats that put the Buckeyes' season on the line.

Ohio State Northwestern 28-19: Smith Breaks Records as Buckeyes Hold On

Smith was, as usual, the star. His 11 catches for 117 yards gave him 3,875 career receiving yards, a new Big Ten record, and his 17th career game with 100 or more receiving yards, tying the conference record. His fourth-quarter touchdown was the 42nd of his Ohio State career, ninth all-time in FBS history, and his 15th of the season — two away from Terry Glenn's single-season school record of 17. Fahey finished 21 of 32 for 201 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and Jackson added 114 rushing yards on 20 carries with a touchdown. The defence had its best day of the season getting after the quarterback: five sacks, including two from Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Ohio State outgained Northwestern 369 yards to 278 and held the Wildcats to 1.8 yards per rush. Northwestern, which fell to 6-4, got 225 passing yards from Marchiol and 88 receiving yards from Dehnicke, but could not finish drives.

Reactions and Quotes

Day's message before the game set the tone: the Buckeyes' only goal was to win, and the head coach got exactly that, however imperfectly. The dropped deep ball to Henry Jr. drew groans around Ohio Stadium, and the punt bouncing off Sanchez's back was the kind of break that can swing a season — but the Buckeyes answered both miscues with points. For Northwestern, the loss was a second straight defeat, and the Wildcats' wait for a win in Columbus now stretches beyond 55 years.

Why It Matters

For Ohio State, this was a season-saving win: lose, and the playoff conversation was over. At 7-3, the Buckeyes are still alive, but only just — their path to the Big Ten Championship Game and the playoff almost certainly requires winning out and getting help elsewhere. The performance also offered something more encouraging than the score: a five-sack day from a pass rush that had been quiet, a 100-yard rushing game from Jackson and another record-setting afternoon from Smith. The concern is the sloppiness — a first-quarter shutout, a dropped touchdown, three turnovers and two special-teams blunders. Against Nebraska and in the season finale, mistakes like those will be harder to survive. See also our report on Iowa beating Northwestern 24-10 last week.

What Happens Next

Ohio State hits the road for its second-to-last regular-season game against Nebraska. The kickoff time and television network are set to be announced after the game was placed on a six-day hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Ohio State vs Northwestern?
Ohio State won 28-19 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

Who starred for Ohio State against Northwestern?
Jeremiah Smith caught 11 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, breaking the Big Ten career receiving yards record. Bo Jackson ran for 114 yards and a touchdown, and Luke Fahey threw three touchdown passes.

What records did Jeremiah Smith set?
Smith set the Big Ten record for career receiving yards with 3,875, tied the conference record with his 17th 100-yard receiving game, and moved into ninth place all-time in FBS history with his 42nd career receiving touchdown.

Does Ohio State still have a chance at the College Football Playoff?
Yes, but only an outside chance. At 7-3, the Buckeyes kept their playoff and Big Ten title hopes alive, but they almost certainly need to win their remaining games and get help from other results.

Who does Ohio State play next?
Ohio State travels to Nebraska for its second-to-last regular-season game.