It may be hard to believe, but Army and Ohio State have never played a college football game against each other in the rich and storied history of the two programs. That will change in 2017 when the two finally cross paths in Columbus for a regular season contest. Army and Ohio State have agreed to play a game on September 16, 2017 in Columbus.
“We’re excited to showcase our cadets in the Midwest against one of the best football programs in the country,” Army Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan said in a released statement. “This will be a first-class experience for our cadets as well as an opportunity for our fans to see a game at the ‘The Horseshoe.’ ”
Of course, there always remains the possibility Ohio State and Army could face each other before their 2017 date, should they happen to meet up in the postseason. But given army’s track record, it’s best to just assume 2017 will be the first game played between the two programs.
The addition of Army to the 2017 schedule is the final piece of the puzzle for the Buckeyes. In 2017 Ohio State will play a nine-game Big Ten schedule. The new Big Ten scheduling commitment also has Big Ten teams playing one team from another power conference in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Army, as best we know right now, does not meet the requirement, but Ohio State is scheduled to host Oklahoma from the Big 12 in 2017. To make room for Army, Ohio State and Oklahoma agreed to move the date of their previously scheduled game in Columbus from September 16 to September 9. The game with the Sooners is the second in the home-and-home deal that begins in 2016 in Norman.