Game notes: Northwestern at Ohio State
Saturday, November 14, kickoff time not yet set, Ohio Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- Northwestern (5–1, 2–1 in conference) at Ohio State (6–1, 4–0 in conference), Saturday, November 14, kickoff time not yet set, Ohio Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their 82nd meeting; Ohio State leads the series 66–14–1.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, November 16, 2024: Ohio State 31, Northwestern 7.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1913: Ohio State 58, Northwestern 0.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- Ohio State is 33–8 at home against Northwestern.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2024: Ohio State 31–7 (neutral site); 2022: Ohio State 21–7 (at Northwestern); 2020: Ohio State 22–10 (neutral site); 2019: Ohio State 52–3 (at Northwestern); 2018: Ohio State 45–24 (neutral site).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Northwestern
- Northwestern is 5–1 (2–1 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 34–18 vs. South Dakota State; W 41–7 vs. Colorado; L 23–29 at No. 5 Indiana; W 34–13 vs. Penn State; W 45–14 vs. Ball State; W 24–21 at Michigan State.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Northwestern has won three straight, since losing 29–23 to Indiana (Sept. 25, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Northwestern is No. 30 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- David Braun is 24–20 in his fourth season at Northwestern.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- David Braun is 0–1 against Ohio State.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Aidan Chiles (QB): 1,398 passing yards, 9 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Caleb Komolafe (RB): 401 rushing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Braydon Brus (LB): 52 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Griffin Wilde needs 3 touchdown catches to pass Ross Lane (13, 2005–08) for 10th on Northwestern’s career touchdown catches list. He has 11 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 1998, Northwestern lost to No. 19 Penn State 41–10.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
Ohio State
- Ohio State is 6–1 (4–0 in conference games), 2–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 56–3 vs. Ball State; L 23–24 at No. 4 Texas; W 59–3 vs. Kent State; W 42–19 vs. Illinois; W 31–14 at No. 14 Iowa; W 45–16 vs. Maryland; W 19–15 at No. 5 Indiana.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Ohio State has won five straight, since losing 24–23 to Texas (Sept. 12, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Ohio State is No. 1 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Ohio State is one of three FBS teams that have scored first in every game this season, with Georgia and Virginia Tech.resultsFBS teams that scored the first points of each game this season (four games or more), from the scoring plays.
- Ohio State is one of five FBS teams that have led at halftime of every game this season, with Nebraska, SMU, Utah and Virginia Tech.resultsFBS teams ahead at halftime of each game this season, read from the score after every scoring play (four games or more).
- Ryan Day is 88–13 in his ninth season at Ohio State.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Jeremiah Smith (WR): 52 catches, 984 yards, 12 TD, No. 2 in FBS in receiving touchdowns.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Julian Sayin (QB): 2,007 passing yards, 19 TD, No. 3 in FBS in passing touchdowns.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Earl Little II (S): 38 tackles, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jeremiah Smith holds Ohio State’s career record in receptions with 215 and counting, past Emeka Egbuka’s 205 (2021–24).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jeremiah Smith holds Ohio State’s career record in receiving yards with 3,542 and counting, past Michael Jenkins’s 2,898 (2001–03).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jeremiah Smith holds Ohio State’s career record in touchdown catches with 39 and counting, past Chris Olave’s 35 (2018–21).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Julian Sayin needs 20 yards to pass Troy Smith (5,720, 2003–06) for ninth on Ohio State’s career passing yards list. He has 5,701 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Julian Sayin is tied with Braxton Miller (52, 2011–15) for ninth on Ohio State’s career touchdown passes list, at 52 so far; one more touchdown pass breaks the tie.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2009, Ohio State beat No. 15 Iowa 27–24.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- Ryan Day is 1–0 against David Braun’s teams as a head coach.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
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