Fresh off of a thrilling 17-16 win over Michigan State in the season opener, the Ohio State Club Football program takes to the road again, this time to open Great Lakes East divisional play.
The Buckeyes are set to take on the University of Pittsburgh on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Pitt Sports Dome for the first on-field matchup between the two programs since 2019. The Panthers were a member of the National Club Football Association from 2016-22 before folding the program during the 2023 season. After reviving their program last year and participating in one exhibition game against Toledo Club Football, Pitt is back in the NCFA.
Pitt opened its 2026 season with a 22-8 home loss to cross-division opponent Oakland University on Sunday, Sept. 20, but were not without some standout plays and playmakers.
The Panthers were led by do-it-all star Noah Judkins, who scored Pitt’s lone touchdown, catching three passes for 38 yards and the score. Judkins also collected five total tackles and an interception – which he returned 56 yards – on defense from his safety position. Judkins also serves as the Panthers primary kick and punt returner, proving he is a true triple-threat on the field.
Defensive end Hunter Wentzel led the defense for the Panthers against Oakland, posting a team-high seven tackles and a sack in the loss.
Ohio State is coming off of a sloppy win against the Spartans in which the Buckeyes were called for 125 yards worth of penalties. The Buckeyes needed a 14-play, 76-yard drive that took up just over two minutes of clock to get kicker Raj Venkatesh into field goal range for a game-winning 37-yard field goal with just 34 seconds remaining. Quarterback Corbyn Aleshire, who finished the day 24-of-46 for 269 yards, completed passes of 22, 19, 12 and 10 on the final drive to set up the critical field goal attempt. It was Aleshire’s first college football start after serving as Ohio State’s backup last season to Niko Pappas, who ultimately was awarded league MVP.
The Buckeyes struggled to run the football against the Spartans, largely due to the multitude of penalties that set the Ohio State offense behind the chains. Ohio State faced four separate instances of 20-or-more yards to reach the line to gain against the Spartans, forcing the Buckeyes to air it out. Despite the heavy pass-to-run splits, running back Milan Jackson managed to score both of the Ohio State touchdowns against Michigan State, carrying nine time for 54 yards. Overall, Ohio State managed just 57 total yards rushing, thanks in part to a loss of nearly 20 yards on a mis-executed snap on its first offensive play of the second half.
Defensively, Ohio State was led by a number of young players in the opener. Freshman linebacker Dane Barcalow tallied eight total tackles and the game-sealing interception on Michigan State’s final drive of the game. Senior cornerback Reagan Little posted nine tackles in the win, while sophomore safety Vann Riordan led the Buckeyes with 13 total tackles and an interception at the goal line in the fourth quarter against MSU to give Ohio State a chance to win it.
Ohio State and Pitt have not met on the field since 2019, when the Buckeyes came away with a 41-0 victory on the road. The Buckeyes are 3-1 all-time at the Pitt Sports Dome, including a 2-0 mark vs. Pitt. The two teams were scheduled to play in 2023 in Columbus before the Panthers shuttered their season. The Buckeyes are also 1-1 at the Pitt Sports Dome in Conference Championship Games, losing in 2018 to the Apprentice School before defeating Coppin State 35-0 in 2019.
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. Admission to the game is free.
Fans should be prepared for heavy traffic in the area due to the NFL game between the Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals occurring in town. Fans are also encouraged to bring lawn chairs with them as there is no bleacher seating available in the Pitt Sports Dome. Street parking is free on Sunday’s and a nearby garage is also available for a cost if street parking is unavailable.
