COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University announced Wednesday that it has canceled the home-and-home series with the University of Washington that was scheduled for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
In a release, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletic Director Gene Smith said Ohio State initiated the cancellation.
“I have the utmost respect for the University of Washington and for Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen, and this was a very difficult call to make,” he said.
Smith added the Buckeyes will be responsible for a $500,000 cancellation penalty that must be paid by February 2025.
“As a result of the cancellation, we will add an eighth home game for the 2024 season, affording us the opportunity to have the funding to pay the penalty and guarantee for that eighth opponent,” he said.
The cancellation leaves Ohio State needing one non-conference home game in 2025 on either Sept. 7 or Sept. 14 and another in 2025 on either Sept. 6 or Sept. 13.
Ohio State will open the 2024 season against Southern Mississippi at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 31 and host Western Michigan on Sept. 21.
The 2024 schedule won’t be formally announced until October of this year, and for the first time, it could include a Big Ten game against either UCLA or USC who will be joining the conference that fall.
The 2025 non-conference schedule features a season-opening game against Texas at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30 and a home game Oct. 18 vs. UConn. The Buckeyes will play at Texas on Sept. 12, 2026.