Ohio State's 2021 football schedule presents a favorable path to the College Football Playoff, featuring a balanced mix of conference and non-conference matchups. After their 52-14 loss to Alabama in the previous championship game, the Buckeyes aim to make another playoff run.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing, the team returns to a full regular-season schedule. The Big Ten East schedule particularly favors Ohio State, as they avoid playing the top three teams from the West division - Northwestern, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Key Schedule Highlights:

• September 11: Hosting Oregon (Pac-12 champion, preseason top 10)
• Non-conference games: Tulsa (American) and Akron (Mid-American)
• October 23: At Indiana (crucial division game)
• Late Season: Penn State (home), Michigan State (home), Michigan (away)

The schedule's structure provides multiple advantages:

• Favorable conference matchups
• Signature non-conference game against Oregon
• Traditional rivals (Penn State, Michigan) coming off losing seasons
• Well-spaced challenging games throughout the season

The combination of a manageable conference schedule and a high-profile non-conference matchup against Oregon positions Ohio State strongly for playoff consideration, assuming they perform as expected.

Given their favorable schedule and traditional program strength, Ohio State appears well-positioned to contend for both the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth in 2021.

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