Alabama Schedules Series with Ohio State

Fresh off scheduling a football series with Arizona State last month, the Alabama athletic program announced it has reached an agreement with Ohio State for a home-and-home series in 2027 and 2028. Alabama will travel to Columbus, OH in 2027 and host the Buckeyes in Tuscaloosa in 2028.

Alabama and Ohio State have played four games, the Crimson Tide has won three however lost the most recent matchup to the Buckeyes in the 2015 Sugar Bowl in the College Football Playoff.

The Tide won the first matchup between the two programs in the 1978 Sugar Bowl 35-6. Jeff Rutledge threw two touchdown passes for Alabama.Tony Nathan, Major Ogilvie and Johnny Davis all rushed for one touchdown as well.

Alabama won 16-10 against Ohio State in East Rutherford, New Jersey in the 1986 season opener.

The Tide prevailed again in the 1995 Citrus Bowl, edging the Buckeyes 24-17. Sherman Williams scored off a 7-yard touchdown run and a 50-yard touchdown reception. ESPN's Joey Galloway caught two touchdown passes for the Buckeyes but it wasn't enough for the win.

Ohio State won the 2015 Sugar Bowl 42-35 on its way to the program's most recent national championship. Ezekiel Elliot ended the game with 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns to be named game MVP.

Ohio State becomes the latest home-and-home series brokered by Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne. Byrne has arraigned games with Texas (2022, 2023), Wisconsin (2024, 2025), Florida State (2025, 2026), West Virginia (2026, 2027), Ohio State (2027, 2028), Notre Dame (2028, 2029), Georgia Tech (2030, 2031), Oklahoma (2032, 2033) and Virginia Tech (2034, 2035).

The Crimson Tide is still schedule to play Miami in Atlanta to open the 2021 season but currently it is the only neutral-site game on the future schedule.

Alabama's effort to add home-and-home series with Power 5 teams might be attributed to the Crimson Tide's effort to keep the Alabama fan base energized and give the fan base home games to look forward to.

Alabama has played Power 5 opponents in neutral-site games in 10 years under Saban's tenure. The Tide has played six games in Atlanta, three games in Arlington and one game in Orlando.

The last home-and-home series the Crimson Tide played against a non-conference opponent was against Penn State in 2010 and 2011.