Ball State’s athletic department will reap the rewards of agreeing to travel to Columbus in 2026 for a football contest against Ohio State.

Eleven Warriors was able to obtain contracts involving the future matchup between the Cardinals and Buckeyes, along with the negotiated price to get the MAC program to play the B1G squad.

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Per the report, Ball State is scheduled to received $1.9 million for its trip to Columbus in 2026. That will be one of the highest payout totals in college football to date. Ohio State will also pay UConn $1.95 million for a game at The Horseshoe in 2025, as well.

Not a bad deal for Ball State.

Ohio State will have two non-conference home games during the 2026 season, hosting Ball State to open the year and closing out the non-conference schedule with a game against Boston College in Columbus. The Buckeyes will also take a road trip to Texas between those two home games.

With the exception of the 2024 season (still two available dates), Ohio State’s non-conference schedules are set through 2026.