Ohio State will enter the 2021 season as prohibitive favorites to win another Big Ten crown and make it back to the College Football Playoff.

But the Buckeyes play a tough schedule, and could certainly suffer a loss or two at some point during the regular season.

Here are the five teams most likely to get in Ohio State’s way this season, ordered chronologically based on the Buckeyes’ schedule:

Sept. 2 @ Minnesota

Ohio State faces off against Minnesota on Thursday night of Week 1. With Oregon looming in Week 2, it’s possible the Buckeyes could get caught looking ahead a week.

PJ Fleck will have his team ready, and the Gophers can churn clock behind of the nation’s most underrated players, running back Mohamed Ibrahim.

Minnesota’s last win over Ohio State came in 2000, and its last victory over the Buckeyes at home came in 1981.

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Sept. 11 vs. Oregon

Oregon is inarguably the most talented team on Ohio State’s 2021 schedule. The Ducks have upped their recruiting game in recent years, and might have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft in Kayvon Thibodeaux.

This game being in Columbus will help, but the Buckeyes will be breaking in several new starters at key positions. If replacements for players like Justin Fields, Wyatt Davis, Pete Werner and Shaun Wade aren’t sharp, the Ducks are more than talented enough to take advantage.

Ohio State is 9-0 all-time vs. Oregon.

Oct. 23 @ Indiana

Indiana played Ohio State as well as anyone in the country last season, aside from Alabama. The Hoosiers return a lot of their major playmakers in 2021, and they’ll have the confidence to know they can hang with a heavily-favored Buckeyes team.

Last season, Ohio State edged out a 42-35 victory over Indiana. 2020 was IU’s best season in recent memory, as Tom Allen led the Hoosiers to a 6-2 record. That continued a positive trend, as Indiana put up an 8-5 season in 2019. That was Indiana’s first eight-win season since 1993.

Ohio State has won 25 straight games vs. Indiana, with the Hoosiers’ last win coming in 1989.

Oct. 30 vs. Penn State

The Nittany Lions certainly have the talent to give Ohio State trouble in late October. Penn State is one of the few teams in the Big Ten who have been able to consistently recruit at an elite level.

PSU does have some uncertainty at the quarterback position, although Sean Clifford is likely to start the season as the starter. Last year, he completed 60.6 percent of his passes while throwing 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Penn State last defeated Ohio State in 2016.

Nov. 27 @ Michigan

Ohio State has had Michigan’s number in recent years, but the Wolverines have the roster talent to make things interesting. Michigan’s quarterback situation is the best it’s been in years with Cade McNamara, JJ McCarthy and Alan Bowman all capable of leading the offense.

Michigan also has a much younger and revamped coaching staff around head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines will be desperate to get a win over their arch rivals, and represent the final potential stumbling block for Ohio State during the regular season.