Last Go On The Road: Washington

Winning on the road in college football is no easy task, even for the best teams. Ohio State has proven to be one of the nation’s elite programs, and over the past four years (2021–2024), the Buckeyes have compiled an impressive 20-4 record away from Ohio Stadium during the regular season. Despite this success, Ohio State fans expect a win in every game, but a winning percentage exceeding 83% is nothing to overlook.

This year, the Buckeyes face five road games, taking them to the Pacific Northwest, the shores of the Great Lakes, the open plains of Central Illinois and Northern Indiana, and finally to the massive stadium built into a giant hole in the ground. Ohio State knows it will face Michigan annually as protected rivals in the Big Ten, but some of these other opponents haven’t hosted the Buckeyes in years—some for nearly a generation, others just a couple of seasons. Notably, Washington was still in the Pac-12 the last time these teams met.

As the countdown to kickoff approaches, let’s examine each road opponent this week, exploring the last time Ohio State visited their venue, what happened, and the Buckeyes’ historical success in that stadium or city.

September 27^th at Washington

Last time played in Seattle: September 2007

Result: Ohio State def. Washington 33-14

All-Time Record in Seattle: Ohio State leads 4-2

A top-10 Ohio State team traveled across the country after decisive victories over Youngstown State and Akron.

The Washington Huskies, though unranked, were the more battle-tested team, with wins at Syracuse and against a ranked Boise State squad.

In the matchup, Ohio State’s Todd Boeckman outshined Washington’s Jake Locker, throwing for 225 yards on 15-of-26 passing with two touchdowns.

The Ohio State defense dominated Locker, limiting him to 153 passing yards and forcing three interceptions.

Chris “Beanie” Wells scored a rushing touchdown, while Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline—now Ohio State’s offensive coordinator—each found the end zone with a 68-yard and a 36-yard reception, respectively.

Ohio State sealed the game before Brandon Saine added a 37-yard touchdown run late, a score that then-head coach Jim Tressel, known for avoiding running up the score, seemed displeased with.

The loss sparked a six-game losing streak for Washington, who finished the season 4-9, including an additional game at Hawaii.

In contrast, Ohio State maintained a perfect record until mid-November, when a home loss to Illinois derailed their championship hopes.

However, a 14-3 victory at Michigan, combined with several national upsets, propelled Ohio State to the BCS Championship Game against LSU in New Orleans, where they fell 38-24.

The Buckeyes have faced Washington once since that Seattle matchup, in the 2019 Rose Bowl—Urban Meyer’s final game as Ohio State’s head coach—securing a 28-23 victory in Pasadena.

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