Ohio State Hosts Northwestern With Chip Kelly Twist
Ohio State faces Northwestern on Saturday in a matchup featuring Ryan Day against his former mentor, Chip Kelly, who now coordinates the Wildcats' offense.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Football
Ohio State (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) hosts Northwestern (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in a game where the 21st-ranked Buckeyes and the Wildcats are both riding two-game losing streaks. The matchup pits Ohio State coach Ryan Day against Chip Kelly, who previously served as Ohio State's offensive coordinator before Northwestern hired him in late December.
Why it matters
Both teams enter the game looking to stop slides that have clouded their seasons, and Ohio State's defense has struggled to contain explosive plays in recent losses. For Northwestern, a win in Columbus would snap a long road drought in the series, while Kelly's return to Ohio Stadium carries personal and professional weight for the coaching staffs involved.
Aiden Chiles leads the Big Ten at 68.8% completion while accounting for 23 touchdowns, 13 through the air and 10 on the ground. Ohio State's defense allowed 21 explosive plays across its two most recent losses, to Southern California and Oregon, and the status of its injuries before kickoff remains unclear.
The players
Ryan Day
Ryan Day is the head football coach at Ohio State and a Columbus native who previously worked under Chip Kelly.
Chip Kelly
Chip Kelly is a veteran football coach who previously led UCLA and worked in the NFL, and he served as Ohio State's offensive coordinator in 2024 before joining the Las Vegas Raiders and later Northwestern.
The details
Ohio State returns home after consecutive losses to Southern California and Oregon, the latter a 41-28 defeat. Northwestern enters with its own two-game skid, and the Wildcats have not won at Ohio Stadium since 1971, a span of 15 meetings in Columbus without a victory.
Timeline
Saturday, November 14, 2026: Ohio State hosts Northwestern in Columbus.
Season Trajectory
Ohio State's season hinges on whether it can stabilize its defense after consecutive losses that dropped it from contention for a top-tier playoff position. Northwestern's bid for bowl eligibility depends on sustaining an offense that has been led by Chiles' efficiency, and a road win in Columbus would be the program's most significant result in the series in decades.
Ohio State's loss would drop it further behind in Big Ten standings, while a Northwestern win would keep its bowl hopes alive. Fantasy managers rostering Aiden Chiles should note his combined 23 touchdown contributions as a dual-threat weapon.
The takeaway
Upset potential in Big Ten play often hinges on defensive stability, and this game will show whether Ohio State can limit the explosive plays that hurt it recently. Readers should watch the first-quarter defensive performance as an early signal.
Further reading
Find more context on the Football coverage tied to this Columbus matchup.
