The 5 Toughest Games On Ohio State's Schedule In 2016

College football's unique in that a single loss could mean the difference between a conference championship (or the ultimate regular-season goal, a College Football Playoff spot) and becoming an also-ran in the FBS ranks. If Ohio State wants to get back to the College Football Playoff, they can't afford to lose more than one game. Here are Ohio State's five toughest games heading into this year: 

5. Nebraska Cornhuskers (November 5th)
Nebraska has a chance to have a breakout season in the Big Ten West, and they have this game circled as the biggest of their season. Ohio State should win easily, but they can't take the Huskers lightly.

4. at Penn State Nittany Lions (October 22nd)
Ohio State has been known to struggle in Happy Valley - remember, it took the Buckeyes overtime to knock off Penn State in their last visit. This will be a tricky game if the Buckeyes don't bring their 'A' game.

3. at Michigan State Spartans (November 19th)
Think the Buckeyes don't have this game circled after losing to the Spartans in 2015? Playing in East Lansing will be tough, but Ohio State should be ready for the challenge.

2. Michigan Wolverines (November 26th)
This rivalry is always instense, and Michigan is determined to finally gain an upper hand on the Buckeyes. However, Ohio State will definitely be favored in The Horseshoe.

1. at Oklahoma Sooners (September 17th)
This will be the toughest regular season game the Buckeyes had to play in some time. An early-season road game against a top-five team with a Heisman candidate at quarterback will draw headlines. It will take Ohio State's best effort to win in Norman.

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