The Big Ten Conference released the schedule for the 2014 season on May 16 , 2013 . With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers , the Big Ten abandoned its previous format to accommodate expansion . As a result , Ohio State faced all six Eastern Division opponents Indiana , Maryland , Michigan , Michigan State , Penn State and Rutgers . Ohio State also faced two Western Division opponents : rival Illinois and Minnesota . Ohio State played four non-conference games : Navy , an FBS Independent , Kent State of the Mid-American Conference , Virginia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference , and Cincinnati of the American Athletic Conference . Ohio State had two bye weeks during the season , the first between their games against Kent State and Cincinnati and their second between their games against Maryland and Rutgers . Following their win over Indiana , Ohio State won the Big Ten East Division championship and qualified to play in the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin , whom they defeated 59 – 0 . Ohio State was selected to participate in the inaugural College Football Playoff , as the fourth ranked team , and faced top ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl , whom they defeated 42 – 35 . Following their Sugar Bowl victory , the Buckeyes advanced to face second ranked Oregon in the CFP National Championship Game , whom they defeated 42 – 20 . The ranking in parenthesis below are the rankings from the College Football Playoff selection committee
FBS Independent
NCAA Division I FBS independent schools
2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team