Ohio State opens the 2026-27 season on Monday, November 2, against No. 25 BYU at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. Eastern on FS1. The game is the first meeting between the programs since 1997 and marks the start of a non-conference slate that also includes a road game at UConn and a home date with Vanderbilt. Ohio State finished last season 21-13 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022 under third-year head coach Jake Diebler. BYU, under Kevin Young, enters ranked after a 23-12 campaign. Both teams rebuilt significant portions of their rosters through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, which leaves several practical questions about how the game will unfold.
Can Ohio State’s New Backcourt Create Enough Offense on the Road?
John Mobley Jr. returns as the primary scoring threat after averaging 15.7 points and shooting 41 percent from three-point range last season. He was named preseason All-Big Ten and has made 174 threes in his first two seasons at Ohio State, already seventh in program history. Joining him is California transfer Justin Pippen, who averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.9 steals as a sophomore. The combination gives Diebler a proven shooter and a playmaker who can initiate offense. Freshman Anthony Thompson, a McDonald’s All-American and the highest-rated Ohio State high school signee since Jared Sullinger, is expected to start at the wing and add size and scoring versatility at 6-foot-9.
In the final exhibition against Butler, Ohio State shot 50 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three in an 82-73 win. Sophomore forward Amare Bynum led the way with 23 points and six rebounds. The efficiency was encouraging after an earlier exhibition loss to Cincinnati in which the Buckeyes shot poorly. Whether that shooting holds up against a ranked opponent in a true road environment is the first open question. Ohio State’s offense will also need contributions from transfers such as Curtis Givens III and Jimmie Williams, both of whom bring experience but have not yet played a meaningful game in scarlet and gray. If the new pieces can connect early, the Buckeyes can keep pace. If the shooting regresses under travel and a hostile crowd, the road opener becomes more difficult.
How Will Ohio State’s Added Size Perform on the Boards?
Ohio State spent the offseason prioritizing length. The roster now averages roughly 79 inches per player, a figure that would have ranked among the taller teams in the country last season. Bynum (6-foot-8, 245 pounds) returns after averaging 9.7 points as a freshman and showing improvement late in the year. Josh Ojianwuna, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, is expected back at center. Kentucky transfer Andrija Jelavic (6-foot-11) and 7-foot-2 Ivan Njegovan provide additional size. Diebler has called the group the deepest he has had in his tenure.
Against Butler, however, Ohio State was outrebounded 42-33. That margin appeared in both the first and second halves and allowed Butler to generate second-chance opportunities. BYU added Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler, who averaged nearly nine rebounds per game last season, along with other length in the frontcourt. The Cougars have historically valued offensive rebounding under Young. If Ohio State cannot improve its rebounding margin against a physical opponent on the road, the extra size on paper will not translate into possession control. The Butler game showed the issue is not fully resolved. Monday’s result will indicate whether the new big men can close that gap when the opponent is ranked.
What Does BYU’s Rebuilt Roster Look Like in Its First Real Test?
BYU returns only a handful of significant contributors from last season’s 23-12 team. Point guard Robert Wright III is back after transferring from Baylor. Forward Khadim Mboup also returns. Most of the rotation consists of transfers and freshmen. Kohler arrives from Michigan State with proven rebounding production. Collin Chandler comes from Kentucky, Jake Wahlin from Clemson, and Tyler Betsey from Syracuse. Five-star freshman Bruce Branch III joins the frontcourt. Young has described the group as one that needs time to develop chemistry, and the Ohio State game is the first official opportunity to measure that progress against a Power conference opponent.
BYU lost several key pieces from last year’s roster, including standout AJ Dybantsa, who entered the NBA Draft process. The Cougars finished 9-9 in the Big 12 and were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Their ranking reflects preseason expectations more than continuity. How quickly the new pieces can defend and rebound against Ohio State’s size will determine whether BYU can establish control at home. The Cougars’ ability to force turnovers or contest the perimeter will also matter, given Ohio State’s reliance on Mobley’s shooting.
Can Either Team Establish a Consistent Defensive Identity in the Opener?
Neither program entered the season with a settled defensive reputation based on returning personnel. Ohio State’s defense will be shaped by new personnel on the wing and in the frontcourt. Thompson’s length and the returning centers give Diebler options, but the unit has not yet faced a ranked opponent. BYU’s defense will depend on how quickly Kohler, Branch, and the other newcomers can communicate and rotate. Both teams played exhibition games that produced mixed defensive results. Ohio State forced Butler into 38 percent shooting overall and 31 percent in the second half, but the rebounding margin remained an issue. Those numbers offer limited predictive value for a ranked road game.
The series history favors Ohio State 4-3, though the most recent meeting occurred nearly 30 years ago. The setting at the Delta Center and the early date on the calendar mean both coaches are still sorting rotations. Ohio State’s exhibition win over Butler provided a better offensive sample than the Cincinnati loss, yet the rebounding deficit in that game remains unresolved. BYU’s ranking creates an immediate measuring stick for Diebler’s third season. The four questions above—backcourt production, rebounding, BYU’s chemistry, and defensive consistency—will be answered in real time on Monday night. The results will shape how both programs approach the rest of a challenging non-conference schedule.
