Ohio State has decided to cancel its home-and-home football series with Washington in 2024 and 2025, the university announced Wednesday. The Buckeyes will abide by the terms associated with breaking their contract, which includes a $500,000 payment as well as “any liquidated damages.”
“We are very disappointed that our student-athletes, staff and Husky Nation won’t get to experience these two games with Ohio State,” UW athletic director Jen Cohen said in a statement. “Everyone has had these dates circled for a number of years and we were looking forward to these opportunities to compete against the Buckeyes.
“We are in the process of finding new opponents for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and will provide an update as soon as we have one.”
That leaves Washington with an absence of premier non-conference opponents in the years to come. UW was scheduled to host Ohio State inside Husky Stadium on Sept. 14, 2024, before traveling to meet the Buckeyes inside “The Horseshoe” on Sept. 13, 2025.
“We initiated the cancellation,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said in a statement. “I have the utmost respect for the University of Washington and for Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen, and this was a very difficult call to make.
“Consistent with terms of the contract, we will be responsible for the $500,000 cancellation penalty that has to be paid by February 2025. As a result of the cancellation, we will add an eighth home game for the 2024 season, affording us the opportunity to have the funding to pay the penalty and guarantee for that eighth opponent.”
As it stands, UW will host Weber State and Eastern Michigan in non-conference play in 2024 and Colorado State and UC Davis in 2025. After traveling to Michigan State this season, on Sept. 16, the Huskies don’t have another Power Five non-conference opponent scheduled until 2028 — when Michigan is slated to visit Husky Stadium on the return trip of a home-and-home series.
This story will be updated.