Ohio State’s men’s basketball program has locked in a two-year home-and-home series with Vanderbilt, guaranteeing a tough non-conference opponent for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.
The first meeting will take place in Columbus on Nov. 24, 2026, before the Buckeyes head to Nashville a year later, continuing a pattern of scheduling high-profile opponents to sharpen their roster before Big Ten play.
Coach Jake Diebler said the schedule is designed to expose the team to elite competition, noting that facing power-conference teams is essential for postseason readiness.
Vanderbilt’s Recent Form
Vanderbilt comes into the series fresh off a 27-win campaign that included a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance as a No. 5 seed, underscoring the Commodores’ recent resurgence.
The series also marks the second time the two schools have met, with Vanderbilt holding a 2-0 edge from meetings in 1988 and 1989.
In addition to Vanderbilt, Ohio State has arranged home-and-home matchups with UConn and a separate series with Brigham Young, while also slated to play Kansas, Notre Dame and Nebraska in non-conference games.