COLUMBUS, Ohio — There is a point every summer when Ohio State football starts to feel real again. The calendar still says it is the offseason. The players are still working through conditioning, meetings, and individual workouts. The season opener is still weeks away.
But once the Buckeyes announce the dates for open training camp practices, the countdown officially begins.
Ohio State announced Tuesday that its 2026 Football Training Camp will begin August 6 at the Harmon Family Football Complex inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, with three practices, August 6-8, open to fans.
And for the fourth consecutive year, Buckeye fans will get the opportunity to watch the beginning stages of a new Ohio State team take shape.
The practices will begin at 9 a.m. each day, with gates opening at 8 a.m. Fans will have access to a morning of football that runs until approximately noon.
Tickets will cost $48 for general admission and $143 for VIP access, with VIP tickets including a shaded viewing area along with refreshments and snacks.
It is the first opportunity for fans to see what this version of the Buckeyes actually looks like.
Every year, there are questions entering camp. Who has taken the next step? Which freshmen are ready to contribute? What does the depth chart look like after months of offseason speculation and roster turnover? What does this team do differently?
These three practices will be the first three of 25 preseason practices leading into Ohio State’s September 5 opener against Ball State.
That means the Buckeyes will have plenty of time to answer their biggest questions before the games begin. Still, August 6 will mark the first time the 2026 team steps into the spotlight.
