On Monday, it was announced that the Grambling State Tigers will travel to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in football on September 6, 2025.
Grambling State is a public historically black university (HBCU) located in Grambling, La. The Tigers are a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Grambling State, which owns 15 Black college national championships, will receive a guarantee of $1 million for the contest against the Buckeyes, according to the copy of the contract obtained from Ohio State University via a state open records request.
While a $1 million guarantee is massive, it’s not the first time an FCS team has garnered that amount of money for a game. Just last season, the Tennessee State Tigers traveled to South Bend, Ind., to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and returned home with a $1 million payday.
Also last season, Grambling State made an in-state trip to Baton Rouge, La., to face the LSU Tigers. Grambling suffered a huge defeat in that contest, 72-10, but the Tigers earned a $760,000 guarantee for their efforts.
The $1 million that Grambling State will receive is a significant amount, historically. FCS teams typically earn around $500,000 when they play games against FBS opponents.
Grambling State is currently led by head coach Mickey Joseph, who played at Nebraska from 1988 through 1991 and coached for the Cornhuskers during the 2022 season. He was officially tabbed to lead the Tigers on Dec. 18, 2023 and is entering his first season at the helm of the historic program.
Following the announcement of the Grambling State at Ohio State contest on Monday, Grambling State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Travyean D. Scott commented on the matchup.
“This is another example of us being able to showcase our brand to a national audience,” Scott said. “We are thrilled that our players and fans will get to experience a matchup between two of the most storied football programs in the country. When you think of college football, Grambling State and Ohio State are two of the names that many think of immediately. This contest will allow our both fan bases to experience the cultural and athletic excellence of both institutions.”
Ohio State is the second known non-conference opponent for Grambling State next season. Two weeks after playing at Ohio State, the Tigers are scheduled to host the Texas A&M-Commerce Golden Lions on Sept. 20 at Eddie Robinson Stadium in Grambling.
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