The Ohio Bobcats have added two Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents to their future schedules, FBSchedules.com has learned.

Copies of contracts for games against Gardner-Webb University and Saint Francis University were obtained from Ohio University via a state open records request.

Ohio will host the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs of the Big South-OVC Football Association at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. The Bobcats will pay the Runnin’ Bulldogs a $350,000 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.

Ohio and Gardner-Webb first met on the gridiron in 2007 and have played three times. The Bobcats won the most recent contest in 2016, 37-21, and currently lead the overall series 3-0.

With the addition of Gardner-Webb, Ohio has tentatively completed its non-conference schedule for the 2025 season. The Bobcats are scheduled to open the season on the road against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Aug. 30. Ohio will host the West Virginia Mountaineers the following week on Sept. 6 before visiting the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sept. 13.

The Saint Francis Red Flash of the Northeast Conference (NEC) will travel to take on Ohio at Peden Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2027. The Red Flash will also receive a $350,000 guarantee for the contest, per the contract copy.

Ohio and Saint Francis U. have never met on the gridiron in their history.

The Bobcats now have three scheduled non-conference opponents for 2027. Ohio is also slated to host the Marshall Thundering Herd on Sept. 11 and visit the West Virginia Mountaineers on Sept. 18.

Football Schedules

• Future Ohio Football Schedules
• Future Gardner-Webb Football Schedules
• Future Saint Francis U. Football Schedules