The 1991 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fourth year under head coach John Cooper, the Buckeyes compiled an 8âÂÂ4 record (5âÂÂ3 in conference games), tied for third place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 260 to 163. Against ranked opponents, they lost to No. 20 Illinois, No. 11 Iowa, and No. 4 Michigan. They concluded the season with a loss to No. 16 Syracuse in the 1992 Hall of Fame Bowl. The Buckeyes were not ranked in the final AP poll.
The Buckeyes gained an average of 210.2 rushing yards and 115.3 passing yards per game. On defense, they held opponents to 104.2 rushing yards and 192.1 passing yards per game. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Kent Graham (1,018 passing yards, 51.6% completion percentage), running back Carlos Snow (772 rushing yards, 4.9 yards per carry), and wide receivers Bernard Edwards and Brian Stablein (25 receptions each for 364 and 363 yards, respectively). Linebacker Steve Tovar was selected by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on the 1991 All-America team. Tovar, Snow, tackle Alan Kline, and defensive linemen Jason Simmons and Alonzo Spellman received first-team honors on the 1991 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State's game against Northwestern was played at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland.