Ohio State football announced new in-stadium changes for home games ahead of the 2026 college football season, including the expansion of its facial recognition check-in software and the option for fans to rent single-game padded seatbacks. The facial recognition software, called Express Entry, was introduced during the 2025 season as an optional service that allowed students (and some fans in "premium" areas) to skip lines and use dedicated gates with facial scanners to enter. Ohio State described the 2025 rollout as "successful" and plans to expand Express Entry to certain public gates for the upcoming season. With last year's introduction, Ohio State became the second school in the country to use Express Entry after the University of Florida, which fully implemented the service throughout its stadium in August 2025. Motz Group contractors install a new playing surface at Ohio Stadium featuring Shaw Sports Turf’s Forge Series™ system on July 22, 2026. The new field will continue to be sponsored by Safelite and will be in place for the 2026 football season. (Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch) David Lenert (left) and Paul Malernee cut up souvenir pieces of turf as contractors install a new playing surface at Ohio Stadium featuring Shaw Sports Turf’s Forge Series system on July 22, 2026. The new field will continue to be sponsored by Safelite and will be in place for the 2026 football season. People who take a stadium tour are welcome to take home a piece of the turf while supplies last. (Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch) Motz Group contractors install a new playing surface at Ohio Stadium featuring Shaw Sports Turf’s Forge Series™ system on July 22, 2026. The new field will continue to be sponsored by Safelite and will be in place for the 2026 football season. (Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch) Motz Group contractors install a new