Expanded face recognition entry, rented seatbacks come to Ohio Stadium

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.

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Additionally, Ohio State is renting padded seatbacks, which can be purchased on a single-game basis at A Deck and C Deck rental carts. After purchasing, fans can take the seatback to their ticketed seat and use it throughout the game.

Seat cushions with back supports, zippers or storage slots are listed under Ohio Stadium’s “prohibited items” list in the football team’s online game day guide. That policy isn’t new; seat cushions with back supports have been banned from Ohio Stadium since at least the 2023 season.

The rental seatbacks will cost $25 for most games, according to a team spokesperson.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Expanded face recognition entry, rented seatbacks come to Ohio Stadium