A reminder to Ohio State football fans who attend games: You don’t much matter. At least not to TV networks.

Let’s dive into the current hullabaloo over OSU having too many noon kickoffs. The Buckeyes are in the midst of six consecutive nooners, which has not happened since … ever? More on that in a moment, but first to the issue at hand: Fox Sports loves noon games, while some/many fans who attend games do not. Who wins? Fox, of course. Money always wins.

It’s not just an OSU thing. Two weeks ago, Penn State fans took to social media to vent about the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions kicking off at noon instead of in prime time. Fans also showed up at ESPN’s GameDay, which was at State College despite ESPN not broadcasting the game, to protest the game time. The target of their NSFW chants? Fox, which selected the game for its Big Noon Saturday broadcast because of the likelihood of strong ratings, which typically average close to 7 million viewers. Makes sense. The game between No. 3 Penn State and No. 4 Ohio State pulled in 9.4 million viewers. 

As the Big Ten’s primary rights holder, Fox gets first dibs in the annual network draft that determines kick times, and always chooses Ohio State vs Michigan. Fox, CBS and NBC then take turns choosing teams, and because Ohio State is a top brand, the Buckeyes often get picked by Fox for Big Noon Kickoff. But not always, because the “draft” process means Fox does not have complete control over which teams it gets to televise. Fox did get first choice in picking the Buckeyes for four noon games, but last week’s Purdue game “fell” to them, and the network was only too happy to make it a Big Noon Kickoff.

FOX president of insights and analytics Mike Mulvihill told The Athletic that “There’s a belief that prime time is somehow inherently better (than noon), but that’s not really matched up by the analysis.”

Noon games typically do better than prime time, Mulvihill said, adding, “It’s our job to put the schools that we’re partners with in front of as many people as possible. If we can provide our schools as much exposure as possible, that should not just benefit Fox, but that should benefit those programs. What we’ve found over the last six years is that it’s very clear that putting our best game on at noon is what delivers the biggest audiences for these games.”

This week’s OSU game at Northwestern is at noon on the Big Ten Network, 61% of which is owned by Fox. The Buckeyes finish the regular season at home against Indiana (noon on Fox) and Michigan (noon on Fox). Were the Hoosiers 2-8 instead of 10-0, Fox would not have chosen the game for its Big Noon Saturday. Originally, the Indiana game was scheduled to appear on the Big Ten Network, but as the season unfolded and the Hoosiers kept winning, Fox swapped IU-OSU with Northwestern-OSU and made the Buckeyes and Hoosiers their Big Noon Saturday game, while moving the Ohio State-Northwestern game to BTN.

Then there is this: Ohio State and Michigan have stipulations in their TV deals with Fox, CBS and NBC that prohibit the networks from scheduling the schools at night in the final three games of the regular season, a source confirmed to the Dispatch. The Buckeyes and Wolverines could choose to accommodate a request to play a late-season night game — and OSU did so last Nov. 11, playing Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. on NBC — but neither program has been especially receptive to the idea. Maybe that changes for Ohio State under athletic director Ross Bjork, who in his previous job as AD at Texas A&M was more used to playing night games closer to Thanksgiving, but former OSU AD Gene Smith leaned against it.

Given OSU’s reservations about playing late-season night games, next week’s Indiana game never stood much chance of starting after sundown. If Buckeyes fans want to complain about not having enough night games, at least after Daylight Savings Time ends, maybe take it up with Ohio State.

Part of me wonders what the fans’ big stink is with noon games. I don’t recall complaints prior to 1985, when almost every game kicked at 1 p.m. Then again, fans had nothing to compare early afternoon kicks to; the first night game was not until 1985 and 3:30 p.m. games were not yet a thing. Now that Buckeye Nation has experienced the increased excitement of night games, noon kicks can feel like snoozers by comparison. And the last thing Ohio Stadium needs is more yawning spectators.

Who wants to watch a game in freezing temperatures?

Positives? Noon games mean higher temperatures – no fun in September but welcomed in November – and allow many Ohio travelers to return home before dark.

Some of the complaints about noon game include: 

∎ Less time to tailgate. It’s apparently not enough to suck down breakfast screwdrivers (or mimosas, in the chichi stadium lots); fans want more time to party.

∎ There is a school of thought that says “hydrated” crowds bring more enthusiasm to the Shoe. A later game also quells the stress of having to rush out the door at dawn to make kickoff.

∎ Slightly more challenging for recruiting. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Tuesday that “I’ve got to deal with a lot of fan backlash for other things than the times of games, so I’m going to leave that for other people to deal with.” But Day added that noon games can make it more difficult for out-of-state recruits to attend.

Is 3:30 p.m. the sweet spot to make most fans happy?

It’s not OSU’s call, but 3:30 p.m. feels like the sweet spot in kickoff times; not too early to require long-haul travelers to rise before dawn and not too late to turn the Horseshoe into a Baby Boomer morgue.

A 60-something friend of mine explained that “Noon kills the whole day. I’m so tired after that I need a nap. 3:30 is about the best. You can get something done early before heading to campus. I’m old, so night games are hard to dress for. Too warm or too cold? And driving a bike or car in the dark after a beer or two isn’t ideal.”

Fox hears your complaints, whining, whatever you want to call it. But the network is more concerned with eyeballs on screens than butts in seats. When it comes to kickoff times, football fans need to get with the program. The TV program.

roller@dispatch.com

@rollerCD

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The Big Ten Conference college football teams in the state of Michigan are struggling this season. As the Michigan Wolverines currently sit at 5-5 overall and the Michigan State Spartans are 4-5, the state’s NFL team is certainly not facing the same struggles.

The Detroit Lions are rolling in 2024 and despite a rough performance in the first half versus C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans this past week, Dan Campbell’s squad fought back in the second half and pulled off a surprising comeback. The 26-23 victory moves the Lions to 8-1 on the year.

Even though the Lions are full steam ahead towards a playoff birth and potential Super Bowl run, a new mock draft for 2025 has the Lions selecting an Ohio State star to further improve the roster.

The 33rd team posted a first-round mock draft with Detroit selecting offensive guard Donovan Jackson with the No. 31 pick.

Notably, the city of Detroit is no stranger to being the home of Ohio State offensive linemen. Taylor Decker has been the starting left tackle for the team since 2016. Not only has he spent his whole nine-year NFL career with the Lions, but his contract extension this offseason likely means that he will be there much longer as well.

In 2020, the Lions drafted offensive guard Jonah Jackson who played in 57 games with the team prior to signing with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent in the spring. Could a different Jackson from Ohio State be a solid fit with the Lions?

Absolutely.

Donovan Jackson is a tough offensive guard with lots of playing experience at the collegiate level. As injuries have occurred to his left on Ohio State’s line, Jackson has found himself in a very new position. He has been tasked with bumping out to left tackle.

This has likely been a positive for him. It shows off his versatility and his willingness to do whatever is needed to win games. At 6’4″, Jackson does not have true tackle length and will likely not be asked to play anything other than guard at the next level. That being said, if the worst case scenario appears, Jackson can be ready.

With Decker and Jackson potentially manning the left side of Detroit’s line, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs should feel confident about running to the left side.

It’s not often that a game’s most intriguing aspect is its site, but that’s the case this week for Ohio State.

The No. 2 Buckeyes play Northwestern on Saturday at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. The Wildcats’ home field, Ryan Field, is undergoing a two-year rebuild. The team’s temporary makeshift stadium on campus holds only about 15,000 fans, so Wrigley Field is an alternate site for higher-profile games.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day, a New Hampshire native, attended baseball games as a kid at Boston’s Fenway Park, which opened only two years before Wrigley Field’s debut in 2014.

“As I got older, I had an opportunity to see the Cubs play in Wrigley,” Day said Tuesday. “The surrounding area, the restaurants in the area, it’s just got a great vibe. It’s a unique place with an unbelievable history, so it’s a great opportunity for us. I’m also excited for Buckeye Nation to get to the game and experience that as well.”

The Buckeyes will visit Wrigley on Friday after arriving in Chicago to gain some familiarity with it.

“It’s a different feel, but it’s a great opportunity for our team,” Day said. “Ultimately, it’ll be a 100-yard football field and there will be stands and we’ll compete.”

More: Ohio State football stock report: Special teams impact widens in shutout win over Purdue

As for the opponent, this should be similar to last week’s mismatch against Purdue. A year after being the surprise team in the Big Ten under David Braun following the firing of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern is 4-5 (2-4 Big Ten). Ohio State is nearly a 30-point favorite.

Two years ago, the Buckeyes won in Evanston 21-7 in a game played in extreme wind. The wind is expected to be only 10-15 mph on Saturday.

More: Ohio State football history: 2014 College Football Playoff Championship 10th anniversary

“Good,” Day said. “That’s 70 mph less than last time we were here.”

Here are four takeaways from what Day, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and quarterback Will Howard said at Tuesday’s press conference:

Footwork the big issue in deep passing game problems

By almost all measures, Will Howard’s season has been a success. He has completed 74% of his passes this year after completing less than 60% in his career at Kansas State. In four of his last five games, Howard has completed at least 80% of his passes.

But sporadic success on deep passes is the most glaring deficiency in OSU’s offense. Against Purdue last week, Carnell Tate was open but couldn’t hang on to an underthrown pass when he hit the turf. Against Penn State, two potential touchdowns went for incompletions. Jeremiah Smith slowed down on one route. On the other, Howard’s pass to Tate drifted out of bounds.

Day and Howard said the main issue is the quarterback’s footwork.

“That’s something we’re going to continue to work through,” Day said. “I think he’s throwing some really good balls down the field, and then sometimes he’s been a little bit late with his feet. When his feet are right, he throws a good ball.”

Howard said his feet have tended to “go dead a little bit” on deep throws.

“We’re emphasizing this week keeping my feet alive,” he said.

Day pleased with left side of offensive line

The Purdue game was Ohio State’s second with Donovan Jackson at left tackle and Carson Hinzman at left guard, and Day is happy with how they played on Saturday.

Hinzman was the starting center last year before losing the job to Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin. He had played little until left tackle Josh Simmons was lost for the season in the Oregon game, forcing the line shuffle.

“He was solid,” Day said. “He’s taking the next step at guard.”

Purdue used a “Bear” front often against Ohio State with linemen bunched together in the middle of the line.

“A lot of 1-on-1 blocks there, so you’ve got to sustain your blocks,” Day said.

Hinzman left the game with a left knee injury late in the second quarter but returned after halftime.

“He got a little scare there, but he’s fine now,” Day said. “Another week of work, another week of experience at playing guard will go a long way.”

Howard said he had faith that Jackson and Hinzman would play well even before they were thrust into new roles.

“I think a lot of people around Buckeye Nation were concerned, and I really wasn’t,” he said. “I knew those guys would step up to the challenge. I knew they were ready for it.

“I’m so proud of those guys with how they’ve stepped into their new roles and done an amazing job. But I’m not surprised, and I think they have a lot more ahead of them.”

Day mostly happy with Eddrick Houston’s starting debut

Eddrick Houston was the prize defensive line recruit in this year’s recruiting class. In fact, Day left his signing day press conference for a phone call with Houston to keep him in the fold when it looked like the player was wavering.

Houston was recruited as a defensive end, but he has been moved to the 3-technique tackle position. Against Purdue, coaches decided to give Tyleik Williams extra time to heal from an ankle injury, and Houston got the start.

He was credited with two tackles and an assist in 27 snaps. He also committed a costly penalty when he shoved a Purdue player after a third-down stop, drawing a personal foul.

“There was obviously the one silly penalty that he’ll have to learn from,” Day said. “But overall, I thought there were a lot of flashes for somebody who has not played inside a whole bunch in his career.

“He’s got strength. He’s got power. He ran to the football. He didn’t quite grade out (as a champion), but I think there’s a really bright future there at 3-technique for Eddrick.”

Day said Williams will play against Northwestern.

Is the backup quarterback battle tightening?

When Ohio State lifted its offensive starters early in the fourth quarter, Devin Brown took the next six snaps.

But on the next one, a third-and-12 from the OSU 46, Day inserted Julian Sayin. The freshman scrambled for 19 yards and a first down. Sayin then took the final seven snaps.

Neither backup had success throwing. Brown’s only pass, a short throw to Brandon Innis, was thrown high. Sayin was 0 for 5, including a drop by Inniss.

Brown is 10 for 19 passing this season for 108 yards and one touchdown. Sayin is 5 for 12 for 84 yards with one score.

“Devin right now is our backup, but Julian is pushing hard,” Day said. “We’ll keep evaluating it every week and see where those guys are.”

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