Ohio State fans (and many Big Ten fanbases in general) haven’t been shy in vocalizing their frustrations with the number of noon kickoffs the Buckeyes will have had during the 2024 college football season. They’ve made it clear they want to see the school push back on TV partners like Fox over it.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork says that conversations with Fox about that situation won’t happen until the offseason.
The Buckeyes will finish the season with six consecutive noon EST kickoffs, including their showdown with undefeated Indiana and rivalry game against Michigan. While the ratings have justified the Big Noon Saturday broadcasting window, it’s not the most enticing timeframe for fans who want to tailgate or want to see their team play in primetime.
However, now is not the time to push back, per Bjork.
“I think that’s an offseason conversation honestly, but here’s what I’ll say: Fox has the first pick. We’re the biggest brand within the Big Ten,” he told Eleven Warriors. “We have the most fans who watch our games. The ratings are really high, and I’ll just kind of leave it at that, but that’s really an offseason conversation”
Bjork also noted that Oregon being on the West Coast, where they’d be kicking off at 9:00 a.m., is likely a major factor for why the Buckeyes (and Penn State) end up getting the short straw so often.
“If Oregon’s playing on the West Coast, they really can’t play a 12 noon Eastern Time game,” Bjork said. “You have us, Penn State, Indiana. We’re the most successful programs this year. If you just look at that piece of it from a time zone standpoint, it kind of makes sense where it’s landed. That’s more of an offseason analysis, more of an offseason conversation.”
That answer probably isn’t going to make OSU fans feel better. But it does feel like conversations will indeed be had after this season, and not just involving Ohio State.
