Ohio State dealt unfortunate news for Big Ten opener against Illinois, and it’s an issue that keeps popping up
Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff has burned Ohio State once again, this time for the Big Ten opener against Illinois. An expected visitor will reportedly no longer be in Columbus.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will open Big Ten Conference play against Illinois on Saturday in Week 4 of the college football season. Ohio State, sitting at 2-1 with a loss to Texas, will get a ramp up in competition from the likes of Ball State and Kent State when they host the Illini. The game is set to be a noon kickoff on Fox as part of the network’s Big Noon Kickoff.
As Buckeye fans know, noon kickoff time has been overused with Ohio State the last few years, to say the least, thanks to the Big Ten’s network deal with Fox. For a game once thought to have a chance at a primetime slot in Columbus, the early start is now actively hurting the Buckeyes this week.
Noon start costs Ohio State a visit from 5-star defender
According to Lettermen Row’s Jeremy Birmingham, the kickoff time for Ohio State on Saturday has made it where 5-star 2028 linebacker Tahj Gray will not be able to make the trip to Columbus. Gray was one of the most notable recruits expected to visit this weekend, and losing out on the opportunity is a tough punch for Ohio State’s recruiting efforts.
Gray is a 6-foot-3, 233-pound linebacker who is ranked the No. 1 player at the position in the class of 2028 according to the 247Sports Composite, where he is also the No. 24 player nationally. Getting a player of that caliber on campus for a nighttime game atmosphere would have been huge for the Buckeyes.
Other schools now have a window before Ohio State’s November visit
According to the report, Gray is not expected to be in Columbus again until the game against Michigan. While Ohio State is seen at the top of this recruitment, the gap between now and November gives other schools time to get Gray on campus before the Buckeyes eventually will.
A lot of fans aren’t necessarily thrilled with how often Ohio State draws noon kickoffs, and this situation illustrates another layer of why. The game against Illinois isn’t a marquee matchup. Ohio State is expected to win by four scores. Playing it at night would have allowed the Buckeyes to get an elite recruit on campus, and now that visit simply won’t happen.
It’s a tough development for Ohio State’s 2028 recruiting efforts, and it’s one tied directly to a scheduling decision outside the program’s control.
