Eric Boggs
Ohio State fans eager for a major primetime matchup at the Shoe this fall will need to temper expectations. Despite a blockbuster season opener against Texas and a conference showdown with Penn State on the calendar, the Buckeyes’ lone confirmed home night game for 2025 will be against in-state opponent Ohio University—an announcement that has left many in Buckeye Nation less than thrilled.
While the Aug. 30 home opener against Texas promises to be one of the biggest games in college football this year, fans will be watching it under the sun, not the lights. FOX has officially scheduled the game for a noon kickoff, continuing its tradition of featuring Ohio State in its Big Noon Saturday slot. The following week, on Sept. 6, the Buckeyes will face Grambling State at 3:30 p.m., televised on the Big Ten Network.
Then comes Sept. 13: a 7 p.m. kickoff against the Ohio Bobcats. The only home night game announced so far. And yet, it’s one few fans were hoping for—not only because the opponent lacks national buzz, but because the game won’t even be available on regular television. Instead, it will stream exclusively on Peacock.
For the third straight season, Ohio State will have at least one game behind a streaming paywall. Fans still bristling from last year’s Peacock-exclusive games against Purdue and Michigan State now face another frustrating subscription requirement just to watch their team play an in-state opponent. This decision doesn’t sit well with a fanbase that supports one of the largest and most loyal followings in college football. Night games at Ohio Stadium have always carried a special energy. To reserve that atmosphere for a lower-profile game and tuck it away behind a streaming service feels like a missed opportunity.
Worse still, the hopes of salvaging a high-profile primetime showdown in Columbus later this fall appear dim. NBC’s recent announcement that it will broadcast Penn State vs. Oregon in its primetime slot on Sept. 27 suggests that the Buckeyes’ Nov. 1 home matchup against Penn State—previously a top candidate for a night game—may now end up as another noon kickoff on FOX.
Meanwhile, Ohio State’s road game at Washington on Sept. 27 still has no announced kickoff time, but early signs point to a 3:30 p.m. CBS slot, rather than a night game.
In a season packed with high-caliber matchups, Buckeye fans expected more than one home night game—and certainly more than one relegated to a streaming-only broadcast. Ohio State deserves better. And so do the fans.
