COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 24: Ohio State Buckeyes fan Big Nut holds a severed doll head wearing a Michigan helmet during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium on November 24, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes won 26-21 to finish the season with an unbeaten record of 12-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
More Heat As Ohio State Fans Keen Call for Fox Sports Boycott After Indiana Game Decision
On Saturday, the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers in a highly
anticipated Big Ten
showdown with significant College Football Playoff ramifications. Both teams come into this game
with strong
records—Ohio State at 9-1 and Indiana at an undefeated 10-0—and the matchup has garnered
national attention.
However, the game, which many believe should be held in primetime, will instead kick off at noon
EST.
This scheduling decision is due to Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Saturday” programming, which has
sparked frustration
among Ohio State fans, particularly as it will also bring the “Big Noon Kickoff” crew to Columbus.
Many Buckeyes supporters are openly displeased with the decision to make the game a noon start,
feeling that such a
high-profile contest deserves a later, more prestigious time slot. Some fans are even calling for a
boycott of Fox
Sports’ “Big Noon Saturday” broadcasts in protest. One fan voiced their displeasure by writing,
“Attention OSU fan,
boycott the Big Noon tailgate,” while another added, “Boycott Fox Big Noon. If not for them, this
would be a night
game.” Others echoed similar sentiments, urging fellow fans to choose ESPN’s “College GameDay”
over Fox’s
pregame show. “EVERYONE who will be there go to Gameday and NOT Big Noon. Boycott those
bums,” one fan
suggested. Another frustrated supporter went further, writing, “Boycott Big Noon. Boycott Fox.
Pirate the game so
Fox doesn’t get ratings.”
In response to this backlash, Ohio State fans will have an alternative pregame show to attend.
ESPN’s “College
GameDay” will also be setting up shop at Ohio Stadium in Columbus for the highly anticipated
matchup against
Indiana. This gives fans an option to enjoy a different pregame atmosphere and show if they choose
to avoid Fox’s
“Big Noon Kickoff.”
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time such a controversy has occurred. Earlier this season, Penn
State fans voiced
similar concerns when Fox Sports scheduled a noon kickoff for the Ohio State-Penn State game at
Beaver Stadium.
Many Nittany Lions supporters also pushed for a boycott of Fox Sports’ programming, feeling that
the game would
have been more appropriately scheduled for primetime given its importance in the Big Ten and
College Football
Playoff races. As with Ohio State, ESPN’s “College GameDay” was also in town for that game,
providing fans with an
alternative pregame experience.
As for the game itself, Ohio State enters as a 10 1/2-point favorite over the undefeated Indiana
Hoosiers.
Head coach Ryan Day’s Buckeyes will be looking to extend their dominance in the Big Ten, while
Indiana, led by
head coach Curt Cignetti, hopes to continue its surprising undefeated run. Both teams know that a
victory is crucial
to their College Football Playoff aspirations, making this game even more significant for both
programs.
While the scheduling decision remains a point of contention, it is clear that both teams are focused
on the task at
hand: securing a key win in the battle for Big Ten supremacy and a spot in the College Football
Playoff.
Fans may be upset about the timing, but they can rest assured that the stakes for the game will make
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