Ohio State's highly anticipated home game against Wisconsin next week won't be a night game.
The Buckeyes' Oct. 26 clash with the Badgers at Ohio Stadium is set for a noon kickoff and will be televised on Fox, Ohio State announced on Monday.
Whoo Hoo Noon! It is official! The @OhioStateFB game Oct. 26 at Ohio Stadium against Wisconsin will kick off at noon with FOX Sports televising to a national audience.
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) October 14, 2019
Ohio State and Wisconsin are both currently 6-0 and ranked among the top six teams in college football, which means next week's game is expected to have massive national implications, provided that the Buckeyes take care of business against Northwestern and the Badgers do the same against Illinois this week.
As such, many Ohio State fans hoped that next week's game would get the primetime treatment. The early afternoon kickoff, however, comes as a result of Fox's new Big Noon Saturday strategy that features the network's marquee game each week in the first time slot of the day.
Next week's game will be Ohio State's fourth noon game of the season, as the Buckeyes' first three games of the year against Florida Atlantic, Cincinnati and Indiana were also noon games. The Buckeyes' eighth game of the season will come on the heels of a three-game stretch of consecutive night games against Nebraska, Michigan State and Northwestern.
