“We Carried the Day”: Ohio State AD Ross Bjork Rips Open College Football’s Noon Kickoff Controversy Amid Texas Standoff
When it comes to driving eyeballs and boosting broadcast empires, Ohio State football isn’t just a brand — it’s a juggernaut. But as Athletic Director Ross Bjork made crystal clear in a bold, fiery press conference, the Buckeyes are tired of being handcuffed by a system that’s milking their viewership power while shackling them to… the dreaded noon kickoff.
And the boiling point? A blockbuster 2025 season opener in Columbus: Ohio State vs. Texas — a Cotton Bowl revenge game, a collision of titans, a national headline-maker — and yet, somehow, it’s been buried at high noon.
⚡ The Primetime That Should Have Been
Ohio State wanted the game moved to Sunday night under the lights, giving FOX a primetime spectacle and fans across the country a proper stage for one of the sport’s biggest clashes. But Texas wasn’t having it. They declined the Sunday slot, citing logistical concerns — and just like that, the Buckeyes were locked back into their Big Noon cage.
“We have carried the day for Big Noon,” Bjork said with unmistakable conviction. “There’s no question about it. Just look at the viewership.”
He’s not wrong. FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” — now a cornerstone of college football broadcasting — rides the coattails of Ohio State more than any other program in the country. Game after game, year after year, the Buckeyes deliver top-tier ratings, week-defining matchups, and massive national attention.
But now, Bjork says it’s time for the Buckeyes to stop being the workhorse without the reward.
“We understand why FOX picks us. But what we’re asking for is flexibility. Every program deserves that.”
Noon Kickoff Fatigue: A Fan Revolt in the Making
Ohio State’s 2025 home schedule reads like a programming director’s dream — until you see the kickoff times. Nearly every single home game is pegged for noon, including what could be a titanic Big Ten showdown with Penn State.
Fans? Frustrated. Players? Less than thrilled. Recruits? Watching.
And while the Big Ten’s shiny new media deal with FOX, CBS, and NBC has stuffed the conference’s coffers with billions, it’s also locked schools like Ohio State into time slots that feel more like contracts with handcuffs.
“Can anything change soon? Probably not,” Bjork admitted. “These contracts are rigid. Locked in for years.”
Translation? Don’t expect night games at the Shoe until after 2030. That’s five more years of high-stakes, marquee matchups kicking off when tailgaters are still nursing their coffee.
The Business Behind the Chains
From a cold, commercial perspective, FOX is playing its cards right. Ohio State brings in monster ratings — often eclipsing NFL-level numbers — and Big Noon has become the network’s cash cow.
But for Ohio State, the brand power they’ve spent decades building is now being leveraged against them. Their reward for carrying college football Saturdays? Early kickoffs that dull the atmosphere, frustrate fans, and compromise recruiting events that thrive in the electricity of primetime.
“We just want what’s fair,” Bjork said. “More flexibility. More control. We’ve earned it.”
He’s not alone in that thinking. Behind closed doors, other Big Ten powers are rumbling with similar frustrations, but Ohio State — as always — is front and center, carrying the torch and demanding a seat at the scheduling table.
Texas Declines. But Did They Duck the Spotlight?
The Longhorns’ refusal to move the game to Sunday night sparked its own swirl of speculation. Some fans accused Texas of dodging the bright lights, while others defended the decision as pragmatic. Either way, the result remains: what could have been a national television event primed for maximum exposure has been confined to noon.
That’s not just a loss for Ohio State or Texas — it’s a miss for college football as a whole.
⏳ The Countdown to Change
With the media deals cemented through 2030, any real change is likely years away. But in the meantime, Bjork’s remarks weren’t just noise — they were a shot across the bow. A public challenge to the networks, the conferences, and the architects of college football’s billion-dollar broadcast era.
Ohio State isn’t going to stop drawing monster ratings. But if the Buckeyes are going to be the face of the sport, they want more than just exposure — they want control.
So, as the 2025 season approaches and the Horseshoe fills for yet another early-afternoon kickoff, fans and foes alike will ask the same question:
How long can the biggest brand in college football stay boxed in at noon — before it breaks the box wide open?
