Loud or just large? Ohio Stadium’s atmosphere back on trial as Texas comes to the ‘Shoe

The shocked look on Bijan Robinson’s face stated all of it.

The Falcons Professional Bowl working again and former Texas Longhorns standout was requested if he proscribed to the narrative that Ohio Stadium — website of this weekend’s monster conflict between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State — is not as loud as different stadiums in college football. 

Whereas he by no means performed there himself, Robinson has technically been there, seeing the Buckeyes on an official go to in June of 2019, months earlier than committing to Texas over the Buckeyes and others vying for his signature. Frankly, we have been on the horn with him for different optics, however we figured he could also be a candidate to chime in given his transient reference to the Buckeyes. 

“I have not heard that,” Robinson stated. “I believed Ohio State has one of many loudest stadiums, simply because, like, it is Ohio State. , there’s over 100,000 followers within the stadium, similar to us. So if that is the case, that’d be nice for us.” 

Ohio Stadium, which has a capability of practically 103,000 that makes it considered one of faculty soccer’s largest stadiums, isn’t thought of to be on the brief record of “loud” stadiums. That is one thing value contemplating this weekend when sizing up Texas vs. Ohio State (-2.5), which kicks off at Midday ET on FOX. Ohio Stadium’s hostility — or lack thereof — in direction of the opposition was a significant narrative coming into Ohio State’s sport towards visiting Tennessee within the first spherical of final yr’s College Football Playoffs. 

“The Shoe is not as loud because the SEC,” Tennessee security and Ohio State switch Andre Turrentine said prior to the game. “It is a totally different animal right here. Whether or not you are at South Carolina at nighttime or whether or not you are at Arkansas at nighttime, whether or not you are at Neyland (Stadium) at nighttime, or the daytime for that matter, it is loud right here. I’d (say) it is deafening.”

Tennessee followers introduced an orange crush to Ohio (and will have been even louder to start out the sport than the Buckeye followers regardless of a numbers drawback), however all who entered Ohio Stadium that evening noticed Buckeyes roll to a 42-17 win over the Volunteers en path to profitable the college’s ninth nationwide title. 

It was an enormous win. However it was most likely a results of a superior roster and training workers, which we noticed play out over Ohio State’s subsequent three CFP wins. 

Certain, the ‘Shoe nonetheless has the power to succeed in a frenzied pitch, like when Curtis Samuels’ game-winning touchdown vs. Michigan in 2016 registered a 5.79 “FanQuake” on the college’s Richter-like scale. However it does does not crack the top-10 of the loudest stadiums in faculty soccer historical past when it comes to highest decibel stage recorded.

Listed below are a couple of explanation why the Horseshoe isn’t bone-shaking loud

• Ohio State is positioned in Columbus, Ohio and never in the course of a real faculty soccer city like Baton Rouge, “Joyful Valley,” Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Knoxville, Eugene, and so forth. Whereas Columbus natives love their Buckeyes, the ambiance inside Ohio Stadium on sport days is extra of an expert sports activities ambiance and fewer of a collegiate one. 
• Ohio Stadium does not assist itself from an architectural standpoint. In contrast to other big college stadiums, Ohio State has two openings (therefore the nickname “The Horseshoe”) that undoubtedly sucks a number of the noise out of the stadium. The stadium’s higher deck additionally jets out, which additionally does not assist when it comes to noise stage. 
• Ohio State college students solely account for roughly 25-30% of the followers on a given sport. Whereas “Block O” represents the coed part, it solely consists a couple of thousand college students positioned on the north and south stands. 
• Final yr, the most cost effective ticket for the Iowa sport was face valued at $95. Nostril bleeds for the Michigan sport may very well be had for $200 face worth (once more, that is face worth). Ticket costs might not cease followers from going to video games, however it does alter the sport day setting if a richer, doubtless older, crowd is taking nearly all of the seats in comparison with an expertise you’d see in a school city. 
• The elephant within the room: Most of their marquee kickoffs come at midday now with FOX’s Huge Midday package deal. Arduous-partying followers are nonetheless shaking off the cobwebs and have had little time to construct up any liquid braveness. A state legislator has proposed a bill to curb the early kickoffs.

Ohio State is probably the most profitable program in faculty soccer historical past when it comes to profitable proportion (.735). Its final three coaches — Jim Tressel, City Meyer and Ryan Day — have a mixed 86.3% profitable proportion along with three nationwide championships. Briefly, Ohio State not often loses, which has created an unrealistic expectation stage amongst lots of its followers that something wanting perfection is unacceptable. That mindset undoubtedly carries over to the sport day expertise. 

And when these uncommon losses do occur? Relationship again to the John Cooper period within the Nineteen Nineties, a number of the Buckeyes’ most gut-wrenching defeats have come on their turf. Chalk it up as one more reason the ‘Shoe will get a nasty rap. 

Notable Ohio State house losses since 1996 

As somebody who graduated from Ohio State, I can vouch that Ohio Stadium has been and nonetheless has the potential to be amongst faculty soccer’s loudest stadiums. I used to be a sophomore when Ohio State and Texas battled within the ‘Shoe on primetime in what was an prompt basic as Vince Younger & Co. started their nationwide championship marketing campaign. I used to be a junior when Ohio State and arch rival Michigan dueled in “The Recreation of the Century.” I used to be stationed simply behind Ohio State’s band within the south finish zone in 2018 when Ohio State put up 62 factors towards Michigan in Meyer’s ultimate house sport because the Buckeyes’ coach. Every of these video games included noisy environments from Ohio State’s crowd that undoubtedly aided the house crew. 

Consistency is the largest concern. Buckeye followers are likely to focus an excessive amount of of their power on booing the house crew (particularly the offense) if issues do not go properly, particularly early. That often results in silence/indifference if the crew cannot get them again into the sport by way of an enormous play. That is why, if Ohio State’s offense does not get off to a very good begin on Saturday, that might actually play into the palms of Texas and particularly quarterback Arch Manning, who’s making his first street begin. 

Conversely, Ohio Stadium is a wholly totally different animal if issues go properly early. If the Buckeyes can get their crowd into the sport early, it often results in an engaged and loud setting all through, or at the least till the end result has been determined. That was the case final December, when Ohio State rolled out to a 21-0 first quarter lead towards Tennessee. 

It is value noting that Ohio State’s win over Tennessee was an evening sport, which is one thing that Texas made certain to keep away from when Ohio State proposed transferring Saturday’s sport to Sunday evening. Relaxation assured that Day is hoping that Ohio State followers maintain that in thoughts when the ball is kicked off Saturday at excessive midday. 

Saturday is an opportunity for the Buckeyes to point out that they’re nonetheless the nation’s finest crew. The sport can also be an opportunity for Ohio State’s followers to show one thing, too. 

“We want everybody to do their job on Saturday,” Day stated Tuesday. “And that features the followers. I discussed this earlier than. I do know it is a midday sport, however we’d like everyone in that stadium early. We want them loud. You assume again on the Indiana sport when Indiana needed to go to a silent cadence they usually could not clap anymore. That was an enormous deal for our protection. 

“And it will be the identical manner on Saturday if the followers are in there early they usually’re loud once they have the ball. Not when now we have the ball. When now we have the ball, they are often quiet. However once they have the ball, we’d like them as loud as they probably can to make this probably the most hostile setting within the nation. And everyone knows it’s. So we’d like everybody to do their job.” 

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