Ohio State Buckeyes Finally Get Primetime Game For 2026 CFB Season

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The Ohio State Buckeyes have got the short end of the Big Ten's network agreement with FOX. FOX nabbed the final standalone spot available on Saturdays and has tried to turn it into their version of primetime football.

FOX Big Noon Kickoff hasn't really caught on, and the sentiment is far more negative than it is positive. 

Maybe Ohio State fans are the only ones who feel this way because FOX has made it very clear that they are going to ride the coattails of the Buckeyes until the wheels fall off. 

Every time that Ohio State plays a decent opponent on the East Coast, they are pinned at 12:00 PM. It is a true disaster for college sports because we finally got a taste of what a night game against a major opponent would look and feel like in 2024 against Tennessee, and it was electric. 

Now, we will feel that difference yet again in 2026. It was announced on Tuesday that Ohio State's week two game against the Texas Longhorns will kick off at 7:30 PM under the lights in Austin, Texas.

Furthermore, they will be the center of college football as College Gameday will be in attendance for that game, and for one night, Ohio State will be the center of college football. The way that it should be.

In terms of the actual game on the field, it has the makings to be an instant classic. Last year, the matchup was all the way hyped up, but the game did not match the hype. The Buckeyes escaped with a 14-7 victory, but it wasn't anything to write home about. 

Quarterback Julian Sayin struggled against one of the best defenses in the country, but he did enough to get the win. On the other side, Arch Manning absolutely struggled against the best defense in the country and it made for an average game.

Next year's edition should be anything but that. The Buckeyes come in with a very veteran offense that has something to prove. The Longhorns are coming in with a motivated Manning and a bad taste in their mouth from last year.

Furthermore, both teams now know that there is no grace for the loser of this game. Texas had three losses last year, one of which came in Columbus. They were left out of the College Football Playoff because of their third loss. 

Week two has all of the makings of being one of the greatest games of the season, and it will take place under the lights in primetime, the way that it should be. 

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