Ohio State Needs to Avoid International Games at All Costs

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International football is the topic of conversation at all levels of the game. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has put the pedal down on the NFL's international presence, and sooner rather than later, college is going to follow suit.

Since 2012, college football has leaned into the idea that opening the season in Dublin, Ireland, is good for the sport of football. Unless it is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, that is a total waste of time.

A prime example is the 2025 season opener in Dublin between Kansas State and Iowa State. What is the point of having two conference rivals from the Midwest jump on a plane and play their season opener, and truthfully, one of the more important games on their schedule, in that environment? 

It adds nothing and takes away a lot from the experience of college football.

What I didn't know was how prominent international games have been in the history of College Football. The first one ever played was all the way back in 1874 between Harvard and McGill in a game that was played in Montreal, Canada. For what it is worth, the final score of that game was 3-0.

There have been several games in modern college football that have taken place in Japan, Australia, Germany, and even China. While some of these games don't hold a lot of memory, others, like the Bahamas Bowl, are a fan favorite.

The concern in this era of college football is that as these guys are becoming so big and the sport of college football is growing at a ridiculous rate, the conference commissioners, TV executives, or whoever is ultimately in charge, decide to take the travelling circus on the road. 

With the investment that the NFL is making into that part of its brand, it feels like college football is not all that far off.

If and when that does happen, Ohio State is going to be one of the first teams that is "voluntold" to go play a game overseas. If you want to guarantee a successful event, you sign the Buckeyes and their crazy fanbase up for it. 

If this does become reality, the Buckeyes need to avoid this at all cost. These types of games make a ton of sense for the NFL because it is a brand and a product that is truly international. 

The essence of College Football is both on the field and off of it. It's campuses, crazy students, bands, amazing stadiums, rival schools, and great environments that make the sport what it is. 

Not everything has to continue to grow. College football, specifically Ohio State, is better suited to staying stateside and competing on the field on home soil.

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