When and Where Bigger Storylines Than Who Ohio State is Playing This Week

The biggest storyline for Ohio State this week isn‘t who the Buckeyes are playing, but where and when they’re playing.Ohio State is expected to win big for the second week in a row as it plays another one of the Big Ten’s worst teams in Northwestern one week after blowing out Purdue. This week’s game offers a layer of excitement that last week’s game didn’t, however, because it will be played at Wrigley Field, offering a unique backdrop for an Ohio State football game at one of America’s most storied sports venues.That said, the biggest talking point of the week among Buckeye fans has been kickoff times after the Big Ten announced Monday that Ohio State’s top-five showdown with Indiana next week will be yet another noon game, which means the Buckeyes will play six noon games in a row to conclude their 2024 regular season. Many Buckeye fans want to see Ohio State play in more night games, but OSU doesn’t seem overly eager to push back against early afternoon kickoffs.We begin this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays by sharing our top takeaways from the Buckeyes’ 45-point win over the Boilermakers, then look ahead to this week‘s trip to Wrigley before sharing our thoughts on the noon game debate. We wrap up the show by discussing the latest developments in Ohio State basketball as the men’s team races out to a 2-0 start while the women’s team (also 2-0) makes two home run additions to its coaching staff in Katie Smith and Jacy Sheldon.The full rundown for this week’s show:0:00 We’re Excited to Watch Football at Wrigley2:20 Ohio State’s 45-0 Win Over Purdue Was the Uneventful Game It Needed Against A Bad Team4:18 Ohio State’s Pass Rush Built Momentum As Defense Had Another Dominant Game vs. Purdue7:20 The Jack Experiment Didn’t Work vs. Purdue, But That Didn’t Make the Experiment A Bad Idea12:51 Ohio State Makes A Long-Awaited Big Play on Special Teams16:50 Other Standouts vs. Purdue: TreVeyon Henderson, Jeremiah Smith, Eddrick Houston, Sonny Styles26:57 Ohio State Could Have A Home-Field Advantage at Unique Venue vs. Subpar Northwestern Team34:22 Will Ohio State Be Quicker to Take Starters Out in Likely Final Opportunity for Backups to Play?38:07 Both of Our Score Predictions Have the Buckeyes Covering Comfortably40:40 We Like Noon Games and Ohio State Does Too, But Fans Miss Big Home Night Games47:02 Why Ohio State Probably Isn’t Inclined to Push Back Against So Many Noon Games52:34 Defensive Intensity, 3-Point Shooting Stand Out in First Two OSU Men’s Basketball Games57:14 Katie Smith, Jacy Sheldon Are Home Run Hires for Ohio State Women’s Basketball1:01:15 OSU Men’s Soccer Competes for A Big Ten Title and Sammy Sasso Returns to the Mat