The Big 10’s experiment with Friday night football has resulted in the failure many expected it would be when the conference trotted out the idea in 2017.
It’s Ohio State’s turn to play on a Friday with a game at Northwestern tonight, and nobody seems happy about it.
Ohio is a state steeped in the tradition of high school football and putting an OSU game on the same night as prep games has not went over well with coaches, fans and athletic directors.
High school athletic departments rely heavily on football for revenue and losing out on fans because they want to stay home and watch the Buckeyes can be costly.
A Toledo Blade story this week detailed the impact Friday night football could have on its area schools. Perrysburg athletic director Chuck Jaco estimated the school might lose as much as $1,400 from tonight’s home game as a result of fans deciding to watch the Buckeyes instead.
“Buckeye football is not meant for Friday nights. It’s meant to be with a pot of chili and nachos on Saturday afternoon.”
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day mostly dodged the controversy when he was asked about it Monday, saying “it’s out of our hands, out of our control, and not much we can do about it.”
But other coaches in the conference have been more vocal.
“I don’t like it,” said Penn State coach James Franklin. “Friday nights are for high school football, Saturday is for college, and Sunday is for the NFL. The Friday, Saturday, Sunday model has worked for a long time, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
Like everything else, money drove the decision for the Big 10 to play games on Friday nights. The agreement to play Friday night games was part of the Big 10’s $2.64-billion television contract.
Michigan was the one Big 10 school that refused to play Friday night games when the decision was announced in 2016. This is a rare example of Ohio State fans actually hoping the Buckeyes will follow Michigan’s lead.
Now, on to this week’s football picks:
Bellefontaine over Kenton Ridge
The Chiefs have dropped two games in a row and are poised to avoid a third straight loss tonight. It’s also homecoming for Bellefontaine.
I envision the Chiefs playing with a sense of urgency in this one. Bellefontaine 35, Kenton Ridge 27.
Indian Lake over Ben Logan
The Lakers and Raiders are both in need of a win to increase morale and confidence after tough stretches.
This one shapes up to be a battle to the wire. The Lakers have an edge in the experience department and I believe that will play a big role in the outcome. Indian Lake 34, Indian Lake 26.
WL-Salem over West Jefferson
The Tigers were dealt a tough blow with a loss to Fairbanks a week ago, but the Tigers get a great opportunity tonight to get some redemption. West Jefferson comes to WL-S undefeated and ranked fourth in the state in Division V. It would be a huge win for the Tigers if they can find a way to slow down the Roughriders. I see a fired up Tiger squad rising to the occasion tonight. WL-S 28, West Jefferson 26.
Riverside over USV
Riverside picked up a much needed win with a 6-0 victory over Waynesfield-Goshen last Friday. The Pirates are now in a position to contend for a playoff berth as they enter the final stretch of the season. A win over the Rams will be another step in the right direction tonight. Riverside 30, USV 13.
Fairbanks over Triad
Triad has been outscored 86-7 the last two weeks in losses to West Liberty-Salem and Mechanicsburg. Unfortunately for the Cards, it won’t get much better tonight as they have to tangle with a Fairbanks team riding a five-game winning streak that includes a 26-20 victory over previously unbeaten WL-S last week. Fairbanks 44, Triad 12.
Perry over Ridgemont
The Gophers were able to enjoy a victory for the first time last week with a win over Elgin. But the Gophers have a much different challenge to deal with tonight. They face a Perry squad that has won four straight and has emerged as a favorite to win the Northwest Central Conference title. Perry 41, Ridgemont 6.
AROUND THE HORN…
The Buckeyes dodge the Wildcats, 31-10 … Penn State cages the Wolverines, 24-13 … Washington clips the Ducks, 27-24 … The Bengals finally get into the win column against the Jaguars, 24-20.