Loud or simply massive? Ohio Stadium’s ambiance again on trial as Texas involves the ‘Shoe

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

The Falcons Professional Bowl operating 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 faculty soccer. 

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 temporary reference to the Buckeyes. 

“I have never heard that,” Robinson stated. “I assumed Ohio State has one of many loudest stadiums, simply because, like, it is Ohio State. You recognize, there’s over 100,000 followers within the stadium, identical 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-about to be on the quick record of “loud” stadiums. That is one thing price 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 getting into Ohio State’s recreation in opposition to visiting Tennessee within the first spherical of final 12 months’s School Soccer Playoffs. 

“The Shoe is not as loud because the SEC,” Tennessee security and Ohio State switch Andre Turrentine stated previous to the sport. “It is a completely 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 night time noticed Buckeyes roll to a 42-17 win over the Volunteers en path to successful the varsity’s ninth nationwide title. 

It was an enormous win. But it surely was in all probability a results of a superior roster and training employees, which we noticed play out over Ohio State’s subsequent three CFP wins. 

Certain, the ‘Shoe nonetheless has the flexibility to achieve a frenzied pitch, like when Curtis Samuels’ game-winning landing vs. Michigan in 2016 registered a 5.79 “FanQuake” on the varsity’s Richter-like scale. But it surely does doesn’t 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 number of the explanation why the Horseshoe isn’t bone-shaking loud

• Ohio State is situated in Columbus, Ohio and never in the course of a real faculty soccer city like Baton Rouge, “Completely satisfied Valley,” Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Knoxville, Eugene, and so on. Whereas Columbus natives love their Buckeyes, the ambiance inside Ohio Stadium on recreation days is extra of an expert sports activities ambiance and fewer of a collegiate one. 
• Ohio Stadium would not assist itself from an architectural standpoint. Not like different huge faculty stadiums, Ohio State has two openings (therefore the nickname “The Horseshoe”) that undoubtedly sucks among the noise out of the stadium. The stadium’s higher deck additionally jets out, which additionally would not assist when it comes to noise stage. 
• Ohio State college students solely account for roughly 25-30% of the followers on a given recreation. Whereas “Block O” represents the coed part, it solely consists a number of thousand college students situated on the north and south stands. 
• Final 12 months, the most affordable ticket for the Iowa recreation was face valued at $95. Nostril bleeds for the Michigan recreation 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 atmosphere if a richer, probably older, crowd is taking the vast majority 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 bundle. 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 invoice to curb the early kickoffs.

Ohio State is probably the most profitable program in faculty soccer historical past when it comes to successful share (.735). Its final three coaches — Jim Tressel, City Meyer and Ryan Day — have a mixed 86.3% successful share along with three nationwide championships. Briefly, Ohio State hardly ever 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 Nineties, among the Buckeyes’ most gut-wrenching defeats have come on their turf. Chalk it up as one more reason the ‘Shoe will get a foul rap. 

Notable Ohio State dwelling 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 Sport 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 in opposition to Michigan in Meyer’s last dwelling recreation because the Buckeyes’ coach. Every of these video games included noisy environments from Ohio State’s crowd that undoubtedly aided the house workforce. 

Consistency is the largest concern. Buckeye followers are inclined to focus an excessive amount of of their power on booing the house workforce (particularly the offense) if issues do not go effectively, particularly early. That normally results in silence/indifference if the workforce cannot get them again into the sport by way of a giant play. That is why, if Ohio State’s offense would not get off to an excellent begin on Saturday, that would actually play into the fingers of Texas and particularly quarterback Arch Manning, who’s making his first highway begin. 

Conversely, Ohio Stadium is a completely completely different animal if issues go effectively early. If the Buckeyes can get their crowd into the sport early, it normally results in an engaged and loud atmosphere all through, or no less than 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 in opposition to Tennessee. 

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

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

“We’d like 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 recreation, however we’d like everyone in that stadium early. We’d like them loud. You assume again on the Indiana recreation when Indiana needed to go to a silent cadence and so they could not clap anymore. That was an enormous deal for our protection. 

“And it may be the identical approach on Saturday if the followers are in there early and so they’re loud after they have the ball. Not when we’ve the ball. When we’ve the ball, they are often quiet. However after they have the ball, we’d like them as loud as they probably can to make this probably the most hostile atmosphere within the nation. And everyone knows it’s. So we’d like everybody to do their job.” 

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