Ohio State to open 2010 on a Thursday night?!?!

[It's the Journey...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2010 season football opener between Ohio State and Marshall will be Thursday evening, Sept. 2 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Kickoff time and television plans will be announced at a later date.

“This change to a Thursday night opener offers a number of positives for Ohio State,” Ohio State associate vice-president and director of athletics Gene Smith explained. “Summer quarter classes end the week before, so there will be minimal campus impact on students, faculty and staff that day.

“Along with providing maximum national exposure for our Rose Bowl champions, this unique starting date and time allows our team and fans to escape the heat of the day, and breaks up a string of four consecutive Saturday home games to start the season.

“It will allow fans to enjoy other events throughout the Labor Day weekend. We see it as a treat for Buckeye fans and an exciting way to open the 2010 campaign.”

Specific game-day information, including parking, transportation and other logistics, will be announced at a later time.

Ohio State’s last mid-week regular season home game was in 1997, in a season-opening 24-10 win over Wyoming that was played on a Thursday evening.

Interesting move by OSU. I didn't think I would EVER see them play during the week again. But with labor day it's really a good move. Now if only our game was at home that weekend and not at Troy. Oh well, that's the way it goes.

[BGDrew]

Playing weekday games is no longer considered an insult. It's usually the only game that night and it's a national audience.

[FalconTurf]

Could this result in more weeknight games for The O and the Other 10?

If it does we could lose that opportunity for our MAC schools and we might only get to play on Saturday.

Maybe we should e-mail the AD at The O along with the Other 10 Commissioner to encourage weeknight games.

[VDub26Falcon]

How awesome would Saturday's be if it was just WAC, MAC and games of other "mid-major" conferences??? I'm in!

[factman]

I bet it won't be at 5:30 pm!

[kdog27]

allows our team and fans to escape the heat of the day, and breaks up a string of four consecutive Saturday home games to start the season.

Yeah poor them.

[bgsukid]

If this wasn't a season opener on Labor Day weekend then I doubt you'd ever see this happen. There's occasionally been Big Ten teams opening during the week for the season opener, but after week 1 they don't play during the week and I wouldn't count on that changing any time soon. Don't know why this is such a shock, it's not an unprecedented move by OSU they opened on a Thursday night in 1997 too. That also didn't lead to weekday games later in the season in the seasons that followed and this won't either.

[Falconfreak90]

[Falcon Commander]

Freak . . . . you crack me up !!