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

The Falcons Professional Bowl working 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 school 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 transient reference to the Buckeyes. 

“I have not heard that,” Robinson mentioned. “I believed Ohio State has one of many loudest stadiums, simply because, like, it is Ohio State. You realize, 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 certainly one of school soccer’s largest stadiums, is just not thought-about to be on the quick listing of “loud” stadiums. That is one thing value 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 serious narrative getting into Ohio State’s sport 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 mentioned previous to the sport. “It is a totally 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 might (say) it is deafening.”

Tennessee followers introduced an orange crush to Ohio (and should 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 evening noticed Buckeyes roll to a 42-17 win over the Volunteers en path to profitable the varsity’s ninth nationwide title. 

It was an enormous win. Nevertheless it was most likely 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. Nevertheless it does doesn’t crack the top-10 of the loudest stadiums in school soccer historical past when it comes to highest decibel degree recorded.

Listed below are a couple of the reason why the Horseshoe is just not bone-shaking loud

• Ohio State is situated in Columbus, Ohio and never in the midst of a real school soccer city like Baton Rouge, “Blissful Valley,” Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Knoxville, Eugene, and many others. Whereas Columbus natives love their Buckeyes, the ambiance inside Ohio Stadium on sport 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. In contrast to different massive school 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 degree. 
• Ohio State college students solely account for roughly 25-30% of the followers on a given sport. Whereas “Block O” represents the scholar part, it solely consists a couple of thousand college students situated on the north and south stands. 
• Final 12 months, the most affordable ticket for the Iowa sport was face valued at $95. Nostril bleeds for the Michigan sport could possibly be had for $200 face worth (once more, that is face worth). Ticket costs could not cease followers from going to video games, nevertheless it does alter the sport day surroundings 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 package deal. Laborious-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 school soccer historical past when it comes to profitable proportion (.735). Its final three coaches — Jim Tressel, City Meyer and Ryan Day — have a mixed 86.3% profitable proportion along with three nationwide championships. Briefly, Ohio State hardly ever loses, which has created an unrealistic expectation degree 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 residence 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 school 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 remaining residence sport because the Buckeyes’ coach. Every of these video games included noisy environments from Ohio State’s crowd that undoubtedly aided the house group. 

Consistency is the largest problem. Buckeye followers are likely to focus an excessive amount of of their power on booing the house group (particularly the offense) if issues do not go effectively, particularly early. That normally results in silence/indifference if the group 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 a very good begin on Saturday, that would actually play into the palms of Texas and particularly quarterback Arch Manning, who’s making his first street begin. 

Conversely, Ohio Stadium is a wholly totally 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 surroundings all through, or not less than till the 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 value noting that Ohio State’s win over Tennessee was an evening sport, which is one thing that Texas made positive to keep away from when Ohio State proposed shifting Saturday’s sport to Sunday evening. Relaxation assured that Day is hoping that Ohio State followers hold that in thoughts when the ball is kicked off Saturday at excessive midday. 

Saturday is an opportunity for the Buckeyes to point out that they’re nonetheless the nation’s finest group. The sport can be an opportunity for Ohio State’s followers to show one thing, too. 

“We want everybody to do their job on Saturday,” Day mentioned Tuesday. “And that features the followers. I discussed this earlier than. I do know it is a midday sport, however we’d like all people in that stadium early. We want them loud. You assume again on the Indiana sport when Indiana needed to go to a silent cadence they usually could not clap anymore. That was an enormous deal for our protection. 

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

Now thriving in its third decade, Bucknuts.com is a number one model in terms of protection of Ohio State athletics. With probably the most skilled employees available in the market — that includes Invoice Kurelic, Dave Biddle, Steve Helwagen, Patrick Murphy and Mark Porter — the positioning gives complete information, evaluation and perception ideally fitted to Buckeyes lovers. Recruiting. Staff protection. Group. There is no higher place for an Ohio State fan to be than Bucknuts.com. Be part of at present!