“The Game,” Cotton Bowl rematch get Big Noon Kickoff treatment

A pair of Ohio State's biggest games of the 2025-26 season have been announced as games for FOX's Big Noon, much to the dismay of college football fans.

The Buckeyes, in their campaign to defend their national championship, will begin the year at home against the very team they defeated in the semifinal to reach the title game, Texas. The game, set to kick off at noon, will kick off at 9 a.m. on the West Coast.

Fans on X have expressed their disappointment at the game being played at noon, bringing forward a clip of the Longhorns and Buckeyes' September 2005 clash. The game was the season opener for both teams that year, and kicked off a national championship-winning campaign for Texas, led by star quarterback Vince Young.

Also designated for Big Noon is "The Game", Ohio State's clash against the Michigan Wolverines.

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The Buckeyes will look to snap a four-game losing streak against their arch rivals, with kickoff from Ann Arbor set to take place under the sun for Big Noon.

JBook, a contributor to Bucknuts, the 247Sports site covering Ohio State sports, expressed great disappointment in the Big Noon placement. 

"This game being on Big Noon is disgusting," he said. "A top 5 match-up to kickoff the season should be primetime."

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