The No. 20 Ohio State will host Northwestern on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET on Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff,” but familiar faces will be missing.
Usually, “Big Noon Kickoff” is called by play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and analyst Joel Klatt, with sideline reporter Jenny Taft, but that won’t be the case on Saturday.
The original crew will call No. 2 Utah vs. No. 23 Arizona at 10:30 p.m. instead of their usual noon slot.
Connor Onion and Robert Griffin III will be in the broadcast booth, and Alexa Landestoy will be on the sidelines for the Ohio State game.
“Although Ohio State is playing at noon on FOX, Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt won’t be on the call today. Connor Onion, Robert Griffin III, and Alexa Landestoy are today’s commentators for Ohio State vs. Northwestern, while Gus, Joel, and Jenny Taft are calling Utah/Arizona tonight,” Eleven Warriors Dan Hope wrote on X.
Why the Change?
There is a good chance that Johnson and Klatt were going to call the Ohio State game. However, since the Buckeyes and Wildcats have both lost their last two games and are now 6-3, this game isn’t as meaningful. In contrast, Utah remains undefeated and is facing Arizona, which is 7-2 and still fighting for a playoff spot.
Ohio State will need a lot of help to make the playoffs, and Northwestern will too. Now, with only three weeks left in the regular season, television networks want their best crews calling the more impactful games heading into the playoffs.
If Arizona can upset Utah, it has a good chance of finishing the season 10-2, with two games left: Kansas State and Arizona State.
The Wildcats’ only losses are two: Texas Tech and BYU, which could make things interesting for Arizona, as it would have no bad losses and a huge win over Utah.
Ohio State is Looking to Bounce Back
The Buckeyes have gone almost a month without a win, with their last victory coming on Oct. 17 against Indiana. Ohio State had a bye the following week and then lost its last two games to USC and Oregon.
Ohio State should finish 9-3 this season: it should beat Northwestern and then Nebraska, and while it has struggled with Michigan in the past, it should take care of the Wolverines at home.
Why Gus Johnson & Joel Klatt Won’t Be Calling Ohio State vs. Northwestern ‘Big Noon Kickoff’