Ohio State football fans have a peculiar obsession with kickoff times—and honestly, it’s starting to sound a lot like Lincoln Riley’s infamous gripes about Notre Dame.

Let’s be clear: the Buckeyes have been the gold standard of college football in recent years. A national championship. Multiple College Football Playoff appearances. Regular 10- or 11-win seasons. By any measure, Ohio State is elite. So why are its fans sweating the small stuff? According to a recent piece from The Comeback, it comes down to one thing: the clock.

Here’s the situation. The Big Ten’s broadcast partner is Fox, which loves locking its premier games into the noon time slot. Meanwhile, the SEC is partnered with ESPN, which typically showcases its biggest matchups under the lights. That scheduling quirk has created a frustrating pattern for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have home-and-home series lined up with SEC powerhouses like Alabama and Texas. The road games? Likely primetime affairs. But the home games in Columbus? Almost certainly noon kickoffs. It might seem minor, but evening games bring a different energy—a more hostile environment and added pressure for visiting teams.

The frustration has spilled onto social media. Ohio State reporter Stephen Means posted on X: “Ohio State lives in a world where it has a home-and-home series with three SEC teams right now and everyone knows the games in Columbus will be at noon and all the road games will be at night.” One fan chimed in: “I remember when so many were thrilled that the B1G was no longer affiliated with ABC/ESPN. There’s a lot wrong with ESPN, but this and Fox’s coverage being terrible are huge downsides to that partnership dying.” Another added: “Should’ve never signed that contract. Hopefully they’ll learn from it.”

This mindset mirrors Lincoln Riley’s complaints about USC’s schedule with Notre Dame. But here’s the thing: if you’re Ohio State, why not embrace the challenge? Playing big-time opponents in any slot is a badge of honor. Noon kickoffs mean the whole country is watching. And if you’re truly a powerhouse, you should be ready to dominate at 12 p.m., 8 p.m., or any time in between.

At the end of the day, the Buckeyes have the talent and tradition to overcome any scheduling quirk. Maybe it’s time to stop worrying about the clock and start focusing on what matters most: winning.