Few matchups in college football feel bigger than Ohio State vs. Texas, as the Buckeyes will face the Longhorns in a College Football Playoff rematch to open the 2025 season. Despite the immense hype surrounding the game, the kickoff time remained undecided for weeks, with both teams pushing for different scheduling options.
This clash is expected to set the tone for the entire college football season, so an evening kickoff seemed like the best fit. However, Ohio State’s push for a prime-time Sunday kickoff appears to have fallen short, with FOX locking the game into its Big Noon Saturday slot.
FOX Sets Big Noon Slot for Ohio State vs. Texas 2025 Opener, Snubbing Prime-Time
College Football fans hoping to watch the blockbuster Ohio State vs. Texas matchup in the evening will be disappointing, as Texas reportedly rejected Ohio State’s request to schedule the game for a prime-time Sunday kickoff. Now, it’s official—the season opener will take place in its original Saturday noon slot on FOX.
Last season, Ohio State defeated Texas 28–14 in the Cotton Bowl semifinal on its path to a national title. The Buckeyes walked into the Longhorns’ home state and came out with a convincing win. That victory built even more excitement around this rematch, making a prime-time slot seem like the perfect stage.
But last week, when FOX announced its rights to the season opener, hopes for a Sunday night kickoff disappeared. Soon after, reports surfaced that Ohio State had formally asked Texas to shift the game to Sunday night. Then, 247Sports claimed that the Longhorns declined the request, meaning the game will proceed as planned in the Big Noon Saturday window.
It’s being reported that Ohio State was open to moving back the kickoff time, Texas wouldn’t budge.
Checks out.
(per @_Pat_Murphy) https://t.co/OZmA8VpIjG
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) May 22, 2025
FOX believes that noon kickoffs are great for TV ratings. That’s why they keep scheduling the biggest Big Ten games at that time. From their side, it makes sense.
But many feel differently. They say noon games just don’t have the same energy. The buzz and excitement of afternoon or evening kickoffs are hard to match. And unless you work for FOX, it’s easy to see why people want a later start time for the biggest matchups.
KEEP READING: Coach Prime Sends Heartfelt Message to Son, Shedeur Sanders, Reacts to $4.6 Million Rookie Deal
Meanwhile, when the news broke, some fans even joked that Texas was afraid of facing another loss in front of a national prime-time audience. While that may be all in fun, discussions will continue about whether Sunday evening would have been the best time for this high-stakes opener.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
