COLUMBUS – Ohio Stadium will be even emptier this Saturday when the Buckeyes host the Indiana Hoosiers in a matchup of Top 10 teams.
(3) OHIO STATE (3-0) vs. (9) Indiana (4-0)
Ohio Stadium, Columbus OH
Sat., Nov. 21 (12:00 p.m./FOX)
Because of stay-at-home advisory issued by Franklin County Public Health and Columbus Public Health, taking effect Friday night at 6:00 p.m., the Department of Athletics announced Wednesday that family members of the players and coaching staffs of teams will no longer be permitted into any university sporting event, including Saturday’s game at Ohio Stadium.
“The Department of Athletics will continue to work with state and local health officials on protocols and adjustments for hosting events during the pandemic. The decision not to allow families at football games will be reevaluated prior to Ohio State’s final home football game of the season, Dec. 12 against the University of Michigan.” – OSU Dept. of Athletics statement
The decision not to allow families will remain in place for all of the Buckeyes’ men’s and women’s basketball and hockey home games through the remainder of 2020, department spokesman Jerry Emig said.
The decision was prompted by the local stay-at-home advisory, which will remain in place for 28 days.
Only personnel essential to game operations and television production will be allowed to attend
“We had hoped to continue to allow family members of our student-athletes and coaching staffs to be able to attend games, but circumstances around this pandemic are prompting us to adjust, just as it has throughout the past eight months,” athletics director Gene Smith said.
It would be no exaggeration to call Indiana’s game at Ohio State the Hoosiers’ biggest in over 50 years.
Indiana hasn’t been rated this high since 1967 and hasn’t been involved in a Top 10 matchup since the 1968 Rose Bowl.
Indiana hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 1988 and has come no closer than 21 points in the last four meetings.
The Buckeyes are three-touchdown favorites.