Ohio State puts inflatable 'no cupcakes' Nike balloon on campus ahead of Week 1 vs. Texas

Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork is amped for Week 1, with Texas coming to Columbus for a monstrous showdown. Nike is helping the Buckeyes get pumped, it seems.

Bjork shared a photo of a huge Nike inflatable shoe squashing a cupcake, with a sign that says “No Cupcakes” pinned on it. The messaging is simple — the Buckeyes will take on any and all challengers. Check out a photo of the balloon, in all of its glory, below.

Huge @Nike shoe on campus for a huge weekend! Go Bucks 👊🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/PlS1JaKcVa

— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) August 29, 2025

As you can see, Ohio State is sending a message to the rest of the college football world, as it is welcoming in a fellow top five team in the country to town for Week 1, as part of its non-conference schedule. However, commenters in the replies were quick to point out a bit of irony in Bjork’s post.

The Buckeyes will face Grambling State and Ohio over the next two weeks at home. Those aren’t exactly world-beaters. Ohio State deserves credit for playing Texas, but they’re not running the gauntlet afterwards.

Regardless, Bjork recognizes how big a game this weekend’s showdown is. If Ohio State wins, it is set up to be the top team in the country, at least for the first couple of weeks of the season. We’ll see if they’re victorious against the Longhorns tomorrow.

More on Ohio State, Week 1

While there’s plenty of on-field storylines pertaining to Ohio State and Week 1, there have been a couple of off-field stories taking up some real estate. One involves noted Michigan fan Dave Portnoy, as the Barstool Sports founder will join Big Noon Kickoff this season, starting with Week 1 in Columbus.

The problem? Portnoy has reportedly been banned from Ohio State ahead of their showdown with Texas, which is one of the most anticipated season openers in recent memory. That alone has caused a huge uproar.

It’ll certainly create an interesting dynamic for tomorrow’s game, especially with former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. He’s not quite sure what to expect when the show begins on Saturday morning.

“I’m waiting to see, man. I met him one time,” Meyer said, speaking to Stefan Krajisnik on Thursday. “He came by, and I just don’t follow much. I’m not a social media person. And so my daughter is so excited about it because she said it’s going to really explode.

“And all a sudden I see all of the chaos, so I’m just going to go do my job. … I guess I’ve got to hear about the Wolverines all the time from him, but we were 7-0, so we’re all right.”

Regardless of your feelings on Meyer, Portnoy and the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, Big Noon Kickoff should be entertaining as ever tomorrow. It’s anyone’s guess how these two combustible elements interact ahead of the Buckeyes’ showdown with the Longhorns.

— On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this article.