Report: Texas blocked Ohio State's request to move Week 1 game out of noon slot

One of the biggest games of Week 1 will feature the defending national champion Ohio State going up against Arch Manning and Texas. The game will be at Aug. 30 Noon ET on FOX – but it could have been the next day.

Ohio State approached FOX about moving the game to Sunday, Aug. 31, and the network prepared to do so. However, Texas blocked the request, FOX executive Michael Mulvihill confirmed to Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel. As a result, it will stay at Noon ET on Saturday.

The Aug. 31 slate of games also features Notre Dame vs. Miami, and Mulvihill acknowledged the potential dip in ratings against that matchup. FOX was willing to work with Ohio State, though, as one of the Big Ten’s most notable brands. Instead, the game will stay in its original slot after Texas didn’t agree to the move.

Ohio State is coming off an impressive run to a national championship in 2024 which featured 14 NFL Draft picks on the roster. The Buckeyes are looking to build on that title with notable pieces back such as safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to help lead the charge. Of course, that journey included a Cotton Bowl victory over Texas, and the Longhorns’ quarterback situation is front and center in 2025.

Manning is officially taking over as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback after sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons in Austin. He got some run as the starter while Ewers missed time with an injury, but it’s officially his job, and he’ll go up against the defending champions to open a new era for Steve Sarkisian and Co.

That helps add to the anticipation around Ohio State vs. Texas. The Buckeyes are a staple of the Noon ET window on FOX, which serves as a central part of the Big Ten’s media rights agreement. During the 2024 season, they were the second-most watched team in college football, averaging 6.8 million viewers on the year. That came with seven noon windows, including The Game against Michigan.

Not everyone is on board with the amount of Noon kickoffs for Ohio State, though. State Rep. Tex Fischer filed a bill to prevent Buckeyes games from kicking off at that time after so many early games last year. Under the Big Ten’s media rights deal, FOX broadcasts a game at Noon ET – which is a huge ratings draw – while CBS gets a 3:30 p.m. ET game and NBC has a primetime matchup each week.