Ohio State-Northwestern set for afternoon start at Wrigley Field
COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s Nov. 16 game against Northwestern at Wrigley Field this season is set for an afternoon start. The Big Ten announced that the matchup will kick off at either 12 p.m. EST or 3:30 p.m. EST. Keep in mind, that’s 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. local time.
The TV network for that game has yet to be determined.
Northwestern is playing two games at Wrigley Field this season. The Wildcats have to play their home games for the 2024 and 2025 seasons at different locations because Northwestern is building a new Ryan Field.
Notably, the university announced last month that the football program will play a majority of its home games this season at the Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility on the university’s Evanston campus. The facility is at the doorstep of Lake Michigan and currently plays host to Northwestern’s lacrosse team as well as its men’s and women’s soccer teams.
But the Wildcats’ final two home games for the upcoming 2024 slate will take place at Wrigley Field, the home of the MLB’s storied Chicago Cubs. In addition to hosting Ohio State in Wrigley on Nov. 16, Northwestern will also welcome rival Illinois to the historic ballpark on Nov. 30.
Wrigley, approximately 8.8 miles away from Northwestern’s old, and now-demolished, Ryan Field, has a capacity of 41,649 for baseball games and has held three college football games since 1938, all of which have included Northwestern.
The Wildcats hosted Illinois at Wrigley in 2010, but, due to safety concerns, both teams switched sides after every possession, in effect scoring on only end zone in the 48-27 Fighting Illini victory.
Since, renovations to Wrigley and a repositioned football field in the stadium has allowed Northwestern and its subsequent downtown opponents — Purdue in 2021 and Iowa in 2023 — to use both end zones. Purdue defeated Northwestern, 32-14, in 2021, and Iowa defeated Northwestern, 10-7, in 2023.
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Ohio State leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 65-14-1, and has won 10 in a row, with the Wildcats’ last victory against the Buckeyes coming in 2004.
Other kickoff times announced
+ Ohio State host Akron for its season opener on Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
+ The Buckeyes will then host Western Michigan on Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
+ Ohio State will host Nebraska for its annual Homecoming game on Oct. 26 in a game that will be at Noon or 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. The TV network for that game is still unknown.
+ The Buckeyes will host Michigan in The Game on Nov. 30. That game will, as usual, be televised at Noon. It will be on FOX.
2024 Ohio State Football Schedule
Aug. 31 – Akron (3:30, CBS)
Sept. 7 – Western Michigan (7:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)
Sept. 14 – Idle
Sept. 21 – Marshall
Sept. 28 – at Michigan State
Oct. 5 – Iowa
Oct. 12 – at Oregon
Oct. 19 – Idle
Oct. 26 – Nebraska (Noon OR 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., TV TBD)
Nov. 2 – at Penn State
Nov. 9 – Purdue
Nov. 16 – at Northwestern (Noon OR 3:30 p.m., TV TBD)
Nov. 23 – Indiana
Nov. 30 – Michigan (Noon, FOX)
