Skip to main content
Join Now
Team Avatar
Ohio State

Carnell Tate reveals Ohio State players 'love' playing games at noon

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•11/13/24•

NickSchultz_7

Ohio State WR Carnell Tate
© Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Oct. 12, Ohio State played Oregon in a primetime matchup at Autzen Stadium. In the three games since, the Buckeyes have been in the Noon ET window for FOX’s “Big Noon Saturday” – and will stay there the rest of the season.

The players don’t mind the early start times, though, according to wide receiver Carnell Tate. He said they enjoy the early kickoffs because they have the rest of the night to recover.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

“We love it,” Tate told reporters. “We like to play noon games. We like to wake up and go straight to the field and play. The earlier the game is, the more time you’ve got on the back end of your day.”

Since that loss to Oregon, Ohio State has played three straight games – against Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue – in the Noon ET window. This week’s game against Northwestern at Wrigley Field will also be in the early slate on Big Ten Network, as will Week 13 against Indiana and the season finale against Michigan on FOX.

Save $30 on your first month of Fubo by CLICKING HERE NOW!

For a limited time, you can get your first month of Fubo for as low as $49.99. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

Fans have been vocal about FOX’s “Big Noon Saturday” putting some of the biggest games each week in the first window of the day. However, the network has seen it pay dividends. Through the first 11 weeks of the season, the slot was in the Top 5 in viewership seven times, according to data compiled by Sports Media Watch. That includes the most-watched games in Week 9 and Week 10.

That success is why Joel Klatt defended FOX amid criticism around the Noon ET slot. He explained the impact the decision to add a third window has had on the networks.

“Lots of talk about Big Noon Saturday…Here are some things I think you should know,” Klatt said in a thread on X. “Big Noon Saturday has been the most watched CFB window for the last few years…last year our window avg. almost 7m viewers/game. Prior to Big Noon this window in CFB was non-existent. Fox Sports saw a clear opportunity to build value into the sport by creating a 3rd window for premium CFB. That clearly worked.”