Spring game Saturday looking like fun in the sun – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 16, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Saturday is starting to look like it’s going to be a superb spring day in Columbus, Ohio and, in particular, on the Ohio State University campus.
Not only is the LifeSports Spring Game, presented by Nationwide, going to be played at Ohio Stadium with an approximate 1:45 p.m. start, but the men’s lacrosse team will play Maryland at 11 a.m. in its annual “Showdown in the Shoe” contest with a championship in the first year of Big Ten Conference lacrosse on the line. And to get things started, Buckeye fans will have an opportunity to purchase official Ohio State apparel and equipment during a three-hour – 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. – sale of merchandise at French Field House, next to St. John Arena.
General admission tickets are only $5 and a ticket will get fans into both the lacrosse game and the spring football game. Tickets are available at http://go.osu.edu/Buy2015SpringGameTix, any Ticketmaster outlet, the OSU Athletic Ticket Office, or by calling 1-800-GOBUCKS.
Children ages 6 and under are free in the general admission sections only (everyone in club seating areas will be required to have a ticket). Current OSU students get in free with a valid OSU ID.
The football team will be divided into scarlet and gray squads and the actual spring game will consist of four 10-minute quarters. There won’t be kickoffs, but there will be live punts (all fair caught) and live extra points and field goals.
Here are a few more notes and details every fan should know about Saturday:
- Cardale Jones will play, and start. So will second-year freshman Stephen Collier. Those QBs and the rest of the players will be divided into scarlet and gray squads by close of day Thursday. You can view the 2015 Spring roster by clicking here.
- Fans will see a quarterback competition. That’s right! Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett and 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith will compete in a halftime quarterback competition that will certainly be watched closely by everyone in the stadium.
- Great weather! The weather “app” on any phone right now displays “lovely” for the Saturday weather conditions; lovely as in partly sunny skies and a high of 73 degrees.
- Senior’s rings. During the third and fourth quarter break, some of the members of the 2014 senior class will be presented with their 2014 Big Ten and national championship rings.
- Great gear! Apparel and equipment for sale at French Field House Saturday morning from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. will include chrome helmets, game-issued jerseys from the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Big Ten championship teams as well as the 2012 undefeated season, and the 2013 B1G Leaders Division title-winning squad. Click this link for more info: http://go.osu.edu/EQSale41815
- Champions will be honored. Ohio State’s national champion wrestling, pistol and synchronized swimming teams will be celebrated for their outstanding seasons this year. Additional Buckeye All-Americans and Big Ten champions will be honored, including sensational women’s basketball freshman Kelsey Mitchell.
- A salute to a classic Buckeye: Jim Sweeney is retiring as pistol coach and he will be honored during the spring game. Ever meet him? The man is cool. He rides a motorcycle. He walks to work. He raised kids and foster kids. And he is Buckeye…no, make that a Classic Buckeye: a 1957 Ohio State graduate, with master’s and Ph.D’s. Well done, coach Sweeney!
- Honorary captains. National champions will be all over the sidelines Saturday. In addition to the football Buckeyes, national champions from the wrestling team (Logan Stieber, Bo Jordan and Kyle Snyder), pistol team (Irina Andrianova and Glenn Zimmerman) and synchronized swimming team (Khadija Zanotto and Katie Spada) will be on the sidelines, serving in the capacity of honorary scarlet and gray team captains.
- Photos with the crystal football. The American Football Coaches Association’s crystal football trophy will be at Ohio Stadium and fans can take photos with the trophy near Gate 17.
- The fastest student … and more. Competitions at halftime will feature Ohio State students competing in a 40-yard dash and a push-up contest.
- Free parking. There is no charge to park on Saturday. West Stadium is a permit-only lot, but all other lots are free. Disability parking is located on the north side of St. John Arena and free shuttle service to the stadium is provided.
- Closer drop-off for West Campus shuttles. West Campus shuttles will be operating Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. The shuttles will drop riders off at the Drake Union, a much closer walk to the stadium than the Sisson Lot drop-off location.
- TV and radio coverage. The Big Ten Network will televise the game live and stream it on BTN2Go with Kevin Kugler, Glen Mason and former Buckeye linebacker Bobby Carpenter in the broadcast booth. Lisa Byington will be providing sideline reports. 97.1 FM The Fan will have the radio broadcast with Paul Keels and Jim Lachey describing the action.
