After a cushy Week 1, this is really where the Ohio State football program's march to a national championship begins. They will take on Texas, which is the fourth-ranked team in the country. It's the third straight year that the Buckeyes will be taking on the Longhorns.
Heading into the game, Ryan Day knows that it is going to be hot down there. Playing at night in Austin helps, but it will still be very warm and humid down on the field. Yet, there is another weather issue that the Ohio State Buckeyes might have to contend with.
Wind might cause Ohio State issues against Texas
Wind might be an issue that the Buckeyes have to deal with in both the passing and the kicking game. According to the Weather Channel, winds could gust up to 21 mph during the game. It will be blowing sustained at 6-11 mph, which shouldn't affect things too much. Gusts could cause issues, though.
At kickoff, it will still be 91 degrees. It will only drop to 83 by the time the game is finished, so the Buckeyes need to make sure they are properly hydrated to avoid any cramping issues throughout the contest. Ryan Day addressed the heat issue during his weekly radio show.
“We’ve spent time preparing for it the best you can without making it a bigger deal than it is. We just got to go play football...At the end of the day, it’s gonna come down to football. It’s the same for both sides. Yeah, we’re gonna have to play some depth early, but other than that, it’s gonna be like any other game.”
Both teams will have to deal with the hot conditions, but there is no question that the Longhorns are more accustomed to it. Day has had some hot days in recent days to practice outside to help prepare for it, though. The wind could cause more issues than the heat.
Ohio State has questions in the kicking game that need to be answered in the wind
If the wind does cause a problem, the Buckeyes are unsure how it will affect the kicking game at this point. Connor Hawkins has yet to get a chance to kick a field goal in a game for Ohio State, as they did not attempt one against Ball State. Hawkins only attempted extra points.
The kicking game has been a major issue for the Buckeyes in big games over the last few years. Hawkins was brought in to help fix that issue. He has experience kicking in big games before, as he transferred in from Baylor. That gives Day a little more confidence in him.
Punting is perhaps the biggest issue that could be affected by the wind. Joe McGuire continues to show he has no distance in his leg. He averaged just 41 yards per punt against Ball State. Last season, he averaged just 42.4 yards per punt, while averaging 42 yards per punt in 2024.
If he has to punt into the wind from Ohio State's own territory, Texas is almost certainly going to get excellent field position. That's something that could cost them the game if it's close.
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