There are few things more controversial in the college football world than Fox’s Big Noon Saturday. And this is especially true for fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
When Fox scored Big Ten rights, they made it their mission to turn the 12 p.m. ET timeslot into the flagship of their college football lineup. It accomplishes two goals, first it puts their top game of the day in a slot where it won’t face major competition from other networks, namely ESPN and the SEC. Second, it allows them to continue to try to establish their Big Noon Saturday pregame show as a true competitor to College GameDay.
And for the most part, Fox has been successful. Big Noon Saturday fell behind GameDay last year, but had shown signs of life in competition. And the 12 p.m. ET window has given Fox some massive ratings.
However, it’s come at the cost of making fans whose teams regularly appear at that timeslot incredibly angry. And none moreso than the rabid Buckeye Nation.
As by far the biggest brand under the Fox umbrella, Ohio State has had to bear the weight of Big Noon. Incredibly, OSU finished the 2024 season with six straight noon games. And with Fox already laying claim to their massive season opener with Texas at the Horseshoe, it looks like another one is on the horizon.
But at least one Ohio state representative is trying to put a stop to it.
Representative Tex Fischer from District 59 just south of Youngstown has proposed legislation to blunt the impact of Big Noon Kickoff. Namely, his bill would prevent a state university in Ohio from competing in a game before 3:30 p.m. ET if both teams are ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll. However, it does include a provision for an earlier kickoff if it is part of a “college football tradition.” Although not explicitly stated, this is definitely aimed at the Ohio State-Michigan game that has usually been a noon kickoff through the years.
Oh, and it also has a $10 million fine against Fox or the Big Ten if they dare to schedule a Top 10 matchup for Big Noon.
A few weeks ago, I said it would be a crime for FOX to put Ohio State vs Texas at noon.
Promises made, promises kept! https://t.co/yTBk2F9rmD
— Tex Fischer (@texfischer) May 15, 2025
It is worth noting that this bill is aimed at state universities in Ohio, so it could also apply if ESPN wanted to put a Top 10 showdown between Bowling Green and Kent State at noon some day.
This is not the first time the Ohio state legislature has tried to exert their power and influence over the college football media rights world. Democratic state senator Bill DeMora has introduced multiple bills aimed at banning Ohio State games from airing exclusively on streaming services like Peacock over his personal frustration of not being able to watch his beloved Buckeyes.
DeMora’s streaming bill hasn’t really gone anywhere and it’s unlikely that this bill aimed at Big Noon will ever become law as well. Much like almost everything to do with politics these days, it’s more about scoring a political point than actually doing anything substantive. But it does speak to the overwhelming frustration amongst the Ohio State fanbase against the tyranny of Fox and Big Noon.
At least it’s an interesting sideshow for the Ohio legislature, which is usually concerned with things like massive corruption and destroying public schools and higher education.