Ryan Day Acknowledges Logistical Challenges For Buckeyes At Wrigley Field

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day told reporters on Tuesday how he plans to prepare his team for Wrigley Field.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day speaks to his players in the first half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As fans are gearing up for the Ohio State Buckeyes' historic matchup at Wrigley Field on Saturday against the Northwestern Wildcats, head coach Ryan Day has been two steps ahead in his game planning.

Day spoke to the media on Tuesday and explained his process to get his team ready, stating that he wants his team to get a good feel of the venue before the game.

"I'd like for them to see the makeup of it, I want them to see the turf. I want them to feel where the infield is filled in with the sod. I'd like for them to see how we are going to handle halftime; we're going to be in the bullpen and not going up into the locker room. There's just some different things I'd like for them to see.

- Ryan Day

This is not the first time that the home of the Chicago Cubs has hosted a college football game. Since 1938, Wrigley Field has hosted three different college football matchups, with the Buckeyes' Week 12 contest being the fourth. Last year, Northwestern fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Friendly Confines, 10-7.

But with all the new factors in play, Day seems as if he does not want any chances for error on Saturday.

The Buckeyes head coach went on to say that he will bring the team to Wrigley Field on Friday, despite not usually doing that during road games.

"It's going to be a different feel [at Wrigley Field]. It's a baseball park, it's different from a football stadium. Do I think it's a big deal? No, but a lot of people do that. They bring their team to the venue the day before. We don't usually do that, but we will on Friday."

- Ryan Day

Ohio State is set to kick off at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, 11:00 AM Central Time against Northwestern. This will be the first time Day and company have faced the Wildcats since 2022. Fans will never forget the 21-7 victory in horrible weather conditions, but thankfully Saturday's forecast calls for much more moderate conditions.