Gameday Observations: Ohio State
Penn State football is officially on a three-game losing streak.
The Nittany Lions may have not enjoyed their visit to Ohio Stadium, but our Onward State crew still did its best to still enjoy the beautiful city of Columbus.
Between the return of old friends and strange bar scenes, we saw a lot in and around the Horseshoe this weekend. Here are some of the most interesting things that went down in Columbus.
Jamari Wheeler Breaks Penn Staters’ Hearts
Former Penn State basketball guard Jamari Wheeler, who’s since transferred to Ohio State, was in attendance for this weekend’s showdown at the Shoe and appeared on the jumbotron. With just three words — “Beat Penn State” — he surely left all Penn Staters in attendance feeling backstabbed.
Fans Storm The Field…Again. Chaos Ensues…Again.
If you couldn’t stomach Iowa’s fans storming Kinnick Stadium after the Hawkeyes’ win over Penn State, I don’t suggest reading further. Shortly after the final whistle sounded, security guards backed away from the gates and Buckeye fans lined up in a single-file line to run onto the field. It was a mess.
Remember: Ohio State was nearly a 20-point favorite ranked 15 spots higher than Penn State.
Just like two weeks again in Iowa City, a field storming created all sorts of chaos for postgame availability. Penn State still needs to host interviews outside, so it usually has James Franklin and the players stand on the field. With thousands of people on the field, that was basically impossible.
Instead, everyone squeezed into a tunnel that was filled with echoes, outside noise, and water dripping from above.
Ohio State Bars Are Lawless Wastelands
To get ready for the big game, our crew headed out on the town in the University District of Columbus Friday night. We opted for the shitty college bars instead of the nice brewpubs in order to get the true Ohio State experience. After consulting the locals, we decided on Ethyl & Tank, which is connected to another bar called Midway.
This place was kind of crazy. Basically, imagine if Champs was a dive bar. There was quite literally an inch-deep pool of standing water next to the main bar and it was shoulder-to-shoulder throughout. It was pretty stupid and fun for one night, but this place could not be my daily driver.
Also, it seemed like the majority of the people in the bar were underage. It was basically a known thing in Columbus that all the college bars don’t really check IDs. The three of us were 21, so that didn’t really affect us, but it was funny that there were 19-year-olds walking up and ordering rail whiskey with zero repercussions. Maybe that’s why every bar was packed.
Football Lads Come Through Drippin’ Courtesy Of Saquon
Almost all of Penn State’s squad showed out Saquon Barkley’s Nike Air Trainer 3s after getting off the team bus. They looked really sick.
The boys are dripped out in @saquon’s Air Trainer 3s
— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 30, 2021pic.twitter.com/fGBBb5fJYT
Ohio State Band Impresses
As James Franklin would say, you’ve got to give credit to the Buckeyes here. The band had some cool traditions and marched pretty damn well. The halftime show was Sesame Place themed and they even put Michigan in the trash with Oscar the Grouch.
One of these things is not like the other. One of these things doesn’t belong.
— The Ohio State University Marching Band (@TBDBITL) October 31, 2021
More from our Sesame Street halftime show soon. #GoBucks
Hey, we can all agree Michigan still sucks.
Horseshoe Security Guard Are Lovely
Although we had some ~interesting~ run-ins with Ohio State fans this weekend, the security at Ohio Stadium was awesome. From elevator service to friendly smiles and nice directions, they made us feel incredibly welcomed. Thanks, guys!
The Late-Night Food Scene In Columbus Is A Disaster
Listen: There comes a time during every night out that you just want to eat. After leaving the bar, we once again consulted with locals to see where folks go for late-night grub. We got some recommendations and headed on our way, only to find that every establishment was packed out the door. Absolutely unprecedented line-age.
The quick places like gas stations and CVSs were closed down, and the “restaurants” were unattainable due to the sheer number of people. I’d never wanted to be at Canyon more in my entire life.
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About the Author
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