If the College Football Playoff expands, Athletic Director Gene Smith would prefer the Buckeyes to play somewhere indoors because of the winter weather in Columbus. Credit: Jacob Benge | Assistant Sports Editor
Dreams of the Ohio Stadium hosting a College Football Playoff game might not be so practical.
Athletic director Gene Smith said Wednesday that should the CFP expand enough to where programs could host postseason games rather than compete at neutral sites, he would prefer the Buckeyes play somewhere indoors rather than the ’Shoe.
“I would probably recommend that we go to Indianapolis. I want a clean environment; I don’t want a hard surface for the players,” Smith said. “I know the fans would love it, having it in the ’Shoe and maybe it’s snowing and we’re playing whoever, but that surface is a whole new ballgame.”
Weather in Columbus during the winter months is a focal concern in Smith’s mind when it comes to hosting a CFP game. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis has hosted the Big Ten Championship Game since 2011 — where the climate control and retractable roof keep out the lower temperatures that preside over the Midwest late in the calendar year.
Smith said he believes the excitement would still be the same regardless of where the Buckeyes would play if they earned a CFP berth. He acknowledged that Ohio State and college football fans are curious what a CFP game at Ohio Stadium would look like, but conversations about expansion have brought up where earlier-round games would be held.
“I know our fans rally around that and they would like to host Alabama up here,” Smith said. “Now we can move into [Lucas Oil Stadium] or Ford Field or Minneapolis or wherever if we ended up hosting. I think that that’s important because who knows what the inclement weather could be like in that time of year in any of our places in the north, so we need to have flexibility.”
On the topic of CFP expansion, Smith said he envisions a larger number of teams that qualify for the postseason. Several obstacles still linger, he said.
Television deal negotiations, finals week schedules and winter weather patterns are among the challenges Smith would like to see addressed in addition to the length of time between the conference title game and start of the CFP, he said.
Still, even though Smith said he’s “old school,” he still bets on an expanded CFP field.
“I think we’re going to expand. I’d be surprised if we don’t go to 12 at some point,” Smith said. “I think there are things that just need to be solved and worked out.”
Ohio Stadium hosting a CFP game isn’t entirely out of the question, however. Smith said the Buckeyes would opt to play indoors primarily because of the weather during December, but depending on potential game dates, he added that there is a possibility where Ohio State wouldn’t need to line up a plan to play somewhere like Indianapolis.
Making arrangements at Lucas Oil Stadium, game day operations and ticket sales are other factors Smith said add into the equation of Ohio State’s prospective hosting of a CFP game. He said where postseason expansion goes will factor into the decision-making.
“We want the flexibility to go indoors. It’s not automatic,” Smith said. “The pass point is going to be date-dependent. I’m kind of anxious to see how this playoff schedule actually will end up.”
Cities such as Miami and New Orleans have been postseason sites several times since the reformatted playoff began in 2014. These locations see an economical impact while serving as a neutral site.
Columbus and Ohio Stadium would offer decorated history and tradition to the CFP, but late-year weather and field conditions could stand in the way of it becoming a reality. For Smith, he said he’s keeping the program and student-athletes in mind first.
“I think our fans understand that environment. They love the hotels, they love the restaurants and all that,” Smith said. “While it’s difficult to take it away from the ’Shoe, I still think that’s the right thing to do for the players and the game.”
