Ohio State Fans Have Absolutely Taken Over Wrigley Field For Game Against Northwestern

Saturday's game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats is technically a home game for Northwestern. Yet though the game is at Wrigley Field, just over eight miles away from the Northwestern campus, you'd never know it.

Crowd shots of Wrigley showed Ohio State fans completely dominating the capacity crowd at Wrigley; a sea of fans in scarlet and grey. Before the game started, media on site pointed out that Buckeyes fans were completely obliterating any hope of a Northwestern home field advantage.

Northwestern was reportedly booed during their pregame warmup, and a deafening O-H-I-O chant echoed throughout the building.

Overhead shots showed just how overwhelming the advantage is for the Buckeyes.

Though an enterprising Oregon fan took the opportunity to troll the masses of Ohio State fans.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles waves to fans as the team buses arrive prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.

Northwestern Hanging Tough With Heavily Favored Buckeyes

Yes, Northwestern is 4-5 and 28.5 point underdogs to the number-two ranked team in the country. But that looks like a 95-5 disparity, and Wildcats fans simply have to do a better job of showing up in their own city. Obviously there are huge numbers of Ohio State fans and alumni in the Chicago area, and it's a relatively easy 340-mile drive to get to Chicago from the Columbus area. Still, Northwestern has to have more fans there than that.

Despite the gigantic crowd size advantage, the first quarter was dominated by the Wildcats. Northwestern racked up 118 total yards to just 30 for Ohio State, with the Buckeyes averaging just 2.2 yards per carry on five attempts. 

A red-zone turnover from Northwestern quarterback Jack Lausch prevented the Wildcats from getting on the board first.

But Ohio State couldn't convert on the ensuing drive, and a 92-yard touchdown drive put Northwestern up 7-0. The Buckeyes responded, finally getting on the board with a Quinshon Judkins two-yard run, and then a comical series of errors from Northwestern set them up at first and goal from the one-yard-line.

Judkins pushed it in again to give the Buckeyes their first lead. Ohio State added another touchdown later in the second quarter, that was obscured on camera by fans standing up to see the catch. 

And with no net on the outfield side of the stadium, the PAT went on to Sheffield Avenue, which has to be the first ever Ohio State extra point to wind up on a street.

The Buckeyes held on to a 21-7 lead at halftime, putting up 21 straight points despite the early nerves. Seems like their massive road field advantage is going to pay off.