Ryan Day Has 1 Hope For Ohio State’s Season-Opener Against Oregon

For the first time in over a year, Ohio Stadium was rocking again for the Ohio State Buckeyes’ spring scrimmage.

After the Ohio State spring game came to a close on Saturday afternoon, head coach Ryan Day told reporters how much it meant to have fans and the famous OSU band back in the stadium. Opening up the 2021 home schedule with a marquee matchup against Oregon in September, the fourth-year Buckeyes coach has one hope by the time that game in Columbus kicks off.

Today’s spring game was capped at 19,180 attendees. Day wants the stadium at full 104,944 fan capacity for the home opener.

“It felt almost normal in there today … I’m just hoping that that thing’s full when we come back against Oregon here,” the coach said, via OSU football insider Dan Hope.

Ryan Day on having the fans and the band back in Ohio Stadium today: “It felt almost normal in there today … I’m just hoping that that thing’s full when we come back against Oregon here.”

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) April 17, 2021

While the Ohio health and safety regulation would have allowed the Buckeyes to sell up to 20,000 tickets per game last season, the Big Ten’s strict pandemic guidelines sidelined that hope — allowing no fans present at stadiums across the conference.

But, under the new Ohio state COVID-19 health orders released in March, outdoor seating capacity for stadiums has now been expanded to 30 percent capacity. That paired with relaxed conference regulations could bring Day and the Ohio State program closer to their full-capacity goals.

Coming off an impressive 7-1 record through a shortened season in 2020, the reigning Sugar Bowl champions will look to match last year’s solid run in 2021 — maybe this time in front of the Ohio State faithful.

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