The Lantern

The independent student voice of Ohio State University since 1881.

Lawrence Tower lawsuit moves forward to trial

Lily Pace and Davis Beatty Managing Campus Editor and Campus Editor

Students and families involved in the Lawrence Tower mold case will see one of two lawsuits move to trial.

On Sept. 8, the Ohio Court of Claims Judge David Cain ruled that four of five claims that were brought against Ohio State in one of the two Lawrence Tower lawsuits can move forward.

Lawrence Tower has been vacant since the beginning of the spring semester due to mold growth in the residence hall. In one room, the mold spore count reached 2 million, exceeding the normal mold spore count of 9,000, according to prior Lantern reporting.

Two firms, Be Well Law and Bressman Law, filed a joint lawsuit Monday, Jan. 13, with 32 plaintiffs named in the court complaint, according to prior Lantern reporting. The lawsuit alleges that Ohio State was aware of the mold problem after acquiring the previous Holiday Inn property, and housed students there despite that.

The four claims that are moving forward to trial are negligence, breach of implied warranty of habitability, nuisance and breach of contract. Cain dismissed the lawsuit’s claim of fraud, according to the lawsuit.

“At this time, we are pleased that the Court of Claims has ruled in favor of allowing four of our client’s claims against Ohio State to proceed to trial,” Jedidiah Bressman, an attorney working on the case at Bressman Law, said in a statement. “We believe this reflects the seriousness of the issues raised and the importance of a full and fair hearing on the merits.”

Bressman continued to say that there is currently not a trial date and that the attorneys representing the plaintiffs are committed to pursuing justice as the case moves forward.

University spokesperson, Ben Johnson, said the university does not comment on ongoing litigation.

Negligence

In the lawsuit, students and families claim that the university failed to do its due diligence in keeping Lawrence Tower a safe residence hall for students to live in. The plaintiffs claim that Ohio State acted with general negligence and also negligence per se, citing that a landlord in a rental agreement must continue to keep the building in habitable condition.

Ohio State originally filed a motion to dismiss this claim since it is an overlap of the breach of contract claim. However, Cain ruled in favor of this claim, deciding that negligence and breach of contract claims can be pursued at the same time.

Breach of Contract

In Ohio State’s housing contract, it states that the university is obligated to provide accommodations for residential purposes, while also keeping them in safe and sanitary condition, according to the ruling.

While this theory overlaps that of the nuisance claims, there are different legal theories behind both that make them applicable in their own ways. The breach of contract claim focuses specifically on enforcing obligations under the housing contract, according to the lawsuit.

The court ruled in favor of the breach of contract claim, providing that whether the plaintiffs will be able to use both theories in trial will depend on the evidence, as well as avoiding using the evidence twice.

Nuisiance

The plaintiffs also claimed Ohio State’s failure to remove the mold to create safe living conditions for students “interfered with their right to reasonably use and enjoy their dorm rooms.”

By not meeting these standards, the court affirmed the plaintiffs experienced “annoyance, discomfort, and inconvenience” and “physical discomfort.”

Breach of implied warranty of habitability

Cain ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on the breach of implied warranty of habitability due to Ohio’s Landlord-Tenant Act. The act states that the university, which is a landlord in this case to the students in the dorms, is required to make sure that the standards of their residences are liveable.

In the lawsuit, students and their family claim that Ohio State failed to keep their dorm rooms in a safe, liveable condition, and therefore also constitutes negligence.

The university’s legal team argued this claim fell under the breach of contract, but the judge found that it is a distinct legal theory.

A mushroom growing out of a dorm room wall on the fourth floor of Lawrence Tower in 2024.

COURTESY OF KYLA AVARELLO

CAMPUS

On page 3

A guide to SB 1

On page 4

Ohio State’s free speech grade

Defense contractor Anduril Industries sponsors Ohio State Athletics to promote new production facility

Davis Beatty Campus Editor

The Ohio State football team is no longer the sole defender of the ‘Shoe.

“Defend the ‘Shoe” can be seen around the Ohio Stadium in white, bold letters with a black background, a stark difference between the scarlet and gray seen across the stadium — and a military defense company is behind it.

The Ohio State Athletics Department announced its partnership with Anduril Industries, a U.S.-based defense technology company, on Aug. 21.

“Our mission is to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with AI autonomy and advanced manufacturing,” Jeff Miller, vice president of communications, said.

Seven months earlier, on Jan. 16, Anduril announced its plan to build Arsenal-1 near Columbus — a production facility next to Rickenbacker Airport, 20 miles south of Ohio State. The company expects the facility to create 4,000 direct and 8,500 indirect jobs.

“When it’s complete, Arsenal is going to produce autonomous defense systems in really large quantities, and it’s going to create, importantly, thousands of skilled jobs and serve as a hub for innovation training and economic growth in central Ohio,” Miller said.

In the press release announcing the partnership, Ross Bjork, Ohio State’s athletic director, said the university’s relationship with Anduril “goes well beyond a sponsorship.”

“Our missions are in alignment with supporting student-athletes and making a positive impact on the broader community,” Bjork said in the release. “We truly appreciate the Anduril leadership team seeing the value in Ohio State Athletics and thank them for their support.”

Anduril said in the press release that the defense company has a natural relationship with Ohio State Athletics since the university competes “at the highest standard of athletic achievement,” and Anduril “builds technology at speed and scale for the nation’s defense.”

Anduril placed over 40 “Defend the ‘Shoe” advertisements across the Ohio Stadium and have similar advertisements at the Schottenstein Center and other buildings on the athletic campus. The company began publishing a 12part series covering head coach Ryan Day and the football team’s season following a national championship.

At the Ohio State v. Texas game, the football team ran out of the tunnel onto

a mat that said the “Defend the ‘Shoe” phrase above Anduril’s logo. Throughout the game, the megatrons would show the phrase and graphics of Anduril’s fighter jets beside live footage of the game, according to Anduril’s Instagram.

Anduril has released two videos and a trailer for its series on the Ohio State Buckeyes Facebook and on the Ohio State Buckeyes website. The first video garnered over 50,000 views on Facebook and featured interviews with Day and current football players Julian Sayin and Caleb Downs. The second episode has 36,000 views on Facebook and dives into the Ohio State v. Texas game.

John Mueller, a professor emeritus and expert in public opinion, said that with the number of advertisements today, people tend not to pay attention to new promotions.

“Americans are surrounded by this kind of stuff from the get-go, and they seem to be awfully good at ignoring it when they want to,” Mueller said.

Mueller said that it seems Anduril has secured considerable promotion in an industry that receives a large amount of money from the government but has significant competition. He said that enterprises like Anduril tend to come and go, but with strong advertising, they can do quite well.

“They’re able to get the right products to the right people, and sometimes it’s just plain luck,” Mueller said.

ANDURIL continues on page 6.

New Anduril ads are being displayed in the ‘Shoe, following a sponsorship with the defense contractor.

SANDRA FU | MANAGING PHOTO EDITOR

What Ohio State students need to know about Senate Bill 1

Lily Pace Managing Campus Editor

Senate Bill 1 has caused a handful of changes affecting the daily lives of students at Ohio State.

SB 1, a bill that bans diversity, equity and inclusion programming and faculty striking, limits the teaching of controversial subjects and requires course syllabi to be public online, was passed on Mar. 25. SB 1 went into effect on June 27. Here is what students need to know about SB 1 compliance at the university.

The university has an implementation committee that works to establish guidance on the law.

Made up of 13 members, the SB 1 Implementation Committee works with “senior leadership and a range of stakeholders” to develop guidelines and guidance regarding SB 1 compliance.

The committee has individuals from a handful of departments from the Office of Human Resources to the Office of University Compliance and Integrity, according to the university’s website. This committee leads workstreams with students, faculty and staff from all the university’s campuses and colleges to discuss the structure and implementation of SB 1. The University Senate is also engaged in these workstreams.

Cultural and awareness recognitions and events are still celebrated, but with some restrictions. Ohio State continues to allow events, programs, recognitions and university participation in different cultural awareness events, from Black History Month to Pride Month, according to the university’s website.

The university complied with “open and welcoming to all” messaging, removing the past “DEI style”.

To comply with SB 1, the university has published a guide online to ensure that faculty and staff avoid specific terms to “mitigate the risk of preventable misconceptions regarding the university’s programs.”

All programming needed to be updated with this wording by June 27.

For research communications, any research involving “controversial beliefs or policies outlined in SB 1” must focus specifically on the findings of the story. All news and social media content relating to the research have to avoid any discussion beyond the findings that may advocate or take positions on certain policies or issues, according to the guide.

However, these events, programming or recognition must be open to all, and cannot “benefit” an underrepresented group.

According to the university, these events and recognitions can be communicated on university channels as long as the communications do not “take a position, engage in advocacy for or expand on the cultural or awareness month beyond recognizing it.”

The university can still fund these events or recognitions as long as the funding is provided equally.

Land acknowledgements can no longer be recognized unless they relate to specific course material.

As of August, Ohio State has prohibited land acknowledgements unless they are directly related to a course’s subject.

Land acknowledgements are formal statements that recognize Indigenous peoples’ contributions to the land on which we live, according to the National Museum of the American Indian.

According to the university’s website, land acknowledgements “are considered statements on behalf of an issue or cause” so they cannot be issued by any department, unit or college at the university. Land acknowledgements are also not permitted in written or spoken class materials unless there is a correlation between the acknowledgement and the course.

The guide also lists specific terms and phrases that are “non-compliant” with SB 1 standards. These terms include diversity, inclusion, underrepresented, antiracism, underprivileged and social justice.

Instead of using those phrases, the university advises individuals to use terms like differing viewpoints, student success, sense of community and workplace of choice.

The guide also lists how programs, missions, task forces, outreach initiatives, events and research partnerships must update their wording for their statements and descriptions to comply with SB 1.

The university restricted dorm floor decorations to Ohio State spirit themes.

Ohio State advised all resident advisors to keep their dorm floor decorations within an Ohio State spirit theme, ranging from the university’s scarlet and gray colors, Block O or Brutus, according to prior Lantern reporting.

University spokesperson, Dave Isaacs, said that this decision was only partially related to SB 1, but this rule came to be to “create an open and welcoming environment for all students.”

Students living in dorms, as well as previous RA’s, have announced their disappointment with this change on social media like Instagram and Reddit.

As of Autumn 2026, all freshmen will be required to take an American Civic Literacy course, and all syllabi must be published online.

According to guidelines in SB 1, each state institution must develop a new course in the subject of American Civic Literacy that follows a specific plan by the Ohio Department of Higher Education to enact for the 2026-27 school year. Ohio State must submit its plan by Sept. 30.

All syllabi must also be published online before the Autumn 2026 semester, so individuals can visit the course syllabi and see the assignments and instructions taught in the class.

The university continues to update its SB 1 compliance website with news and updates. To learn more about updated policies, visit the Office of University Compliance and Integrity website.

SB1’s effects are coming into view as the school year starts.

DANIEL BUSH | CAMPUS PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State receives an ‘F’ for free speech on campus

Audrey van Schagen Campus Senior Writer

Ohio State has received a failing grade for its support of free speech.

Though Ohio State’s ranking among all colleges actually improved, the university scored 57.7 out of 100 on the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, also known as FIRE, ranking released Sept. 9. FIRE is a non-partisan organization that defends free speech rights.

This score was created based on student surveys, campus policies and recent speech-related controversies and is meant to “reflect how open and supportive a campus is for free speech,” according to FIRE’s website.

Ohio State was ranked 124 out of 257 colleges and universities on free speech in FIRE’s 2026 College Free Speech Ranking, a 50-rank increase from last year. No university in the rankings received a grade higher than a B-minus.

Chris Booker, a university spokesperson, said, “Ohio State has an unwavering commitment to free speech and freedom of expression.”

In addition to the rankings, FIRE assigns a color to each university depending on its policies and their effect on free speech — red is the most severe and green means there is no substantial threat of restricting speech. Ohio State is ranked yellow, which means there is at least one policy that can be used to restrict speech.

Any policy that falls under the yellow category is unconstitutional, according to FIRE.

Wright State University, ranked 49, was the highest ranked Ohio university in the survey, scoring a “D” for free speech. Ohio University, Bowling Green State University, Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, Denison University, Kenyon College and the University of Toledo all rank above Ohio State in terms of free speech — with each of them scoring a “D-” grade.

The University of Dayton ranks 224 on the list, with an “F” rating and a “red light,” indicating that there is a clear restriction in their university policy that infringes on protected expression, according to FIRE’s website.

extend beyond the operations of the university itself.”

FIRE has ranked and scored colleges for six years and launched this ranking system to “help high school students and their parents identify which colleges promote and protect the free exchange of ideas,” according to FIRE’s 2026 website.

The FIRE ranking claims that Ohio State has not adopted a statement of institutional neutrality, however that is inaccurate according to the university’s policy updated back in 2023 on the Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements.

The university’s policy “holds that, as a community of scholars and learners, to maintain neutrality that assures academic freedom and freedom of speech and expression, Ohio State should refrain from taking institutional positions on complex political or global matters, events, natural disasters or tragedies that

From Jan. 3 through June 5 of 2025, 68,510 college undergraduate respondents from 257 schools were surveyed by College Plus, via their mobile app, on “their perceptions and experiences regarding free speech on their campuses,” according to FIRE’s website. These responses helped assign scores and rankings to the colleges.

According to FIRE’s website, the scores were created by compiling 12 components, which included self-censorship, political tolerance, institutional neutrality and openness.

Out of the 12 components, six of them are centered around assessing student perceptions of their campus’ speech climate, three assess campus speech policies and three assess the behavior of administrators, faculty and students during a speech controversy on campus, according to FIRE’S website.

Claremont McKenna College, a private liberal arts college in California, was ranked No. 1 for the second time in six years, receiving a score of 79.86 and a speech climate grade of “B-,” according to the ranking. Purdue University, the University of Chicago, Michigan Technological University and University of Colorado at Boulder all fall within the top 5 universities ranked.

The last ranked college, Barnard College, received an overall score of 40.74, according to the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings Report. The other bottom five universities include Columbia University, Indiana University, the University of Washington and Northeastern University.

ARTS & LIFE

Local venue cancels upcoming shows

Local fashion brands Dara Studio and Genie Babie to celebrate creative inclusivity at pop-up shop Friday

Helena Hennessy Arts & Life Senior Writer

ara Studio and Genie Babie, two locally-owned fashion businesses, will host a pop-up shop in their studio space — located at 400 W. Rich St. — Friday, as part of the monthly Franklinton Friday series.

Hyde Ebright is the founder and designer of Dara Studio, a runway brand that focuses on designing, and primarily upcycling, one-of-a-kind genderless pieces. Sania Mohamed owns Genie Babie, a vintage shop that sells thrifted, feminine ‘90s and 2000s-style clothing.

Ebright and Mohamed share studio 117 — where the event will take place — at 400 West Rich Studios, an art gallery that serves as a warehouse and workspace for residing artists. Ebright uses the space to store his sewing supplies and design his products, while Mohamed hosts private styling appointments for clients.

Both brands will be selling their most recent collections at the event. Mohamed said the studio will have a dressing room where shoppers are able to try on pieces and get a feel for them, as opposed to most pop-up markets.

Ebright will be displaying his most recent runway collection.

“I’ve done a lot of fashion shows — four or five now,” Ebright said. “The work from this collection — I’m gonna have it on display, but I’m also gonna have new pieces. I do a lot of one-of-one stuff. So what’s there, that is the only thing of that.”

Dara Studio’s brand identity is inspired by Ebright’s Cambodian heritage.

“It’s just about celebrating prints and patterns, and the [things] that are motifs from Cambodian culture,” Ebright said. “Its all about celebrating community … I’m sharing something about me, but I want to share it with people.”

Genie Babie will be holding an “end of summer” sale, offering 10 percent off of all available items, Mohamed said.

“I’m [also] doing a $10 rack, and then a $5 bin, which I always have,” Mohamed said. “Its always good to have something for every budget.”

Mohamed said Genie Babie’s vision was heavily influenced by the media she watched growing up.

“My brand identity comes from growing up and seeing Bratz dolls,” Mohamed said. “I’m South Asian, so I felt like growing up, I didn’t see a lot of people on TV that were fashion icons, or just in the media, that were women of color … [Bratz dolls] have such a strong way to express themselves and their art through clothing, [and] I really wanted to have that vibe incorporated into my brand.”

Mohamed said she also incorporates her cultural identity into Genie Babie’s branding, with Ebright supporting her along the way.

“When [Ebright] rebranded my logo … he did something really cool to my sign that I have at markets, and made a pattern in the background that was Islamic,” Mohamed said. “When I started in 2021, [the vintage scene in Columbus] was very white male dominated. There was just, at that time, not a lot of women or feminine vendors. Now, things have changed, but I’m still the only South Asian

vintage clothing person in Columbus.”

Both brands are size-inclusive and their pieces are intended to cater to everybody, Mohamed said.

Mohamed said Ebright has also helped her to recognize the true artistic nature of her work.

“One thing that [Ebright] has really taught me is that curating — what I do — is still an art form. Every piece that I pick out, everything that I sell is hand picked,” Mohamed said. “I take a lot of time each week to curate each piece and have a collection … I just think that makes it more special.”

For those attending the event, Ebright said making their shoppers’ experience a positive one is always his first priority.

“It’s always going to be a shopping experience … But seeing a whole runway collection on a rack and being able to have that talk with me and being able to view it — I think it’s a really cool experience,” Ebright said.

Mohamed agreed.

“I think people can appreciate how everything that’s put out is with intent,” Mohamed said. “We just hope to find its owner that can appreciate it and appreciate the value and the time that it took, whether it was to make it or put it out in sellable condition.”

Franklinton Friday is a series that takes place on the second Friday of every month at 400 West Rich Studios. The artists residing in the studios can choose to open their doors to the public to participate. This upcoming event will be Ebright and Mohamed’s third month participating.

More information for the event can be found on Dara Studio’s or Genie Babie’s respective Instagram pages.

Sania Mohamed (left) and Hyde Ebright (right) beside a Genie Babie pop-up.

COURTESY OF SANIA MOHAMED

Historical downtown theater cancels live events through December

Antonia Campbell Arts & Life Editor

The Columbus Athenaeum, a theater and event space downtown, has canceled a multitude of its events throughout the rest of the year.

The theater — located at 32 N. Fourth St. — was built in 1896 and converted into an event venue in 1996.

TempleLive, the company that purchased the Athenaeum in 2024, has canceled all of their upcoming shows at the venue, according to an NBC4 article published Monday. The cancellations included the pop-rock duo Sparks, which was set to perform Saturday.

The show has since been relocated to KEMBA Live! venue in the arena district, according to Matt Grimm, Sparks’ publicist.

“It was super abrupt … and caught those of us on Sparks’ team completely off guard, and also seems like staff was all abruptly laid off as well,” Grimm said in an email. “Nobody knows anything official, this is just what I’m gathering from news articles on it.”

A Sparks show in Cleveland was also relocated after being canceled by TempleLive, Grimm said.

TempleLive also hosts events at historical venues in Cleveland, Fort Smith, Ark. and Wichita, Kan., according to their website. All TempleLive events have

been canceled in those cities as well.

Celebrity Etc Presents, another concert organizer that schedules shows at the Athenaeum, still has all of their upcoming events set to occur, according to NBC4.

Events that were canceled at the Athenaeum are either being refunded or relocated, according to NBC4 and Grimms.

As of Wednesday, the TempleLive website says there are no upcoming events and has an email to contact. TempleLive did not respond to The Lantern at the time of publication.

With little information on the cause of the sudden cancellations, the future of live events at the Athenaeum remains unclear.

Those who wish to rent the venue for private events, including weddings and corporate events, may still do so through their website.

Drone company to work with Ohio State Athletics

Mueller said companies consider advertising successful even if revenue increases by one percent, and companies want people to recognize their name.

Anduril is attempting to draw people’s attention by providing unprecedented access to the football team, Miller said.

“That feels really cool to have that type of view into the locker room that was never provided before,” Miller said.

The defense company partnered with Ohio State Athletics to first inform the Columbus community and the university population about Anduril.

“We’re now a member of this community, and we want to enter into it in a way where we’re giving the broader central Ohio community a sense of who we are and what we stand for,” Miller said.

Miller said Anduril wanted to introduce its company naturally to Columbus and Ohio State while still mentioning national defense, which is how “Defend the ‘Shoe” was created.

“Our number one priority when it came to the game day experience during football season was that it felt organic to the community of fans at the Buckeye games,” Miller said.

Anduril will then focus on hiring for Arsenal-1, the production facility, and implementing STEM programs for recent college graduates for a possible direct hiring pipeline, Miller said.

“In doing that program, we’re really focused on key engineering disciplines and giving new grads the opportunity for exposure,” Miller said.

In the post-football season, Anduril will advertise its company using Ohio State’s fight song, specifically the phrase “our honor defend.”

“We’re going to be using those two terms, defend the shoe and our honor defend, in a way to show up colloquially and organically that will start to hopefully tap into the way that students themselves are already talking about the athletic programs,” Miller said. “In doing so, hopefully [people will] be

able to associate our brand, because you start to see it with repetition in such a focused and natural way.”

Online, there have been differing opinions on Ohio State Athletics collaborating with a defense company. Miller said Anduril is providing tools for the military to protect the country.

“It’s vital that the next generation of technologists and thinkers and leaders help shape what those tools look like,” Miller said.

Anduril uses artificial intelligence and virtual reality technology to build its military weapons. Around 20 percent of its staff are military veterans working on the equipment, according to its website. Anduril is partnered with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, to use AI to develop solutions for “national security missions,” according to a press release.

Anduril is also partnered with the U.S. and allied military forces, supplying weapons for Ukraine as well in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, according to their website.

Anduril founder, Palmer Luckey, announced in a CNBC interview that the company would become publicly traded this past June. However, Anduril is still privately traded.

Columbus Athenaeum made the decision to cancel live shows until December.

SANDRA FU | MANAGING PHOTO EDITOR

The cost of watching Ohio State football

Jack Diwik

Managing Sports Editor

There was a time when following the Buckeyes meant flipping on the TV, scrolling through channels and letting the Saturday drama unfold.

Now that era’s gone – replaced by login screens, stacked subscriptions and the sinking realization that fans need to get yet another streaming service just to watch this week’s game.

This Saturday, the Buckeyes take on Ohio University in their third game of the 2025 season. After opening with Texas on FOX Sports and playing Grambling State on the Big Ten Network, this week’s in-state clash airs exclusively on Peacock — NBC’s streaming platform — marking Ohio State’s third broadcast partner in as many weeks.

That means fans will be paying close to $100 a month to watch every Ohio State game this season. Between live TV bundles, add-on subscriptions like Peacock and potential extra costs for out-of-state viewers who need platforms like Paramount+ for some CBS games, following the Buckeyes has become a premium-priced commitment.

The reason lies in the Big Ten’s massive media rights deal, signed in 2022, which split broadcast rights between FOX Sports, CBS, NBC and its streaming service Peacock, ending the conference’s long-standing partnership with ESPN.

“Before, you knew the vast majority of games would be on ESPN, ESPN 2 or ABC,” said Matt Tamanini, editor for The Streamable and Land-Grant Holy Land. “Now that it’s broken down to FOX [Sports], NBC, Comcast and CBS, it is more difficult because most services don’t offer every channel in that market.”

The seven-year, $7 billion deal — running through 2029 — gives FOX, CBS and NBC exclusive windows. Peacock also streams select games exclusively, while Big Ten Network remains part of the rotation. The result is a fragmented system where no single platform carries every game.

The most economical option can be streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu+ Live TV, which each cost $82.99/month. They include most networks, but local fans would still need to tack on Peacock ($10.99/month) to get all the games.

Cheaper options like Sling TV, which start at $45.99/month, don’t carry CBS or local NBC stations in every market.

Tamanini said one option that stands out for him is DIRECTV’s My Sports Pack, which costs $15 per month, on top of the $79.99 regular fee, but also pro-

vides access to MLB Network and NFL Red Zone.

“It’s cheaper than most live TV bundles and includes the full ESPN package, FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC, BTN — everything you’d need, minus Peacock,” he said.

Networks are banking on fan loyalty, knowing dedicated audiences — especially at schools like Ohio State — will go to great lengths to keep watching, regardless of cost or platform.

“Ohio State is such a ratings draw,” Tamanini said. “If you look at the top 25 most-watched games in a season, Ohio State is always in there eight, nine, 10 times. The networks know people will follow.”

Brutus the Buckeye and a member of the cheer team lead the Ohio State football team onto the field before their game against Grambling State Saturday.

SANDRA FU | MANAGING PHOTO EDITOR

On page 7

Streaming football might be more expensive than a ticket

Ohio State’s offensive line anchors early-season dominance

Liv Rinaldi Sports Editor

They don’t score touchdowns.

Rarely do their names flash across the scoreboard.

But they’re still the best in the country.

Ohio State’s offensive line has earned the top spot in college football this week, ranking No. 1 in sacks allowed (0) and tackles for loss allowed (2). A new offensive line coach and a group of starters are providing both depth and leadership and have turned the unit into the foundation of the Buckeyes’ early-season success.

Last season, Ohio State lost linemen Donovan Jackson and Josh Simmons to the first round of the NFL draft. Rebuilding began in February, when Head Coach Ryan Day announced Tyler Bowen as the new offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Bowen spent two years as Virginia Tech’s offensive coordinator and inherited an O-line that returned Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola. Minnesota transfer Phillip Daniels also joined the squad this season.

Bowen said what makes the group so strong is their ability to adapt quickly and perform at a high standard, no matter the rotation.

“It’s great to have all this depth,” Bowen said. “There are guys that can play in a game.”

That depth was on display against Texas, when Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa slid in at right guard to replace Tshabola. Tshabola later rotated back in, showcasing the Buckeyes’ flexibility and talent up front.

The O-line’s success isn’t just about game-day rotations. Hinzman said the group’s closeness and accountability are what set them apart.

“We can be a group that’s one of the best (in the nation),” Hinzman said. “I feel like, tight-knit-wise, I’ve been a part of that before. Just to put all those pieces together and bring leadership, not only from me, but from a few other guys in the O-line group, it will be really special.”

Bowen’s focus on developing his players has been just as important as their performance in games. Siereveld credited Bowen for helping him expand his game by practicing in the spring across multiple positions: guard, right tackle and left tackle.

“I ask him questions every day,” Siereveld said. “After practice, he’s helping me. In practice, he’s always coaching me up and just trying to make me the best player I can be.”

As the Buckeyes prepare for Saturday’s matchup against Ohio University, Montgomery said the line is ready to face whatever defense comes their way.

“I just want to put people in the dirt and have fun,” Montgomery said. “I’m looking to take out ribs and I’m looking just to put people in the dirt every single play.”

Offensive Lineman Phillip Daniels (70) gets set before the snap on Saturday’s game against Grambling State. The Buckeyes’ Line has not allowed a sack in the first two games of the season.

LIAM AHERN | SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State sophomore running back James Peoples (20) evades a tackle during the game against Grambling State Saturday. The No. 1 Buckeyes defeated the Tigers 70-0.

LIAM AHERN | SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR