"It’s a place we haven’t been and a place we wanted to go."
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, athletic director Gene Smith and Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan met with the media for approximately an hour on Tuesday morning to discuss the upcoming College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia.
Below is a bullet-point recap of what they each had to say:
Gary Stokan:
- Stokes said the Buckeyes sold out their ticket allotment on Wednesday, just two says after they went on sale, which “might be a record.”
- The Peach Bowl has added 2,000 seats at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and is expecting a record crowd, topping previous playoff matchups and Super Bowl LII.
- Capacity at the stadium is listed at 75,000, but they’re expecting 78-79,000 people in attendance for the game against the Bulldogs. They have expandable areas in the end zone and standing room only.
- Ohio State will receive $6 million from the Peach Bowl to cover travel to Atlanta and other expenses.
- Stokan formally invited the Buckeyes, with Smith accepting the invitation. Noted they had a conversation at the win over Wisconsin in late September about this being a possibility.
- Stokan noted hod teams have not won their conference in the past and still went on to win the national championship, including Alabama in 2018 in the same stadium that Ohio State and Georgia will be playing.
- Stokan said they’re excited about Ohio State’s offense against Georgia’s defense. “This is going to be a true war, a battle and a lot of fireworks this New Year’s Eve in Atlanta.”
- Stokan said he’s not sure why there isn’t a bowl game in the north. Mentioned Detroit, Indianapolis and Minneapolis as locations where it could happen, it’s just a matter of someone wanting it.
Gene Smith:
- On the Peach Bowl: “It’s a place we haven’t been and a place we wanted to go. It’s a place we felt our fans could get to pretty easily.”
Ryan Day:
- Day noted how Atlanta is a “great place” for Ohio State in recruiting and how the Buckeyes have many fans in the area.
- On Kevin Wilson, who was named the head coach at Tulsa: “He’s keeping Ohio State and our path to the national championship first and foremost in his mind.” Has been at practice. “It’s a challenge when you have to juggle both things.”
- On Keenan Bailey’s promotion, which won’t be formal until after the season. “He’s an excellent coach and a really sharp young man who is going to do unbelievable things in his career.”
- Day said the energy and the urgency of the team has been really good. Added that they’re wrapping up finals now and will be really getting into working on the Bulldogs next week.
- Asked about running back Dallan Hayden’s lack of a role against Michigan, Day said Chip Trayanum was running well and so running backs coach Tony Alford stuck with him. They expect Hayden to be a big part of the game plan against Georgia.
- Day praised Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett and said he deserved to be in New York for the Heisman ceremony. “From afar, it’s been a joy to watch him compete.”
- Asked how he’s balancing bowl prep, the Early Signing Period and the transfer portal, Day said he doesn’t sleep much. “That’s December in big-time football.”
- On the transfer portal: “It’s become like free agency, and certainly, we’re going to be a part of it.” Said the portal is getting bigger and bigger and it’s important to be active, but they also have to be careful about adding players who fit the culture.
- Day said nobody was more frustrated that wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba that he couldn’t play much this season due to injury. “It was hard for him to sit around and watch his teammates play and his body not allow him to play.”
- On Mississippi State’s Mike Leach, who passed away last night after a heart attack: “Sixty-one years old. It really makes you take a deep breath and think about life in general.”
- Day said quarterback C.J. Stroud is excited to play in the Peach Bowl and is working hard to make sure he plays his best football against Georgia.
- Day said they’ll give an update on running back TreVeyon Henderson’s status in the coming days.
- On the Early Signing Period being right in the middle of the playoff preparation: “There are times where you ask that question, ‘What are we doing?’”
- On Georgia tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington: “Bowers can do so many things. He’s so versatile … Darnell is a massive human being.” On defensive tackle Jalen Carter: “He’s very explosive. Very disruptive. He’s in the backfield a lot.”
- On the challenge of NIL and the call for fans and local businesses to help Ohio State in that area, since the Buckeyes cannot: “Our players need to know that we’re fighting for them, and we are.”
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