Although the Peach Bowl has been a part of the fabric of College Football since 1968, Ohio State is yet to compete in the prestigious bowl.
That, however, will change come Dec. 31, as the No. 4 Buckeyes will be tested against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. As Ohio State will get its first shot to etch its name into Peach Bowl lore, OSU head coach Ryan Day said it’s an honor to get the opportunity to play in the iconic game.
“Our team is extremely excited about the opportunity,” Day said. “We’ve heard such wonderful things about the Peach Bowl over the years and are really looking forward to going down there and spending a great week in Atlanta.
“Atlanta has been a wonderful place for us in recruiting. We have so many great Buckeye fans in the area and I know there’s so much excitement for us to get down in there. I can’t even imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like at 8:00 p.m. when the foot hits the ball against the Bulldogs.”
Ohio State’s appearance in the Peach Bowl this season will mark just the tenth time a Big Ten team has played in the bowl in its history. The Big Ten has amassed just a 3-6 record in the bowl all-time, however, Michigan State is the defending Peach Bowl champion after the Spartans outclassed Pittsburgh 31-21 on Dec. 30, 2021.
While the Buckeyes look to make it back-to-back wins for the Big Ten in the Peach Bowl, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith noted that he’s looking forward to OSU’s involvement in the bowl and the College Football Playoff at large.
“It’s a place that we haven’t been, and a place that we wanted to go,” Smith said. “It’s a place we felt our fans could get to pretty easily, on the east coast in particular, and that’s playing out.
“We’re excited about it and our players are excited about it. We’re looking forward to having the opportunity to be in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. We have not competed in that stadium, so it’s going to be a great experience for all of us.”
As the 2022 Peach Bowl will pit Ohio State’s high-powered offense against Georgia’s punishing defense, Peach Bowl CEO Gary Stokan noted that he’s expecting a game for the ages to unfold in Atlanta on New Year’s Eve.
“This is going to be a true war and a battle, and a lot of fireworks on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta,” Stokan said.
