Ohio State football players and fans are preparing for triple-digit heat in Texas, one week after scorching conditions at the Longhorns’ home opener sent 13 people to hospitals.
The Buckeyes will face Texas at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. The National Weather Service forecasts a high near 100 degrees that day.
Ohio State safety Earl Little Jr. told the Dispatch players have been spending time in saunas to prepare.
"It's kind of hot here in Ohio," Little said. "But we've been doing things throughout the week, preparing up for Texas that will put our bodies in the best position to go out there and play, so we’ll be ready."
Little, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native who transferred from Florida State, said
the difference between warm and hot conditions is about more than the temperature.
"I think it's, like, a humidity thing," he said.
Coach Ryan Day told reporters he was glad to see this week's forecast in Columbus calls for a warming trend because that will allow the Buckeyes to practice in 90-degree conditions.
"It won't be as hot as it is down there, but it's the same for both teams," Day said. "We'll have a plan for what comes with it, just like if it was a cold game. Whether it's windy, rainy heat, cold, it's the same for teams, and we'll be prepared for it."
How hot was it at Texas' Sept. 5 football game?
The University of Texas Longhorns hosted the Texas State Bobcats at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, putting more than 100,000 fans inside the stadium during the hottest part of the day.
Austin reached 102 degrees, with a heat index of about 104 to 105, CBS Austin reported. Austin television station KXAN reported that the temperature on the field reached 160 degrees.
Austin-Travis County EMS transported 13 people from the stadium to local hospitals, according to CBS Austin and FOX 7 Austin. At least three cases were possibly heat-related, while the others involved a mix of symptoms.
Fans crowded into shaded concourses to escape the sun. Texas Athletics provided 16 free hydration stations and four cooling stations throughout the stadium.
Texas beat Texas State 59-7.
What is the forecast for Ohio State vs. Texas?
Sept. 12 will be sunny and hot in Austin, with a high near 100, according to the National Weather Service. South winds of 5 to 10 mph could gust as high as 20 mph.
The 6:30 p.m. kickoff will avoid the peak afternoon heat, but temperatures could remain hot during the game. Saturday night’s low is forecast around 78 degrees.
It will be a significant change from Ohio State’s season opener against Ball State on Sept. 5.The temperature was 80 degrees under cloudy skies when the Buckeyes kicked off their 56-3 victory at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State’s game against Texas will air on ABC.
Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
Dispatch assistant sports editor Lori Schmidt contributed.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State braces for 100-degree heat in marquee Texas matchup
