Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus
TV/Radio: FOX/1410
Series history: First meeting
Last game: N/A
Coaches: Ohio State's Ryan Day is making his debut as a full-time college football head coach. He went 3-0 as interim coach of the Buckeyes last season. Florida Atlantic's Lane Kiffin is 16-10 in two seasons coaching the Owls and 35-21 overall as a college football head coach. He was 5-15 in two seasons coaching the Oakland Raiders.
Ohio State notes: Ohio State is part of the preseason Associated Press top 25 for the 66th time in 70 years… Ohio State leads all teams with 902 weeks in the AP top 25… Justin Fields is set to be the ninth new starting quarterback in as many seasons for Day, who has been at Ohio State for three years and previously coached the 49ers, Eagles and at Boston College and Temple… The Buckeyes return just four starters from an offense that ranked eighth in the country in scoring (42.4 points per game) last season, but 10 starters are back on a defense that tied for 50th in points allowed (25.5)… Ohio State has seven players from Florida: Cornerback Damon Arnette (Fort Lauderdale/ St. Thomas Aquinas), offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere (Tampa/Berkeley Prep), receiver Binjimen Victor (Pompano Beach/Coconut Creek), cornerback Sevyn Banks (Orlando/Jones), cornerback Tyreke Johnson (Jacksonville/Trinity Christian Academy), running back Marcus Crowley (Jacksonville/Trinity Christian Academy and cornerback Shaun Wade (Jacksonville/Trinity Christian Academy).
Florida Atlantic notes: The Owls return seven starters on offense and six starters on defense… They were 45th in the nation in scoring last season (31.1 points per game) and 92nd in points allowed (31.8)… FAU gained lot of yards per game (48`.6, 14th in the country) and allowed a lot, too (430.3, 85th).
Quoted: Kiffin in playing a team like Ohio State to start the season: "There's a lot of different ways to go about these things. Obviously, I didn't schedule these. These were scheduled before we got here, from the last athletic director (Pat Chun, who previously worked at Ohio State). I don't think it is the best idea, especially following with UCF, another team that has been a top 10 team the last two years. The format that I think is the best — because you have to make money, you can't not play these games — but you can play somebody that pays the same. The conference pays the same for the most part. It is not that big of a difference. So you play teams from major conferences, you just play, not necessarily the team that year in and year out is the best team in the conference. It is what it is. I'm excited for our kids to be able to go play at a place like that."
Next game: The Buckeyes play host to Cincinnati next Saturday at noon. The Owls play Central Florida at home Saturday night.
Prediction: Ohio State 41, Florida Atlantic 13
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