Everyone knows that one of the best parts of a sports fan’s life is discussing and analyzing the most important (and least important) issues in the world of sports with your friends. So we bring that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Crazy.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL employees will take different sides on an issue and passionately share their opinions. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s crazy.

Today’s question: What in 2023 State of Ohio Football game are you most looking forward to this season?

Jamis Take: Wisconsin

The Buckeyes have a tough schedule in the back half of their season, with Penn State, Wisconsin on the road, Minnesota and a trip to Ann Arbor to hopefully save those pesky Wolverines from three straight wins.

Well, I’m not going to pick the Michigan game as the one I’m most looking forward to, partly because it feels like low-hanging fruit and partly because I can’t say I’m looking forward to it as much as I do lose sleep over it.

Instead, I’m excited to see the Buckeyes move to Camp Randall to face the Badgers.

The Badgers will be midway through their freshman season under new head coach Luke Fickell, a man no stranger to Buckeye Nation. After his six-year run at the University of Cincinnati, he has returned to the Big Ten at the helm of a team with brand-new hires and offseason momentum that included picking up a string of high-value transfers from the portal.

Both teams could very realistically be undefeated when they meet at Camp Randall in late October, and Fickell knows how to set the Badgers up for the Buckeye team. Add to that the fact that Camp Randall is a notoriously difficult place to play, and we got ourselves a football game.

I don’t like losing and I know this game could very realistically end in Wisconsin’s favour. But I’m looking forward to it because the Fickell matchup is a great story, the football is sure to be top-notch, the energy at Camp Randall will be downright electric, and this is exactly the kind of challenge the Buckeyes need before heading to Ann Arbor drive.

This is the game where you see what you’re made of. Were they able to fill absolutely critical gaps in their secondary education? How has our starting quarterback settled in and how will they handle the pressure of a big game like this? Can the team keep their composure during a tough street matchup?

This fight against Wisconsin will be tough and provide opportunities for a post-season critical analysis of this team’s potential.

Am I even concerned about this game’s potential to be the Alabama-Tennessee matchup of 2023? Yes absolutely. After years of struggling with inconsistencies on offense, this Wisconsin team is fresh.

Tanner Mordecai, the former SMU quarterback the Badgers snapped via the portal, is expected to be QB1 (although they have depth at that position, with former Oklahoma QB Nick Evers as a likely replacement). Mordecai will use up his final year of eligibility, and that experience could potentially work against the Buckeyes, whose starter will be a little greener. Fickell has discussed his plan to bring this offense up to date and Mordechai could certainly be the man for the job.

The Badgers also have an experienced running back space, which brings with it the potential for a monster of a rush game for the Buckeyes (a test of their defense if I’ve ever seen one).

And then there’s the question of how will our Buckeye offense hold up against Wisconsin’s defense?

All of that remains to be seen on the field, but I’m excited for the possibility of the Buckeyes getting a real test — and hopefully a real, hard-fought win in Madison. Is it a perfect indicator of how the rest of the season will go? Certainly not. But at least we’ll get exciting football, and at best we’ll build on the momentum and go to Ann Arbor a few weeks later.

Matt’s take: Indiana

Will the Ohio State vs. Indiana Hoosiers game be the game I’m most looking forward to over the course of the 2023 football season? Almost certainly not, but as we sit here on Wednesday, March 22nd in the year of our Lord (Woody Hayes) 2023, the season opener against Tom Allen’s roster, scheduled for 164 days from Bloomington, Indiana, is absolutely that, what i want i’m in the best mood.

With all the hype surrounding spring football, profit days and the upcoming NFL Draft, it gets my football juices flowing now that the disappointing men’s basketball season is over. While dreaming of a nine-windiana this season seems hard to imagine, just seeing what the new version of the Buckeyes look like is enough to pump me up.

Not only does Ryan Day have to agree on a new starting quarterback, but the game against the Hoosiers will be the first time we’ll see the reconfigured offensive line, Jack Sawyer finally playing a true defensive end, and hopefully a much-improved cornerback -room has .

There’s just something very special about the season opener, it’s the culmination of eight months of anticipation, apprehension, excitement, fear and hype, and in a place like Ohio State it could be the start of a historic streak any year. Will Indiana be good this year? Honestly, I have no idea, but they probably won’t be the best team the Buckeyes face this season. But who cares? It’s the first game of the year and I’m already counting the days.

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