If you're an Ohio State football player, there's a good chance you'll get to break in the New Year in a different city than Columbus. A program steeped in a tradition of winning and winning big usually means the team competes in an upper-tier bowl game every season.
Urban Meyer's 2015 club is no exception. A year after visiting New Orleans and then Dallas for the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff National Championship Game in successive weeks, the Buckeyes are set to head to Arizona Sunday for the Fiesta Bowl and a New Year's Day date with Notre Dame.
"Two legendary programs," Meyer said Dec. 6. "A great bowl game. I've personally been there, I know Ohio State has a great tradition there too. I'm very excited and do our best to play well."
The matchup between the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish on paper is a television executive's dream. A pair of longstanding programs with a slew of national titles and Heisman Trophy winners battling on the first day of a new year and slotted in the midday slot at 1 p.m. It has the potential to turn in monster ratings on the heels of two of the most passionate fan bases in the country.
The players feel that, too.
"Based on the simple fact that we are playing Notre Dame and I think that things that people are thinking about is our fan base and we are both big and with that it is going to be anticipated and it is going to be a highly watched game," Buckeye quarterback J.T. Barrett said Dec. 17. "I think that is keeping our guys going … This might be watched more than one of the Playoff games."
No. 1 Clemson takes on No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl and No. 2 Alabama battles No. 3 Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl New Year's Eve as part of the second-ever College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes enjoyed trips to Bourbon Street and then Dallas a year ago, eventually winning the national title.
There's no national title on the line this season, but spending a week in sunny Arizona isn't a bad consolation prize.
"Having fun is a big part of it," senior captain and linebacker Joshua Perry said. "You can’t go down there and just be tight the whole time because obviously you’ve wasted an opportunity in a new city to enjoy yourself but being uptight for that long is just not gonna be good."
Much of Ohio State roster has never been to Arizona—not a single player on it, or Notre Dame's roster, is from the state. The Buckeyes haven't played in the Fiesta Bowl since 2006, so this group intends to enjoy its time there like it did last year during the Playoff.
When its time to work and prepare for the game, though, personal enjoyment goes out the window.
“You go out there, you're supposed to have fun. Last year, during our national championship run, we had a lot of fun. But when it was time to lock in, I think the guys did a good job of locking in and focusing in on the game.”– Raekwon McMillan
"You go out there, you're supposed to have fun. Last year, during our national championship run, we had a lot of fun," middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan said. "But when it was time to lock in, I think the guys did a good job of locking in and focusing in on the game."
Added All-American defensive end Joey Bosa: "It's all business to go and win this game, but we’re going to be laid back like we were last year visiting the cities we went to and just experiencing the whole atmosphere and everything that goes along with the bowl. I’ve never been to Arizona so it’ll be cool to visit there."
Bowl trips are meant to be fun. Many players might never get another shot to visit the location they'll play the final game of their season. Not everyone makes it to the NFL.
University of Phoenix Stadium is an NFL venue, used by the Arizona Cardinals. Glendale, Arizona, is no New Orleans or Dallas, but spending a week there to sure up final preparations for the game isn't the worst thing in the world.
Spending so much time in a city before you lace up and play might be the biggest difference players have to face. This isn't your typical road game, where teams travel the day before a game.
"It is extremely different," Perry said. "When we’re playing in a regular away game we leave the day before the game and we get in and then we get out."
Temptations will be everywhere—it is up to the players and coaches to avoid indulging too much and remained focused on the task at hand: Finishing their season in victory.
"There’s that balance you have to find. Guys can’t be out all night," Perry said. "We’re gonna have curfew and everything. Especially leading up to the game guys know, closer it gets to game time the more serious you have to be."
