Jim Lachey won‘t be on the call of this weekend’s Ohio State/Michigan game – for a good reason.
The longtime color commentator on Ohio State’s radio broadcasts will miss his first game since the start of the 1997 season. Instead, he will be at Iowa to attend his son’s Senior Day game against Nebraska.
Former Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who co-hosts Morning Juice on 97.1 The Fan, will fill in for Lachey on the Ohio State broadcast of The Game.
Lachey’s absence from Saturday’s broadcast will snap a streak of 357 consecutive game broadcasts for the former Ohio State offensive lineman.
“Obviously my heart pulls me both directions, but for the good of my family, I gotta go see Luke and be a parent for this weekend and get a chance to walk out there with my wife Ann and it'll be Luke's final (home game at Iowa) Friday night,” Lachey said during Ohio State’s postgame show on Saturday. “I wish it was a noon start (on Friday), but it's not, it's a night game against Nebraska. But I'm excited ... It's gonna be special. The whole family's gonna be there. It'll be a lot of fun.”
Lachey’s son, Luke, is a fifth-year senior tight end at Iowa. A captain for the Hawkeyes this season, Lachey has caught 25 passes for 218 yards this year.
Iowa’s Senior Day game against Nebraska will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday (NBC). Ohio State’s rivalry game against Michigan is scheduled for a noon kickoff at Ohio Stadium on Saturday and will be televised on FOX with Ohio State’s radio broadcast airing on 97.1 The Fan and radio stations across the state of Ohio.
