'You used to go play for the Ohio State logo': ESPN GameDay hosts discuss bowl game opt outs

ESPN College GameDay was live from the Rose Bowl on Saturday as the Ohio State Buckeyes were set to play the Pac-12 champion Utah Utes at 5 p.m. in Pasadena, California.

The show's set was inside the famous stadium as Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, David Pollack and Kirk Herbstreit recapped the New Year's Eve College Football Playoff games the night before.

After Michigan was throttled by Georgia 34-11 in the Orange Bowl, Davis said Ohio State was probably better suited to play Georgia, and Alabama, style wise. The show then touched on subjects such as opting out of bowl games, which is something that has impacted Ohio State.

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"Why play?" said a passionate Kirk Herbstreit. "What's the difference between the bowl game not mattering and the Akron game? Why does the Akron game matter?"

Herbstreit later wondered if the younger generation even cares about historic venues such as Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field and Madison Square Garden.

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Pollack said there has been a mindset change in college football players.

"You used to go play for the Ohio State logo," Pollack said to Herbstreit. "And it meant a lot. ... I don't know if the players, necessarily, means as much to play for their school."

Ohio State coach Ryan Day didn't seem too worried about the opt-outs of receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson when he met with GameDay reporters later in the show.

"What a great opportunity for (receivers) Julian Fleming, Marvin Harrison, Emeka Egbuka, to come in and play really, really well and step up," Day said. "This game, we really want to send off the seniors the right way, but also build momentum for the younger guys."

How Ohio State made the Rose Bowl: The 2021 schedule

• Sept. 2: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31

• Sept. 11: Oregon 35, Ohio State 28

• Sept. 18: Ohio State 41, Tulsa 20

• Sept. 25: Ohio State 59, Akron 7

• Oct. 2: Ohio State 52, Rutgers 13

• Oct. 9: Ohio State 66, Maryland 17

• Oct. 23: Ohio State 54, Indiana 7

• Oct. 30: Ohio State 33, Penn State 24

• Nov. 6: Ohio State 26, Nebraska 17

• Nov. 13: Ohio State 59, Purdue 31

• Nov. 20: Ohio State 56, Michigan State 7

• Nov. 27: Michigan 42, Ohio State 27

• Jan. 1: Ohio State vs. Utah, Rose Bowl

Ohio State football schedule 2022

Here is what next season looks like for the Buckeyes.

• Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Sept. 3 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Arkansas State, Sept. 10 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Toledo, Sept. 17 in Columbus

• Michigan State vs. Ohio State, Sept. 24 in East Lansing

• Penn State vs. Ohio State, Oct. 1 in State College, Pa.

• Ohio State vs. Rutgers, Oct. 8 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Iowa, Oct. 15 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Indiana, Oct. 29 in Columbus

• Northwestern vs. Ohio State, Nov. 5 in Evanston, Ill.

• Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 12 in Columbus

• Maryland vs. Ohio State, Nov. 19 in College Park, Md.

• Ohio State vs. Michigan, Nov. 26 in Columbus

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN on Ohio State football Rose Bowl opt outs