Wisconsin game a return home for Ohio State center Carson Hinzman

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As Ohio State heads to Wisconsin for a game Saturday, center Carson Hinzman will be returning home.

Normally, fans won’t hear his name called during games, which is exactly what he wants.

“Every birthday, my mom would paint something on the windows, and she’d paint Bucky Badger ... and we'd do dress up," Hinzman said. "And I'd dress up as a Wisconsin Badgers fan. My whole life, I always carried around a Wisconsin lunch pail, like until I graduated high school. I mean, everything I had was Badgers my whole life.”

Coach Ryan Day spoke highly of the Wisconsin transplant.

“He's become an excellent football player, and ... he's playing with great confidence,” Day said. “He keeps everybody together up front. And, you know, I thought he's held some of the environments he played in well so far. We're going to need him here. I know he's excited to go back to his home state and play well.”

Hinzman said he’s 1-1 at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium, with a win two years ago as a Buckeye and then a loss in a high school state championship game.

He also tried to commit to Wisconsin, but he called late at night. No one answered and then, by the next day, when the call was returned, he felt different and ended up at Ohio State.  

INJURY REPORT: There’s good news for the Ohio State defense as Lorenzo Styles and Eddrick Houston work their way back onto the field. Day said they’re ready to go. Both players were out this past week against Illinois. Styles starts at nickelback, and Houston rotates up front on the line.