In almost every presidential election, Ohio is the trump card (no pun intended). Since 1896, Ohio has voted on the winning side of the ticket 28 of 30 times, more than any other state.
Hillary Clinton hasn't won the Democratic nomination yet, but a rather important member of her campaign team spent some time in Ohio this week. Her husband, former president Bill Clinton, appeared at Ohio State football practice Thursday.
He posed for pictures with Heisman Trophy hopeful Ezekiel Elliott and Buckeyes fans.
President Bill Clinton came by practice today! #Zeke4Heisman! #GoBucks! #TheGrindNEVERStops @EzekielElliott pic.twitter.com/D8MH7W09LB
— Ambassador Elliott (@stacy_elliott) November 19, 2015
Thought today was gonna be a normal day...Ended up meeting @billclinton #goamerica
— Sean Nuernberger (@Sean4Heisman1) November 19, 2015
According to a team spokesperson, Clinton was in Columbus to deliver a speech at the Mershon Auditorium on Ohio State's campus. He caught 20 minutes of practice (and received a pretty sweet fleece) after the speech.
The defending champion Buckeyes are 10-0 and have not lost since Sept. 6, 2014. However, the No. 3 Buckeyes meet their first ranked opponent of the season, No. 9 Michigan State, at home this Saturday. College GameDay is in Columbus for the mega-matchup.
In all likelihood, the Buckeyes will follow with another ranked opponent next week, No. 12 Michigan, in Ann Arbor, before a potential Big Ten Title Game matchup with No. 5 Iowa. If Ohio State keeps winning, more ranked opponents await in the College Football Playoff. For the Buckeyes, the real part of the season is now.
Before the big showdown, Ohio State got some advice from a man who faced his toughest challenges at the end of his tenure in office.
Clinton has a prestigious academic resumé, studying at Georgetown, Oxford and Yale. However, none of those institutions has an FBS program. Hillary went to Wellesley and Yale, so she too does not have any FBS affinity.
The Clintons have to watch themselves. Michigan is also a battleground state, and one way to lose the maize and blue is to wear scarlet and gray.
Meanwhile, Elliott and Ohio State have had quite the run of presidential encounters, meeting President Barack Obama this year on a post-National Championship trip to the White House.
