Is Bryce Harper an Ohio State fan? Exploring Philadelphia star's connection with Buckeyes

Bryce Harper, the star first baseman and right fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies in the MLB, joined Big Noon Kickoff today ahead of the start of the Ohio State vs Nebraska game.

Although he is a native of Las Vegas, went to the College of Southern Nevada, and now plays in Philadelphia, he is not shy about his Ohio State fandom.

Harper has not always been a fan of Ohio State but has been for over a decade. The credit for his fandom goes to his wife, Kayla Varner.

What is Bryce Harper's connection with Ohio State?

Harper's appearance on Big Noon Kickoff is not the first time he has appeared publicly at Ohio State games. He has appeared sporadically for several years, including as the College GameDay guest picker in 2018 for a game between Ohio State and Michigan.

His connection to Ohio State comes from his wife, who attended school and played soccer there. She started her college soccer career at Bringham Young University in 2011 and 2012 before transferring to Ohio State University for her junior year. She was on the varsity soccer team from 2013 until 2015 when she graduated.

Bryce Harper and his wife were high school sweethearts, and as a result, he supported her throughout her college soccer career. Since then, he has been a fan of Ohio State.

The couple got married in 2016 and have been happily married since then. They were initially scheduled to be married in January 2015, but the couple had a short breakup before reconciling in the second half of 2015.

Did Bryce Harper's wife go to Ohio State?

Yes, Bryce Harper's wife attended Ohio State from 2013 to 2015. She played on the soccer team while she attended the school, so that was when Harper became a fan of the school and its athletics program. Harper spoke about his Ohio State fandom in 2023 on a Big Ten Network show:

"She's the real Buckeye. I'm just kind of honorary. But I love this team, I love this university, and I'm all about it."

Harper also talked about how loud and excited he can get during games.

"I'm the lunatic. I sit on the couch and I go nuts. But I love this team. I love the way they fight. I love the way they go about it."

While Harper is making his appearance on Big Noon Kickoff today, his teammate Kyle Schwarber will be the celebrity guest picker on College GameDay before the Indiana vs Washington game.