:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67774879/1196603832.0.jpg)
Let’s just get right to it eh?
Biggest news of the Day...
The inevitable (imo) happened. Ohio State’s game against Maryland has been canceled after eight Terps tested positive for COVID-19.
NEWS: Maryland Football will pause all team-related activities due to an elevated number of COVID-19 cases within the program.
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) November 11, 2020
The Ohio State game scheduled for Saturday, November 14 has been canceled and will not be rescheduled. https://t.co/ZM4ZXL9Muo
Hindsight is 20/20, however OSU athletic director Gene Smith said the Buckeyes will stay on schedule with their practices as the season is not over and the CFP is still on the horizon.
I talked with @OSU_AD Gene Smith, and he pointed out that this was a reason he advocated for the Big Ten to start on Oct. 17 instead of the 24th. There's no opportunity now to adjust schedule because there are no open dates.
— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) November 11, 2020
Ohio State was still practicing as scheduled this afternoon despite Saturday's cancelation at Maryland. "They still have a lot of goals in front of them. I think they know that. The season's not over," athletic director Gene Smith told @brdispatch.
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) November 11, 2020
What does this mean for the Big Ten championship?
I’ll let the Bills explain...
Because if next week's game against Indiana is cancelled and all other games are played and IU doesn't lose, they'll have played one more game than OSU and get the East berth. https://t.co/0XmlzGKrrD
— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) November 11, 2020
Big Ten requires 6 games to be considered for the Big Ten Championship, unless the average number of conference games played falls below 6. Then you must play no less than two fewer games than the average (i.e. 4 games if the average is 6).
— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) November 11, 2020
Right now, the average is 7.5
Meanwhile, I’m over here like...
Luckily, we have people who are much smarter than I am on our writing staff, so if you want a full rundown of some answers you’re probably seeking in light of this news, Matt has you covered in his latest column.
Welp, poop nuggets. This weekend’s game against Maryland has been canceled. So, what does that mean for OSU’s CFP hopes? What about Fields’ Heisman campaign?
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) November 11, 2020
Honestly, who knows? Up is down. Black is white. Dogs and cats living together. It’s 2020. https://t.co/2TAyx77FyN
Okay, now, I feel the need to remind everyone that we’re talking about actual human beings (dare I say kids?) contracting a highly contagious, extremely serious (and sometimes deadly) virus. I think that sometimes this fact gets pushed aside in the midst of all of the disappointment that fans are experiencing because they don’t get to watch their favorite college football team play on Saturday. And quite frankly, our Saturday football-watching plans should be at the bottom of our priority list. Which brings me to...
The worst tweet of the day
It's unfortunate the programs with something to play for on the field and are handling their business off it are being punished by those who don't have anything to play for on the field and are careless off it.
— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) November 11, 2020
Let me preface this by saying that the notion that college kids (college! kids!) are at fault here is as tone deaf as it gets. Firstly, you think every single Ohio State player or staff member is “handling their business” off the field? Every single freshman? Every single walk-on? Every single intern?
Secondly, who’s to say these players got it by being “careless”? All it takes is ONE player to contract the virus at the grocery store, at the bank, at the pharmacy, from a food delivery guy.
I've seen this on Twitter from Ohio State fans and let me be the first to remind everyone: Just because a person caught a highly-contagious virus doesn't mean that person has been careless.
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) November 11, 2020
Thirdly, Maryland is 2-1 with a second year head coach coming off of victories over both Minnesota and Penn State, and saying that these players have nothing to play for in general — positive tests and winning record aside — is exactly why people hate Ohio State fans (and not in the fun “Ohio Against the World” kind of way) and I’d like to think that the vast majority of fans aren’t actually this out of touch. Now it’s time for...
The second worst tweet of the day
In all his glory, Sir Yacht has resurfaced.
Ohio State and Alabama football programs have discussed a possible game this Saturday, per source.
— Sir Yacht (@SirYacht) November 11, 2020
It has many obstacles including B1G and SEC commissioners approving the game, and they would never admit it if it does not happen.
Friendly reminder that he’s like 0-47 in his rumors coming true. Here’s a credible reporter explaining why this one won’t either...
Ohio State-Alabama is fun. Perhaps even more fun than Nebraska-Chattanooga! But it's not happening. https://t.co/YBpHKxFwSR
— Colin Hass-Hill (@chasshill) November 11, 2020
Speaking of Alabama...
Four SEC games will not be played this weekend
Georgia at Missouri has been postponed due to COVID-19.
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 11, 2020
The following SEC games will not be played this weekend:
#1 Alabama vs LSU
#5 Texas A&M vs Tennessee
#12 Georgia at Missouri
#24 Auburn vs Mississippi State pic.twitter.com/8fG6vuspnN
So...the college football playoff?
The total is now 8 games canceled or postponed across major college football this week and more than 50 since late August, according to AP News. As if the committee’s job wasn’t hard enough, it’s safe to say the College Football Playoff race just got a little more tricky.
Live look at the CFP race as games get canceled/postponed pic.twitter.com/S2To8hdYwY
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 11, 2020
Honestly though, it’s 2020 and nothing would surprise me anymore.
With each passing day we inch closer to the Indiana-Cincinnati-BYU-Coastal Carolina playoff of our dreams
— patrick mayhorn (@patrick_mayhorn) November 11, 2020