Buckeye Bits: Ohio State turns its attention to the B1G title game

Not gonna lie, this one stings a little.

I wax vaguely poetic about the loss of the Michigan a little bit further down, but in short, this is just the shitty cherry on one awful sundae of suckatude that is the year 2020.

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From Ryan Day’s Radio Show...

On Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s weekly radio show on Thursday, he said that the announcement of The Game’s cancelation was another disappointing turn in the 2020 season. He said, “I’m tired of giving the team bad news. It was another one of those days.”

However, despite the disappointment, the team immediately turned its attention to the next official task at hand, the Big Ten Championship Game. Their preparations will include the team watching this Saturday’s Northwestern-Illinois game together — although socially distanced — at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Later on in the show, OSU’s Assistant AD for Football Sports Performance Mickey Marotti said that he changed the Michigan game countdown clock while the team was in a meeting, and he thinks that he might have encouraged some seniors to come back for another year in doing so. We can only hope, Mick, we can only hope.

In a similar vein, Day said, “Careers are made, legends are born. That’s really what this game means to a lot of people.”

In discussing who would be eligible to return for the next game, Day confirmed that all coaches who missed the Michigan State contest — himself included — would be back on the field for the B1G title game, and that he is hoping that all players will be cleared to return as well. Of course, he cautioned, this would also require that no one else tests positive in the meantime.

Day conceded that it is not likely that Justin Fields will be able to win the Heisman Trophy this season, given that they will only be playing six games before the voting takes place. However, he did reiterate that he believes that his quarterback is the best in the country, and I, for one, am ready for him to prove it in the College Football Playoff.

The head coach also heaped praise on the man who helmed the program in his stead. Of Larry Johnson, Day said, “It was great to see him get a little Gatorade bath and to see him dancing in the locker room.”

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From around the Woody...

A year without Ohio State vs. Michigan, and the future of the rivalry (paywall)

Bill Landis, The Athletic

To think that there will be practically two full years between Ohio State-Michigan games boggles the mind. There is so much hype, focus, and tradition centered on The Game, it feels like a little part of who we are was taken away with this week’s cancelation. In a year in which we have all lost so much — individually and collectively — a football game pales in comparison to the real life tragedies that so many have suffered, but this is a very micro-microcosm of what our country has been through in 2020.

Something that millions care about is seemingly just within arms reach, only to be kept at a frustrating distance. Something that means so much in normal times, only to have its value stripped when put into a larger context.

Hopefully not only will The Game, but also some semblance of normal life, be back in 2021.

Taking a look at the last time Ohio State played a five-game season

Marcus Horton, Rivals

This is a really cool look back at the last time OSU had such a short regular season. In fact, it was so long ago that it looks like they were wearing baseball uniforms in their team picture.

Those Buckeye Football Guys Is Smart

Drue Chrisman, Gavin Cupp, and Luke Farrell all became four-time honorees, while Tuf Borland, Jake Hausmann, Bradley Robinson, Mitch Rossi, and Pete Werner were all three-time honorees. Ryan Day said that, as a whole, the team finished with a 3.0 GPA last semester. I guess Michigan isn’t the only ones who can have smarty pants football players.

Buckeyes sought Saturday game but ultimately opted to sit the weekend out

Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch

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From around the sporting world...

Adjust your schedules accordingly

Obviously the B1G Title game was going to take precedent, but this was still going to be frustrating to not get to watch both, so thank you CBS for doing the right thing (and by right thing, I mean the thing that both makes me happy and you more money).

Jeff Hafley announces that Boston College will not attend a bowl to allow players to spend holiday with families.

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And now for something completely different...