/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68487769/1182122116.0.jpg)
Things were going so good, weren’t they? The Big Ten decided they would let it’s schools play football, Justin Fields was about as perfect as you can get (aside from the fluke that was the Indiana game), Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave could not be stopped, Haskell Garrett was exceeding everyone’s expectations after getting shot in the face a few months ago, Michigan and Penn State were each racing to see who could be the worst football program in the conference. I mean, all things considered, especially after all that Big Ten drama in the preseason, and despite a couple games getting canceled, these last few months have been alright— hell, they’ve actually been pretty fun— for Ohio State.
Until now! When all of our rivalry week anticipation and traditions came to a screeching halt after Michigan decided it was in no position to play football this Saturday due to their COVID-19 situation.
While The Greatest Rivalry in All of Sports being canceled is a huge bummer, the real problem is the fact that Ohio State fell victim to the Big Ten’s nonsensical rule that teams who play less than six games are not eligible to play in the conference championship.
Well, today we found out that the ones who made the nonsensical rule...agrees that it’s nonsensical.
Is the Big Ten likely to stick to it's originally agreed upon Championship rules for this season? pic.twitter.com/cixEwhJYnD
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 9, 2020
First reported by Yahoo’s Pete Thamel, the Big Ten has officially waived its six-game eligibility requirement, meaning the 5-0 Buckeyes, who missed games between Maryland, Illinois and Michigan, are headed to Indy on Dec. 19 to take on the Northwestern Wildcats for the title.
The Big Ten has changed its policy that teams must play a minimum of six games to five games in order to be eligible for the conference championship game, per @ByPatForde pic.twitter.com/dR8tVHrHUk
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 9, 2020
“Because Ohio State is undefeated and already has a head-to-head win over one-loss Indiana, and every other team in the Big Ten East has lost at least two games, the Buckeyes will represent the East division in the conference title game for the fourth year in a row even if they don’t play this weekend or lose to a yet-to-be-scheduled opponent,” writes Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors.
“...As the Big Ten’s only remaining College Football Playoff contender, though, Ohio State has more to gain by playing in the conference championship game than anyone else. Had the Buckeyes been left out, the conference championship game would have been without the team widely considered to be conference’s best, all the while punishing Ohio State for failing to meet an arbitrary benchmark – albeit one that had been in place all season – while being the only team in the conference to have two separate games canceled by its opponents.”
That’s that on that. However, our own Matt Tamanini brought up a good point in his column last week saying that the Big Ten should have to reap what they sow. You made a shitty rule, you should have to suffer the consequences. I definitely see both sides. (Most people do not, according to the warzone that is my Twitter feed)
To make things even more complicated (or does it make it less complicated? I can’t keep up), another rivalry game was canceled in the Big Ten.
Purdue and Indiana have mutually agreed to cancel Saturday’s scheduled football game.
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) December 9, 2020
Like I said, if you need a mental health break, take the night off from Twitter. There’s a whole lot of bad takes and opinions floating around, one of the worst being this one from Peter Burns.
This is ridiculous.
— Austin Ward (@AWardSports) December 9, 2020
If Northwestern didn't want to play Illinois, I can promise you Ohio State would gladly take its place. The Buckeyes want to play, period. https://t.co/DCay0oiAAq
And I know the end game here is to get to the College Football Playoff (and obviously the championship) but like... in the grand scheme of things, is that really what we want? Sure, we’ve seen some major bright spots on this Buckeye team, but we’ve also seen a whole lot of concerns— especially in areas that Alabama’s receivers and Trevor Lawrence will walk all over.
Especially this year, without the advantages of spring practice, normal summer workouts & a traditional fall camp.
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) December 9, 2020
This OSU team desperately needed the game reps to figure things out and get guys ready to compete for a title.
Unfortunately, they didn't get that opportunity. https://t.co/MNHeQAhHCK
In other news, Ryan Day felt like he let people down when he tested positive for COVID-19. (He didn’t, of course, but this is such a Ryan-Day thing to say, no?)
This got lost in the shuffle of breaking news yesterday, but Ohio State football coach Ryan Day opened up about his emotional reaction following a positive test for COVID-19. https://t.co/b8ThhdEkuc
— Nathan Baird (@nwbaird) December 9, 2020
Much deserved for the best recruiter/wide receiver coach in the country.
Ohio State WR coach @brianhartline has been nominated for the Broyles Award, given to college football's top assistant coach.
— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) December 9, 2020
So what you’re saying is....this is good?
For context: Trevor Lawrence finished his recruiting cycle with a 0.9999 composite rating. Justin Fields finished with a 0.9998. Terrelle Pryor, the previously highest-rated Ohio State signee out of high school, was a 0.9997.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 9, 2020
Vince Young is the only QB to finish with a 1.000. https://t.co/XbLRIww5dd
Can someone tell me what the Jaguars’ O-line is like? If Fields has a Joe Burrow-esque experience I’m going to lose my ever-loving mind.
PFF'S NEW MOCK DRAFT SIMULATOR IS LIVE
— PFF (@PFF) December 9, 2020
✅ Draft grades
✅ Team trades
✅ Prospect player grades
✅ Editable draft order
✅ Adjustable settings for speed, draft tendencies, and randomness
Draft for free ➡️ https://t.co/YXqHIJgiyj pic.twitter.com/oEkeoHQdpD
As we said several months ago, Ohio State is lucky to have gotten a guy like Seth Towns.
Ohio State's Seth Towns kneeled before Tuesday's game to protest his friend's killing in a police shooting.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 9, 2020
According to a CNN report, federal officials are investigating the death of Casey Goodson, Towns' friend, who was shot by a sheriff's deputy. https://t.co/Gcvn16cBWp pic.twitter.com/zHIWCpgJsh
This is important.
A thing I learned today: #Chargers OL Forrest Lamp has an endorsement deal with Lamp Plus, a lamp company. And this is his first signature lamp, called the Forrest Sequoia. A forest lamp from Forrest Lamp. pic.twitter.com/qRT2DdPJAt
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) December 9, 2020