Big Ten lets Buckeyes in title game
Keeping an eye on the world of sports during the pandemic:
The Big Ten dropped its six-game minimum requirement to qualify for the conference championship game Wednesday, clearing the way for No. 4 Ohio State to take on No. 14 Northwestern.
A Buckeyes win over the Wildcats would boost their chances to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes (5-0) will try for their fifth straight conference title when they face the Wildcats (5-1) in Indianapolis on Dec. 19. Ohio State finished the regular season having played only five games because Michigan pulled out of Saturday’s scheduled matchup with COVID-19 issues.
Therule change hadto be approved by the Big Ten Conference Administrators Council, which includes athletic directors, senior women’s administrators and presidents from all 14 schools.
“The decision was based on a competitive analysis which determined that Ohio State would have advanced to the Big Ten football championship game based on its undefeated record and head-to-head victory over Indiana, regardless of a win or loss against Michigan,” the Big Ten said in a statement.
The conference determined before the season that teams would have to play six of their eight scheduled games to qualify for the championship game. Ohio State had three games canceled because of issues with the pandemic.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day suggested Tuesday that the conference’s six-game rule needed to be “looked at hard” to allow the Buckeyes in. He argued the rule was made early, before the pandemic caused delays and pauses that led to improvisational changes throughout the season.
The ACC made a similar decision recently, guaranteeing a league title game between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Clemson. Both teams are hoping for a CFP berth.
Alabama, ranked No. 1, will face No. 6 Florida in the SEC title game.
The Big Ten change was made at the expense of No. 12 Indiana (6-1), which would have gone to the title game if the rule had remained intact.