Ohio State is now dangerously close to being left out of the Big Ten Championship Game
The Ohio State Buckeyes game against the Illinois Illini was canceled Saturday due to more COVID-19 positive tests.
That means 2 Ohio State games have now been canceled, and the Big Ten rules say that if a team misses 3 games, it is not eligible for the conference championship game. If either of OSU’s remaining games against Michigan State (12/5) or Michigan (12/12) are canceled, the Buckeyes are out of the conference championship.
Ironically, the Buckeyes could still be eligible for the College Football Playoff despite not winning the Big Ten, but could a 5-0 Ohio State team make the Playoff?
Could the selection committee put the 5-0 Buckeyes in over a 2-loss Clemson (if the Tigers were to lose to Notre Dame again in the ACC Championship Game), a 2-loss Big 12 Champion or a 1-loss Texas A&M or Alabama (if Alabama were to lose to Florida in the SEC Championship Game)? How about an undefeated Cincinnati or the Pac-12 Champion?
2020 has brought chaos and mayhem to college football, but kudos to the sport for pushing through and playing this season anyway. Had the Big Ten started the season at the same time as the SEC, we wouldn’t have to worry about all this, but here we are.
One thing is for sure though — the Playoff Selection Committee will have its hands full this year finding the best 4 teams.
If they are not in the playoff, due to lack a of games, whoever wins will never receive the due credit.
True.
Can’t agree, there is nothing attractive or special about Ohio State. If Penn State, or Michigan, or Wisconsin couldn’t qualify for exactly the same reason, nobody would think it was fair, but after about 5 seconds of considering that, nobody would care. Because there’s no such thing as a football play-off where the participant get there like homecoming queen candidates.
There would not be a story written in the next 100 years that wouldn’t mention that undefeated OSU with one of the favored Heisman Trophy candidates didn’t play due to the Virus. You fooling yourself if you think otherwise.
If a 5 win team is in the playoffs it’s time to blow the whole thing up. That means every 5 win team in the country would be in the playoffs. At this point conference championships only no bowls or playoffs.This
With oregon losing yesterday and usc’s game cancelled, the pac-12 essentially lost any slim hope they had for an entry into the top 4. so, that leaves the possibility of 2 teams from the acc, 2 teams from the sec, the big 10’s best and i can’t believe i’m saying this, but cincy.
if osu loses, the fun debate will be whether a 1-loss nd team gets in over osu, an undefeated nw and/or an undefeated cincy. will the public side that it’d be an all-southern nat’l champ as there will be 2 acc and 2 sec teams, or will they acknowledge nd’s obvious roots from the midwest?
So you could be the fake National Champion…. but not your real Conference Champion. Sure, everyone is going to believe that title is legit, no they’re not.
The Playoff Committee will find some way to include Ohio State in this COVID year in which it seems there are “few hard rules”.
If Ohio St misses one more game they would not be eligible for the Big 10 Championship game. The Big Ten also implmented that if any player tests positive they are ineligible for. twenty one. That is three weeks meaning more than likely Ohio St will miss next weeks game. I don’t feel the Big 10 should be rewarded because they for 1. Said they were canceling the season thinking they were goi g to be the first conference to cancel the season along with the Pac 12. Trying to get the upper hand over all the other big confrences like they were going to be some type of hero’s thinking the SEC and ACC would follow suitin which they didn’t. Then the Big 10 waits until November to start its season . the Big 10 blew this out their @$$ and shouldn’t be rewarded for it.
B1G will change the rule to get OSU in the B1G Championship Game.