Ohio State will be eligible for the Big Ten championship game after all.
Per multiple reports, the Big Ten is expected to vote and change its six-game minimum rule which will pave the way for the Buckeyes to play Northwestern in the conference title game.
A vote comes one day after Saturday’s rivalry game between Ohio State and the University of Michigan was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak on Michigan’s team. Had the game been played, Michigan would have reportedly been without 45 players.
It marked the third game of the season that was canceled for Ohio State due to COVID-related reasons. They previously had to cancel a game against Illinois after an outbreak within their program and another game against Maryland was canceled due to an outbreak on the Terrapins roster.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said Tuesday afternoon that Ohio State shouldn't be punished for a decision made by the Big Ten before the season began -- and before the pandemic got worse. He said the Buckeyes deserve to be in the conference championship game.
"I don’t believe that anybody, Ohio State or any other team, should be punished because of decisions we made by looking at eight games and saying we (have to) play six, and not knowing the effects of what happens to their team because of what happens to (another) team," Manuel said.
Related
The Michigan cancellation left Ohio State, the No. 4 ranked team in the country, at 5-0 and one game shy of the six-game minimum needed to be played for the Big Ten title game. No. 12 Indiana, whose only loss came to the buckeyes, would have likely taken Ohio State’s place had this held.
Per Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel, Ohio State then would have played No. 16 Iowa on championship Saturday, unless the Hawkeyes lost to Wisconsin.
Not playing in the Big Ten championship would not have had much of an adverse effect on the team’s playoff chances as Iowa is ranked four spots lower than No. 12 Northwestern.
Ohio State will likely remain in the top four and eligible to compete in the College Football Playoff with a win over Northwestern.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram