Big 10 expected to change game rules allowing OSU to play in B1G championship.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:52 PM ^
Nah, Michigan and MSU are both 2-4 but MSU has the head-to-head win.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:24 PM ^
Honestly, I would actually rather see MSU go to the game if that is what the "rules" being followed brings. The Big Ten gets embarrassed(again), OSU gets fucked(for once) and the worst that happens is MSU "wins" the B1G championship and we get to LOL at Sparty claiming Mel Tucker won a B1G Championship his first year!
December 9th, 2020 at 2:30 PM ^
The fact that you don't change the rules in the middle is part of what makes sports sports. If you don't like the outcome and you change the rules during the competition, what you've got is Who's Line Is It Anyway.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
It would be shocking if they didn't change it to get OSU in. We all knew this would happen if OSU (or anyone else) had a CFP spot on the line
December 9th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
I'm rather...ambivalent?...about this news.
I mean, on the one hand, rules (as arbitrary as they were, and are) are rules, and if I'm Indiana (or even to a lesser extent, NW), I'm pissed. A Big 10 championship trophy in football is a rather damn rare thing in the hallowed Hoosier (or Wildcat) halls.
On the other hand, well, it's not like Indiana didn't have a shot at OSU. Right? And is there really any doubt which team is the best in the East?
Either way, whether OSU was gonna go to the B1G game or not, they were gonna go to the playoffs.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:37 PM ^
There's been a lot of pointless handwringing over this scenario. The initial rule, like most things the Big Ten has done this year, was dumb, pointless, and not thought out at all.
Ohio State has beaten every team in the East except the two that cancelled games on them -- Maryland and Michigan. That INCLUDES Indiana, far and away the second best team in the East.
So to keep Ohio State out of the championship game and put in a team they beat on some sort of technicality is dumb. Even if Ohio State had played Michigan this weekend, or winds up playing Maryland and they lost, they STILL go to the Big Ten title game because they own the tiebreaker over Indiana.
So to say if you play this weekend and lose, you're in! While also saying if you can't play you're out is some next level dumb ass shit.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:40 PM ^
I mean, I really can't disagree here. The initial rule was, indeed, stupid, and OSU has shown on the field (pretty much) that they are the best team in the B10 East. All due respect to the Terps, but...
All that said? If I'm Indiana, I'm still pissed off right now. And I think they kinda have a right to be. Were I an Indiana fan, well...
December 9th, 2020 at 1:18 PM ^
So make OSU publicly forfeit the game with U of M. That makes them 5-1 and eligible for the conference title game.
/S. You make excellent points and I agree with them. I’m laughing in my kn95 at the thought of OSU having to forfeit to M.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:34 PM ^
HAHAHA...now that's a scenario I can get behind.
December 9th, 2020 at 6:53 PM ^
We cancelled. Why would the forfeit?
December 9th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
As they should, the B1G already fucked things up by canceling early and then realizing how dumb that was; as much as I hate osu, they need to represent in B1G title game, they beat IU. This is the right call. Minimum games in a shortened season was stupid to begin with.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
Exactly. The dumbasses in the B1G offices didn't think this out. And let's face it, OSU is the best team
December 9th, 2020 at 12:35 PM ^
Pulling for a NW win.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:35 PM ^
I would have bet the deed to my house on this happening. Anyone who didn't expect this is incredibly naive.
Time to listen to a week of the sports media acting like NW is the 86 Bears so they can be amazed when Ohio State beats them by 40 pts.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
Just have a min tournament. E1 vs W2 and vice versa. Whoever wins will add wins over two top 15ish or better teams and have a better playoff case regardless of who it is.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:37 PM ^
Such a solution would make sense. Hence, the B10 won't do it.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:37 PM ^
Should at least buy Indiana a nice dinner before screwing them over like that.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:23 PM ^
Ryan Day was smoking his post-coital cigarette as you typed that.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:30 PM ^
Indiana was NOT screwed over. They had their chance and lost against Ohio State. Like it or not the purpose is to have the 2 best teams in each division play and that is Northwestern and Ohio State.
Indy is without Penix and keep in mind, Indy is lucky to only have 1 loss. They should have lost that game against Penn State. Penix was down/Out of Bounds before the ball broke the plane..
December 9th, 2020 at 2:54 PM ^
Not buying what you're selling. It was a close loss on the road for Indiana. Play it in Bloomington who knows?
December 9th, 2020 at 3:50 PM ^
Not buying the close game, Fields for the first time ever decided to play hero ball and threw 3 terrific interceptions.
OSU had the game in hand. Don't pretend IU is all that.
NW shouldn't be pissed about anything either, joining JH with loses to Mel Tucker.
December 9th, 2020 at 3:20 PM ^
The rules, as set out at the start of the season and agreed to by all parties (including osu), suggest differently.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:38 PM ^
Well, its the right thing to do. No point in punishing the Ohio State players for something completely out of their control. Sure, I hope they get clobbered if they make it into the playoffs but I'm not going to sit here and try to make the case that this is the wrong approach for the Big Ten to take.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:41 PM ^
It's not a punishment to comply with rules.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:53 PM ^
The rule in July was set that nobody in the conference was going to play a game this year. It got changed. The term "fluid" has been thrown around repeatedly about the rules and regulations that were set 4 months ago when they re-instated the season. Some people tend to ignore that the rules have been changing all year.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:39 PM ^
What bullshit
December 9th, 2020 at 12:40 PM ^
It's the right thing to do. They are the best team in the conference. Every single athletic department in the Big Ten needs them in the College Football Playoff.
When you're the best at what you do, you get treated differently. Not too different than the real world.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
This has nothing to do with CFP - they have already shown that a conference championship (or even appearance) is not a requirement for getting a cfp invite. Osu can still play someone else next week (outside if the championship), win, and get a cfp invite at 6-0.
The league rules are meant to get the "best" team from each division - there is no eye test or judgment calls. It is simply who meets the rules to win the division. This is changing the rules because the team that was in line to win the division is not a sexy cfp candidate.
Late season hypocrisy just to strengthen ourselves playoff chances.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:59 PM ^
Dude c'mon. If OSU had forfeited a game instead of cancelling it, they would automatically in the title game.
And as far as "best" team from each division, well it's a good thing the top two teams in the East got to play each other and settle that on the field.
December 9th, 2020 at 3:25 PM ^
OSU canceled because of covid effects - the rest is simply details.
Head to head is only one part of the equation in any year (especially in a covid limited season such as this). The other factors matter - sometimes more... which includes the # of games played.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:50 PM ^
No it's not. All teams agreed to these rules so it should be followed. The only reason OSU should be put in and rules are broken is if IU is shut down and cannot play due to COVID.
Do you really believe the B10 would be voting if IU was 5-0 and OSU was 6-1 saying the rules should be changed to put Indiana in? No way they would.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
Well, I'll say this: if Indiana's COVID severity is anything like ours, well...this decision will be a much easier one to make.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
The teams agreed to the rule that was set this summer where no football would be played this fall, yet here we are having this discussion.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
A team shouldn't be punished because the conference made up such a dumb fucking rule. This conference continues to be a clusterfuck of embarrassment. We are in the middle of a goddamn pandemic and they think its a good idea to have a fucking minimum game tap to play for a conference title, total dumbass move. The common sense move would have to done what other conferences did and let it play out. This coming on the heels of canceling the season way before-hand, another clusterfuck of a move. Bottom line is no matter who agreed to it, it was a dumbass idea and shit changes all the time in this dumbass kind of year. Put the best teams in and figure out who the BEST is. Nobody in the fucking world wants to watch IU play Northwestern, the rest of the country doesn't need to see what kind of stupid ass conference the B1G is.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:13 PM ^
Correct. People are also glossing over that the 6 game rule was set to avoid having a team grab a couple wins, duck the strength of the conference and shut down for COVID, then turn around and be rewarded by being put in the championship. It was not set up to have the best team in the conference be left out of the championship because they didn't play the last game of the season. It wasn't set up to have the best team in the conference left out because they didn't lose a game.
December 9th, 2020 at 2:22 PM ^
Based on the rules that were agreed upon by OSU they should not be in the B10 championship. Its too bad for them in my opinion. They could have played the IL game like the AD said but decided not to. It's not like 3 teams were the ones who decided to cancel.
Let them play another team and be happy with a playoff birth.
December 9th, 2020 at 3:02 PM ^
Yeah, why bother following an agreement you made that a group of people tried to comply with. Jesus Christ, doesn't anyone think that the fact of agreement means anything? Why not just let OSU play regardless of their COVID numbers? I mean, those were just numbers in a stupid agreement.
Why should a team even try to keep it's COVID numbers low-- Michigan should've just let students do whatever the hell they want and shut down after playing MN, then declared themselves champion (UNDEFEATED BABY!).
December 9th, 2020 at 2:18 PM ^
If 5-0 Indiana beat OSU...absolutely!!! That would mean Indiana would be in line to cash the CFP check. Take OSU out of the scenario. If it were Maryland and Indiana in this situation with the same records and Maryland loss to an undefeated Indiana team. We all would say change the rule so Indiana rightfully goes to the championship game.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:40 PM ^
I mean, anyone who thought they would actually adhere to the rules initially laid out, if it came down to situations like the one which presents itself now, is clearly lying to themselves....
December 9th, 2020 at 1:28 PM ^
I think you are arguing in favor of the decision; but I'm not sure.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:40 PM ^
Looking forward to Northwestern beating the stuffing out of them boys
December 9th, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
This post won't age well.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
Probably... but osu was supposed to beat IU at home by 20+ pts also - yet almost went to OT. Things happen.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
Plus as we know: Michigan would've won
December 9th, 2020 at 12:40 PM ^
Make them play Cincinnati.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
Cincinnati, unfortunately, has their own COVID outbreak right now. They aren't playing at all this weekend, either. Otherwise, yeah...that would have been a great idea.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
Texas AM is open to play
December 9th, 2020 at 12:46 PM ^
Yes. They are. And THAT game would serve as a de facto "play-in" game, too. It'd be a great idea, which is exactly why it won't happen.
December 9th, 2020 at 1:10 PM ^
That would be a great watch, but I don't see the incentive for OSU to play that game. They won't be left out of the playoff even at their current record.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
I get the point that OSU beat Indiana heads up, but the point nobody is talking about is this; OSU had 2 less opportunities to suffer a loss than Indiana did. It's a fucked up deal that the conference is just ignoring the rules they set before the season started. Just more hard evidence that there is very little integrity in the competition, and the whole fucking charade of sports anymore is to make as much money as possible, everything else be damned. Just another reason for me not to care anymore