Big Ten decision to protect Ohio State

The Large Ten made a enterprise resolution — and it’s the appropriate resolution.

The convention on Wednesday waived a six-game requirement to make its championship recreation, which can permit No. Four Ohio State (5-Zero) to symbolize the East division in opposition to No. 14 Northwestern (5-1) on Dec. 19.

From a strictly enterprise perspective, it is sensible. The Buckeyes get a sixth recreation and an opportunity to win a fourth straight convention championship. Ohio State doubtless makes one other Faculty Soccer Playoff look and can battle it out with perennial contenders in No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. three Clemson.

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The politics of that call would possibly get twisted. Did the Large Ten defend its greatest soccer model? Do the Buckeyes at all times get their method? And, for the choice committee: Is it truthful to place a group with six video games in when different contenders have performed into the double digits?

Let’s take a look at who would possibly complain, and whether or not their complaints carry any weight:

Ohio State followers can’t complain. Certain, “The Game” against Michigan was canceled, however there is not any conspiracy in opposition to the Buckeyes — none of that “us in opposition to the world” stuff can be utilized in opposition to Ohio State so far as the Large Ten is worried. This system is getting what it wished when second-year coach Ryan Day pushed for a season within the first place. The Buckeyes will get their likelihood to get again to the CFP after dropping 29-23 within the Fiesta Bowl nationwide semifinal in opposition to Clemson final season.

The remainder of the Large Ten can’t complain, both. Solely three different groups within the convention have a profitable document. No. 12 Indiana misplaced head-to-head to the Buckeyes. No. 16 Iowa misplaced to No. 14 Northwestern. Yeah, the Large Ten went again on a rule that was made earlier than the season; it was a foul rule with an eight-game schedule. Iowa, Rutgers, Penn State and Iowa are the one groups which have performed a full schedule, and the Buckeyes beat two of them.

Nonetheless mad? Since 2018, Ohio State has gained 20 consecutive Large Ten video games by a median of 26 factors per recreation. The Wildcats are getting an opportunity — and if the Large Ten desires to go the additional mile it might probably cancel Northwestern’s recreation in opposition to Illinois this weekend. That will give each groups every week to organize.

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Who else will attempt to complain?

The ACC cannot. Notre Dame and Clemson are getting a week off earlier than the ACC championship recreation. No. 10 Miami may technically end with a greater convention profitable proportion than the Tigers if it beats North Carolina and Georgia Tech the subsequent two weeks. The ACC acquired what it wished.

The Large 12 cannot. No. 7 Iowa State and No. 11 Oklahoma are two-loss groups, and the Cyclones misplaced to Louisiana. Two-loss groups don’t make the Faculty Soccer Playoff.

The Pac-12 cannot complain. No. 15 USC (Four-Zero) has performed fewer video games than Ohio State and, at finest, will match its six-game-total.

However you recognize who’s going to complain.

The SEC can complain and attempt to wiggle both of No. 5 Texas A&M or No. 6 Florida into the Playoff subsequent to Alabama. Recommendation: Go win the SEC championship recreation.

The Aggies misplaced 52-24 to Alabama. The Gators will get their likelihood subsequent. But when SEC commissioner Greg Sankey instructed the Crimson Tide and Gators to remain dwelling Saturday to organize for the SEC championship subsequent weekend, no person would blink. As a result of it’s in one of the best curiosity of the convention to place your groups in place to make the Playoff — a job made tougher with the scheduling issues created by COVID-19 pauses.

Then there’s No. eight Cincinnati, nevertheless it’s not going to win that battle with the Buckeyes — not with that Group of 5 label. The Bearcats are behind Iowa State within the rankings proper now, and Oklahoma doubtless will leap them if it wins the Large 12 championship recreation. Is that fair? Of course not. However that’s not going to alter within the subsequent two weeks.

If Florida beats Alabama, then there is a good likelihood the Notre Dame-Clemson loser will get bounced from the Faculty Soccer Playoff — not Ohio State. Watch it occur.

All these groups can complain, however the Large Ten can lastly relaxation on making the appropriate resolution in a season the place its earlier selections have been shredded. Did the Large Ten cancel too early on Aug. 11? Did the Large Ten come again too late on Oct. 24? These had been choices commissioner Kevin Warren tried to make amid extraordinary circumstances. Did the Large Ten do the appropriate factor by waiving an arbitrary six-game rule that was set as much as fail in an eight-game schedule?

Earlier than you reply that, think about what protecting that rule would have finished.

MORE: No Ohio State-Michigan is another mark against Big Ten’s brutal 2020 season

Indiana and Northwestern would have performed within the Large Ten championship recreation on the identical weekend Iowa would have doubtless traveled to Ohio State. None of these video games are assured, contemplating how a lot COVID-19 has impacted the schedule, however the league would have been ripped exponentially extra if that call saved the Buckeyes out of the Faculty Soccer Playoff.

Anyone exterior the Large Ten can complain all they need, however that mistake would have adopted the Large Ten eternally.

Is it the appropriate resolution? Completely. It places the one undefeated group within the convention championship recreation. Conferences are going to do what they need to do to ensure their finest groups are put ready to succeed, and the Large Ten did what it needed to do.

Is that call truthful? Faculty soccer is not the appropriate place to search for what’s truthful — not in 2020 anyway. Till there’s a playoff enlargement — and perhaps after — that is going to be the main criticism from everybody. It occurs each time you attempt to cram 10 individuals into 4 chairs.

That is not the Large Ten or the Buckeyes’ downside this yr. It is about doing what’s finest for the enterprise.