Big Ten Just Changed its Rules for Ohio State Again
The Big Ten already bent over backward to give Ohio State a chance to make the College Football Playoff. Now the conference leaders are doing everything in their power to give the Buckeyes the best chance to win it all.
A few weeks after the Big Ten eliminated their rule stipulating that a team must play six games to be eligible for the Big Ten Championship, which allowed Ohio State to play despite having only played five games at the time, they're now changing their COVID restriction guideline so the Buckeyes might have all their top players eligible for the College Football Playoff.
Before, players were required to sit out 21 after testing positive. Now they're only required to miss 17 days.
NEWS: Big Ten players who test positive for COVID-19 will only be required to miss 17 days, a reduction from 21, according to a document obtained by ESPN showing new policy from B1G's return to competition task force medical subcommittee. Same cardiac protocols will remain.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 20, 2020
Ohio State was without 22 players in the Big Ten Championship because of COVID, including top receiver Chris Olave. They squeaked by Northwestern despite the missing players and earned a spot in the CFP semifinals against Clemson on Jan. 1. This rule tweak will allow those players to return for the semifinal provided they don't test positive again between then and now. If the rule wasn't changed, those players would have missed the game.
These decisions are all based on the Big Ten wanting Ohio State to earn them more money. Ohio State earns around $6 million for making the CFP and all of that money is distributed equally among the 14 teams in the conference. It's transparent this was all a pure money grab and it seems the Big Ten will alter any rule to benefit the one team that can add to its piggy bank. The only question remaining is what rule will they change for Ohio State next?