Ohio State to Play Northwestern for Big Ten Title After Conference Vote

The Big Ten has removed the six-game requirement to qualify for the Big Ten title game, which will allow 5-0 Ohio State to play in the game vs. Northwestern:

The conference announced the decision in a statement Wednesday:

"The Big Ten Conference Administrators Council, which includes the Directors of Athletics and Senior Women Administrators from all 14 member institutions, voted today to eliminate the minimum-game requirement for participation in the 2020 Big Ten Football Championship Game.

"The decision was made in collaboration with the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors and the conference office. The decision was based on a competitive analysis which determined that Ohio State would have advanced to the Big Ten Football Championship Game based on its undefeated record and head-to-head victory over Indiana regardless of a win or loss against Michigan."

The Buckeyes will be taking the place of 6-1 Indiana. 

Because the Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers 42-35 earlier in the season, they would have won the Big Ten East even if they had lost to Michigan this weekend on a head-to-head tiebreaker. Instead, a COVID-19 outbreak in the Wolverines program forced the cancelation of that game. 

Allowing Ohio State to play in the Big Ten title game will also be important for its College Football Playoff resume. The Buckeyes are currently No. 4, behind Alabama (9-0), Notre Dame (10-0), Clemson (9-1) and ahead of Texas A&M (7-1), Florida (8-1) and Iowa State (8-2).

The Big Ten had initially deemed that teams must play at least six games to qualify for the title game. The Buckeyes have seen three of their eight games (Maryland, Illinois and Michigan) canceled, however. The cancellations in the Maryland and Michigan games came after coronavirus breakouts at those schools, while a breakout at Ohio State caused the Illinois game to be canned.  

There will no doubt be critics of the Big Ten's decision to change its own rules to cater to Ohio State. Fair or not, the perception will exist that the conference is trying to help out its most visible school to boost ratings for its title game. 

Defenders of the decision will note that Ohio State would have qualified anyway were it not for the Michigan cancellation, or that the Buckeyes are the highest-ranked team in the conference and it would have been a disservice to them to keep them out of the title game for reasons beyond their control.