The Big Ten is set to start their college football season in late October with games beginning the weekend of the 24th. If Notre Dame plays like they’re capable of there is a great chance the Irish will be 6-0 before a Big Ten team even kicks off a game.
What a strange year.
The conference will also be playing an eight game schedule that is set to be released later this week and each team will play the team who finished the same spot in the standings as them in the other division during the conference title game (Ex: second place Minnesota in the West would play second place Penn State in the East, third place Iowa would play third place Michigan State, and so forth).
Before things were called off and eventually put back on by the Big Ten, Ohio State was set to enter the year seemingly as talented as any team in the nation. The Buckeyes will still be loaded, but will they be able to compete for a national championship?
May the best team win it all and if it’s Ohio State or someone else from the Big Ten then more power to them.
On thing to keep in mind with this each year going forward is something longtime NFL scout Greg Gabriel brought up today:
Is it fair for a BIG team to get into CFB Playoff if they only play 7 or 8 games?
— Greg Gabriel (@greggabe) September 16, 2020
It ends up that it won’t be just seven or eight games, but instead nine. However, it’ll still be two fewer games played than the 11 the SEC Champions will have played and will be fewer than the 12 the ACC Champion will have played and 11 the Big 12 champs will have participated in.
I say that to say this:
When things get back to normal and we don’t have to scurry to see teams and conferences throw together a season due to a pandemic, don’t bring up the lack of a conference championship game in your case against Notre Dame not deserving a potential College Football Playoff spot ever again.
One less game didn’t matter before, it shouldn’t matter in the case of Ohio State or any other potential unbeaten Big Ten champion this year and it shouldn’t matter going forward, either.
When an extra game is actually just a way to distract from the likes of New Mexico State, Georgia Southern and Northwestern State being one of the 13, then it’s not a point that carries any actual weight.
If Ohio State, Penn State or Wisconsin go unbeaten this year they should be in the College Football Playoff, even if they play a game or two fewer than the ACC or SEC Champion or runners up.
Just like if Notre Dame goes unbeaten with their annual schedule, they should be in the College Football Playoff annually even if they play one less game than some.
Now can we keep that same logic now going forward?
I’m Nick Shepkowski and I hope you enjoyed my Ted Talk.
