Ohio State is headed to the Big Ten Championship Game and the college football world doesn’t appear to be very happy. It all has to do with the conference scrapping the six-game minimum that would have made the Buckeyes ineligible to travel to Indianapolis. In OSU’s place, the Indiana Hoosiers would have gone as the second-place team that did meet the six-game minimum.
Remember though, the Hoosiers lost to the Buckeyes on the field on November 21.
But that doesn’t matter. Seems like most fans and some media members believe the Hoosiers are getting snubbed for the sake of a name brand program that gives the Big Ten the best chance at getting into the College Football Playoff. Nevermind that OSU is undefeated, and had two games canceled because of the opponent pulling the trigger.
And the deal here is that the Big Ten seems pretty united on allowing Ohio State to represent the East division in the title game. In fact, though Indiana is clearly downtrodden according to a statement the Hoosiers released, it still understood where things stand.
But that isn’t the end of it. Despite the outcry from the national media and plenty of mean tweets, Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson and head coach Tom Allen doubled-down on the Hoosier statement that basically congratulated Ohio State. There is disappointment sure, but the Hoosier leadership seems to understand (unlike many others) that IU came up short on the field when it mattered.
Dolson also realizes that if Indiana were in Ohio State’s shoes, he would feel that it should be in the game.
Dolson on rationalizing the rule change:
"One of the things that helped me, I really believe .. if the situation were different, if we were in Ohio State's position, and we hope we are at some point, I'd argue like crazy we deserved to be in that game." #iufb
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) December 11, 2020
Head coach Tom Allen agreed. Clearly disappointed, Allen reiterated that what happens on the field matters more than anything else. And, on the field, the Hoosiers lost to the Buckeyes.
Tom Allen on OSU getting to the Big Ten title game, rather than IU. Says he thinks about a lesson his dad taught him:
"You shut your mouth and you let your play do the talking. We have to let our play do the talking." #iufb
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) December 11, 2020
So, there you have it. Everyone else can be angry at what has transpired in the Big Ten, but when the school that got so-called run over by a change in policy during a pandemic understands, there is something to be said there.
Let’s all just calm down a little and congratulate Indiana on a fine season, but realize that if the shoe were on the other foot, there would have been an even greater case of injustice towards Ohio State.
If this weren’t OSU, who else believes there would be this level of hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing?
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