Even Ohio State football’s arch-nemesis believes the Buckeyes should be able to represent the Big Ten’s East division in the conference championship game.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel spoke to the media after ‘The Game’ was officially canceled and actually campaigned publicly for Ohio State on several fronts. He believes that this year, moreso than any other, the confernece should remain flexible and be willing to re-address things that were decided months ago in the face of the pandemic. That would of course include allowing the Buckeyes to compete in the Big Ten Championship Game despite falling one-game short of the six-game minimum to be eligible to go to Indy.
“We made decisions months ago now about six-out-of-eight games, not knowing where this pandemic would take us,” Manuel said. “We were all hoping to play all eight games. And like we have done on the medical subcommittee, which I sit on, and throughout this process, we have discussed, we have adjusted, we have changed.”
“I don’t believe that anybody — Ohio State or any other team — should just be punished for decisions we made by looking at eight games and saying we should play six, and not knowing the effects of what happens to them and their team versus what others because of what happens to our team affects them. I would be open, and I think the conference would be open, to having a discussion about whether or not we should make adjustments, whether or not schedules should be adjusted to get Ohio State enough games to play six, or to play the championship with five.
“But I don’t think we should just hunker down and say, ‘Well, we said six, so that should be it,’ Manuel continued. “I think they deserve, the conversation deserves to happen, to see if we could have any adjustments made. Because this is unprecedented times for everybody, and we need to make sure that we are flexible and able to move and make decisions based off the data that we have.”
Michigan AD advocates for Ohio State’s goals, doesn’t write off rescheduling game https://t.co/3WuMDLY3Fw
— WolverinesWire (@wolverineswire) December 8, 2020
Manuel went further and even categorized Ohio State as one of the four best teams in the country and believes that Michigan’s decision to cancel the game this weekend shouldn’t have a bearing on the Buckeyes’ inclusion in the College Football Playoff.
“I just want to make it clear: I think Ohio State is one of the top four teams in this country, deserves the opportunity and the conversation about their success this season, and would be a great representative to the College Football Playoff, if they are chosen,” Manuel said. “So it is, for me, that’s where I stand, and I’m gonna work with my colleagues in the Big Ten and Commissioner Warren to help make the best decision for us moving forward.”
So there you have it. Even Michigan wants Ohio State to have a shot at winning some hardware in 2020. If the Wolverines are in this camp, who can be against the Buckeyes? Well, we can think of one team, Indiana. Right now, under the current policy, the Hoosiers would represent the East in Indianapolis despite losing to OSU a few weeks ago. But even that has few legs to stand on.
If you’re keeping score, so far two athletic directors have come to the aid publicly for Ohio State when it comes to changing the eligibility policy. Barry Alvarez of Wisconsin, and now Manuel at Michigan.
It probably won’t take long to hear something on this either. The Big Ten has already released a statement that seems to be open to adjusting things for the Buckeyes, and there is a meeting scheduled for tomorrrow morning that was already on the books between Big Ten athletic directors. You can bet this topic will come up, and be addressed fairly quickly.
Stay tuned to Buckeyes Wire and we’ll have anything that comes out of that meeting in the morning.
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