If college football is going to happen in the Big Ten conference, traditionalists might be ready to roll over in their graves.
That’s because according to sources close to the Columbus Dispatch (subscription may be required), the Ohio State vs. Michigan matchup that is normally reserved for the last regular-season game of the year is most likely to move to an earlier date, and not be the ending chapter of the season.
Yes, you hear that right. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears as though those making the scheduling decisions are trying to put The Game in the best possible position to be played. By not putting it at the end of the year, it allows for more flexibility should it need to be re-scheduled because of COVID-19 reasons.
If so, it would be the first time since 1942 that the heated rivalry wasn’t each teams’ last Big Ten regular-season game of the season.
So yeah, if you want to watch the beautiful palate of scarlet and gray battling maize and blue underneath a gray Midwestern sky, it will probably have to happen before the last Saturday in November.
Now, that’s if the Big Ten goes ahead with its already announced conference only schedule. The conference recently sent out a letter to member athletic directors that a decision on fall is coming in the next few days. And yeah, there are questions on whether there is going to be a season or not.
Big Ten source tells me the Ohio State-Michigan game is likely to be moved from last game of schedule. Not set in stone but looks like September or October. Not since 1942 has The Game not been the regular-season finale. https://t.co/c4QdcQUfhr
— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) July 31, 2020
The world awaits.
However, we wrote about Ohio State’s potential Big Ten only schedule and also believe the game should be moved away from the end of the year, but not especially early on either. Put it in the middle so that it means something, but not right at the end of the season when there’s no wiggle room to get it in.
Hide your eyes traditionalists, hide your eyes.