Given Michigan’s cancellation of this weekend’s game, here’s a solution.
—Reschedule the final week and have Wisconsin replace Michigan and play Ohio State.
— Another final week reschedule would have Indiana play Northwestern.
— The winners would play for the Big Ten championship. If Ohio State won, they’d have a 7-0 record. An NU win would result in their 7-1 record (6-2 if they lost the championship game).
If games resulted in expected results, Ohio State would be the Big Ten champ with a 7-0 record and an almost certain selection as a playoff team. What that would mean is roughly a $500,000 payment to each Big Ten member. If OSU made the championship game, that payment would be roughly doubled.
Of course, if no such rescheduling was done, Ohio State would finish with a 5-0 record, unlikely to earn them an invitation to the playoffs. Neither Northwestern or Indiana with 1-loss would have any chance of a playoff invitation. This option would produce no playoff payments to Big Ten member schools, a very expensive choice in this season of COVID-stressed athletic budgets.
If we follow the money, this is the solution the Big Ten AD’s should choose. Are there alternatives? Any disadvantages to this solution? Of course, there is certain to be a couple schools who might disagree. But if the AD’s follow the money, is there another solution?
One last thing. This suggested rescheduling presents the ONLY chance that a Big Ten team would have to play in the “granddaddy of them all” — The Rose Bowl!
—Reschedule the final week and have Wisconsin replace Michigan and play Ohio State.
— Another final week reschedule would have Indiana play Northwestern.
— The winners would play for the Big Ten championship. If Ohio State won, they’d have a 7-0 record. An NU win would result in their 7-1 record (6-2 if they lost the championship game).
If games resulted in expected results, Ohio State would be the Big Ten champ with a 7-0 record and an almost certain selection as a playoff team. What that would mean is roughly a $500,000 payment to each Big Ten member. If OSU made the championship game, that payment would be roughly doubled.
Of course, if no such rescheduling was done, Ohio State would finish with a 5-0 record, unlikely to earn them an invitation to the playoffs. Neither Northwestern or Indiana with 1-loss would have any chance of a playoff invitation. This option would produce no playoff payments to Big Ten member schools, a very expensive choice in this season of COVID-stressed athletic budgets.
If we follow the money, this is the solution the Big Ten AD’s should choose. Are there alternatives? Any disadvantages to this solution? Of course, there is certain to be a couple schools who might disagree. But if the AD’s follow the money, is there another solution?
One last thing. This suggested rescheduling presents the ONLY chance that a Big Ten team would have to play in the “granddaddy of them all” — The Rose Bowl!
