The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is one of the most successful and storied programs in college football history. The team has won seven national championships and has been to the College Football Playoff four times. But this season, the Buckeyes have only played 12 games, a far cry from their usual 13 or 14-game slate.
So why has Ohio State only played 12 games this season? The answer lies in a variety of factors, ranging from the coronavirus pandemic to NCAA regulations to the Big Ten’s scheduling process.
The Coronavirus Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted college sports, and football is no exception. The pandemic caused the Big Ten to postpone its fall season until the spring of 2021, which meant that the Buckeyes had to scrap their entire fall schedule. This included games against Oregon, Michigan State, and Purdue, which were all originally slated for the 2020 season.
NCAA Regulations
The NCAA has strict regulations that govern how many games a team can play in a given season. According to NCAA rules, teams must play a minimum of 12 games to be eligible for a bowl game. This is one of the primary reasons why the Buckeyes have only played 12 games this season, as they would not have been eligible for the College Football Playoff or a bowl game if they had played fewer than 12 games.
Big Ten Scheduling Process
The Big Ten is the only Power Five conference that utilizes a round-robin scheduling format for its football teams. This means that each team plays the other 11 teams in the conference once each season. This format is designed to ensure that the best teams in the conference have the opportunity to play each other and that there is parity among the teams.
However, this format also means that teams will often play the same opponents multiple times in a given season. For example, the Buckeyes have already played Indiana twice this season and will play Michigan twice in the regular season. This means that the Buckeyes have had to sacrifice some non-conference games in order to play their Big Ten opponents multiple times.
The Impact of the Pandemic
The pandemic has had a major impact on the Buckeyes’ schedule this season. The Big Ten had to postpone its fall season until the spring, which meant that the Buckeyes had to scrap their entire fall schedule. This included games against Oregon, Michigan State, and Purdue, which were all originally slated for the 2020 season.
Furthermore, the pandemic has caused the Big Ten to reduce the number of games that teams can play this season. The conference initially planned to allow teams to play a maximum of eight games, but this was later increased to 10. This means that the Buckeyes have had to sacrifice two non-conference games in order to meet the Big Ten’s scheduling requirements.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have only played 12 games this season due to a combination of factors. The most significant factor has been the coronavirus pandemic, which caused the Big Ten to postpone its fall season until the spring. This meant that the Buckeyes had to scrap their entire fall schedule, including games against Oregon, Michigan State, and Purdue. Additionally, NCAA regulations stipulate that teams must play a minimum of 12 games to be eligible for a bowl game. Finally, the Big Ten’s round-robin scheduling process has meant that the Buckeyes have had to sacrifice some non-conference games in order to play their Big Ten opponents multiple times. All of these aspects have contributed to the Buckeyes playing only 12 games this season.
