Now that the Big Ten has gotten off its keester and moved forward with its announcement on the reinstatement of the fall football season, it’s time to start looking at what a schedule might look like.
While appearing on a Zoom call with reporters, Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said conference ADs will begin formulating specifics of the schedule beginning tomorrow morning, but we already know a couple of things about the framework.
The schedule will begin on October 23 and 24, and will consist of eight-games for each team, all culminating in a Big Ten Championship Game on December 19, just one day prior to the College Football Playoff’s last rankings to determine the four teams in the playoff. The schedule includes no bye-weeks.
What is different according to Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez, is the creative notion of every team having a ninth week. Aside from the champions of the East and West divisions meeting for the Big Ten Championship, there will also be a ninth game for the seeds of each division against each other. No. 2 from the East will play No. 2 from the West, No. 3 vs. No.3 and on down.
❗ Scheduling News ❗
Barry Alvarez shares that the 2020 season will feature an extra "Champions Week" game for each team, plus an update on when to expect a football schedule: pic.twitter.com/DCeagI8xeV
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 16, 2020
There is still a question of what would be done if a potential matchup would mean playing a team twice with the pairing. But either way, it sounds like every team will get a nine-game schedule, with that ninth game to be determined based on each program’s finish among its peers.
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