Ohio State’s first game might be moved to Week Zero.
One of the first conferences to change their schedule in response to the coronavirus pandemic was the Big Ten, which swiftly eliminated non-conference games in an attempt to conserve on travel and minimize the chance that the virus spreads all over the country. This decision may have left them with a three-week hole in their schedule, but the Buckeyes might be on the verge of fixing that thanks to a new NCAA quirk made specifically for these trying times.
The Buckeyes might take advantage of a one-time waiver that will allow one game to be moved up to what has unofficially been deemed “Week Zero” in order to space out games more evenly.
Ohio State's season could start as early as Aug. 29 as the NCAA has reportedly issued a "blanket waiver" to allow all teams to start on Week 0 to allow for scheduling flexibility. https://t.co/0gUCvBFFMh
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 28, 2020
Ohio State will kick off Big Ten play against Rutgers.
The first game on the Buckeyes’ schedule now that interconference play has been canceled is a matchup against Rutgers originally scheduled for September 26.
The Buckeyes were among the Power 5 teams hit the hardest by the lack of interconference games. While they did have a tune-up against Bowling Green scheduled, a game against Lance Leipold’s Buffalo would have been somewhat interesting. One of the best non-conference games of the year, which involved locking horns with top draft prospect Penei Sewell and reigning Rose Bowl champs Oregon, has also been canceled due to the pandemic.
This tactic has already been used by another blue blood program, as Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma will take on Bobby Petrino’s Missouri State during Week Zero.
Oklahoma and Missouri State now scheduled to kick off Aug. 29 instead of Sept. 5. NCAA granted teams a waiver to move season opener up to Week 0. @LincolnRiley vs. @CoachBPetrino. Should be fun. #OU #Sooners #BoomerSooner #MissouriState
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) July 25, 2020
While the Buckeyes’ schedule is going to look different as compared to past seasons, the fact that Ryan Day’s bunch are still the cream of the Big Ten crop hasn’t changed one bit. Even if they won’t get to prove it against a team they could see again in the Rose Bowl like the Ducks, Justin Fields and Ohio State should be on track for another season that ends with a Big Ten championship, barring some bad injury news.