Michigan, Ohio State want Big Ten to let Nebraska play

Nebraska isn’t happy the Big Ten denied their attempt to play a make-up game but Michigan and Ohio State have their back.

After Wisconsin had to cancel Saturday’s game vs. Nebraska after a COVID-19 outbreak left 22 members of the program testing positive, Nebraska tried to get a game in any way. The Cornhuskers attempted to schedule a game with Tennessee-Chattanooga but the Big Ten denied their attempt, holding firm with their rules that only conference games will be played this season.

That left many Nebraska football fans upset they couldn’t play, which has been an ongoing theme this fall, but it also left Big Ten heavyweights, Ohio State and Michigan miffed with the league’s stubbornness.

Dan Patrick reported on his show on Friday that those schools are upset the league won’t show some flexibility and allow Nebraska to play because it could come back to haunt the Wolverines and Buckeyes in their bid to make the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State, Michigan want Nebraska to play

Should Ohio State or Michigan have an instance where they have a game canceled, it could cost them in the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee who may determine they haven’t played enough games to pass their eye test or whatever other metrics they use to evaluate the four best teams.

“Nebraska has already tweaked their noses at the Big Ten earlier this year when they decided they wanted to go out and they were going to go rogue and just play because the Big Ten wasn’t going to play,” Patrick said. “This what I got yesterday. The presidents in the Big Ten agreed no non-conference games prior to the restart here. Ohio State and Michigan were for Nebraska playing because they know it could happen to them. They revisited this yesterday but no traction. Ohio State realizes that if they get a game canceled they still want to be able to schedule a game just so they have enough games to play in the final four. And Michigan is thinking the same way.

“If Wisconsin can’t have all these games, Wisconsin is not going to be able to have any thought of competing for one of those final four spots. Ohio State knows this is really tricky right now. They can’t afford anything to happen where a game is canceled and they’re not making up these games. So Ohio State and Michigan, I don’t know if they lobbied for Nebraska to be able to play, but they were certainly in their corner for them to be able to play a football game this weekend because they know that that could happen to them.”

There’s been plenty of drama with Nebraska and the Big Ten and speculation has arisen this marriage could be headed for divorce in the coming years, which may be a stretch, but it’s good they have the support of the two biggest Big Ten schools in their corner. Even if they are just looking out in their best interests in case they find themselves in the same situation down the road.

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